• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.50-58
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the task-oriented training according to the application time with the change of motor and cognition function. Focal ischemic brain injury was produced in Sprague-Dawley rats (20 rats, $250{\pm}50$ g) through middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). Before MCAo induction, all rats were trained in treadmill training and Morris water maze training for 1 week. Then they were randomly divided into groups: Group I : MCAo induction ($n_1$=5), Grop II: the application for simple treadmill task training after. MCAo induction ($n_2$=5). Group III: the application for Morris water maze cognitive task training after MCAo induction ($n_3$=5). Group IV: the application for progressive treadmill task training and Morris water maze cognitive task training after MCAo induction ($n_4$=5). Modified limb placing tests (MLPTs) and motor tests (MTs) were performed to test motor function and then Morris water maze acquisition test (MWMAT) and Morris water maze retention test (MWMRT) were performed to test cognitive function. For MTs, there were significant interactions among the groups with the time (p<.001). Group IV showed the steeper increasing pattern than those in other Groups on the 7th and 14th day. For MLPTs, there were significant interactions among the groups with the time (p<.001). The scores in Group III. IV had showed the more decreasing pattern than those in Group I, II since the 7th day and 14th day. For MWMAT, there were significant interactions among the groups with the time (p<.001). Group II found the Quadrant circular platform showed the steeper decreasing pattern than that in Group I on the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th day. Group III. IV found the quadrant circular platform showed the slower decreasing pattern than that in Group I, II, For MWMRT, there were significant differences among the four groups (p<.001). The time to dwell on quadrant circular platform in Group IV on the 13th day was the longest compared with other groups. These results suggested that the combined task training was very effective to improve the motor and cognition function for the rats affected on their focal ischemic brain injury.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.341-346
• /
• 2008

In the present study, we assessed the effects of white ginseng and red ginseng extract on the learning and memory impairments induced by scopolamine. The cognition-enhancing effect of ginseng extracts was investigated using the Morris water maze and Y-maze test. Drug-induced amnesia was induced by treating animals with scopolamine (2 mg/kg, i.p.), an antagonist of muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor. Tacrine was used a positive control. Ginseng extract (200 mg/kg, p.o.), tacrine (10 mg/kg, p.o.) administration significantly reduced the escape latency during training in the Morris water maze (p<0.05). At the probe trial session, scopolamine significantly increased the escape latency on day 5 in comparison with control (p<0.01). The effect of ginseng extracts on spontaneous alternation in Y-maze was similar to that of scopolamine treated group. In addition, numbers of arm entries were similar in all experimental groups. Moreover, red ginseng extract significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity in the cortex and serum (p<0.05). Brain ACh contents of ginseng extract treated groups increased more than that of scopolamine group, which did not show statistically significant. These results suggest that ginseng extract may be useful for the treatment of cognitive impairment.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.63-78
• /
• 2002

Kupunggibodan(KU), Gamisamul-tang(GA) and Whangryunhaedok-tang(WH) are clinically the most popular prescriptions as an herbal medicine in the treatment of ischemia. In order to compare and evaluate their protective effects on the ischema-induced cognitive deficits by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), we examined its ability to improve ischemia-induced cell loss and impairements of learning and memory in the Morris water maze and eight-arm radial arm maze. Focal cerebral ischemia produced a marked cell loss, decrease in acetylcholinesterase(AchE) reactivity in the hippocampus, and learning and memory deficits in two behavioral tasks. Pretreatment with WH (100 mg/kg, p.o.) produced a substantial increase in acquisition in the Morris water maze. Pretreatment with KU increased the perfomance of the resention test in the Morris water maze. WH, KU and GA caused a significant improvement in choice accuracy in radial arm maze test. WH was superior to KU and GA in perfomance of the radial arm maze test. Consistent with behavioral data, staining with cresyl violet showed that pretreatments with WH, but not KU and GA significantly recovered the ischemia-induced cell loss in the hippcampal CA1 area. In addition, pretreatments with WH and KU recovered the ischemia-induced reduction of AchE reactivity in the hippocampal CA1 area. These results demonstrated that KU, GA and WH have protective effects against ischimea-induced learning and memory impairments and that the efficacy was the order of WH>KU>GA in tratment of ischemia induced memory deficits. The present studies provide an evidence of KU, GA and WH as putative treatment of vascular dementia. Supported by a fund from the Ministry of Health and Welfare(HMP-00-OO-04-0004), and the Brain Korea 21 Project from Korean Ministry of Education, Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.39 no.11
• /
• pp.1691-1694
• /
• 2010

In the present study, we assessed whether the extracts of Codonopsis lanceolata and fermented C. lanceolata posses the cognition-enhancing effect in rats with impaired learning and memory by scopolamine treatment (1 mg/kg, i.p.), an antagonist of muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor. The fermented C. lanceolata extract (333, 667 mg/kg) significantly reversed the scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in the passive avoidance test (p<0.05). Moreover, fermented C. lanceolata extract (333 mg/kg) also improved escape latencies in training trials of Morris water maze test (p<0.05). The water extract of fermented C. lanceolata showed significant anti-amnestic and cognitive-enhancing activities related to the memory processes, and these activities were parallel to treatment duration and dependent of the learning models.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.2 s.70
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 2007

Objective : Gagamchongmyung-tang is clinically one of the most popular prescriptions as an herbal medicine for the treatment of amnesia. In order to evaluate its neuroprotective effects on the ischemia-induced cognitive deficits caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), we examined its ability to reduce impairments of learning and memory of rats in the Morris water maze. Method and Result : Focal cerebral ischemia produced a decrease in acetylcholine transmission in the hippocampus, and deficits of learning and memory in the Morris water maze task. Treatment with two types of Gagamchongmyung-tang, methanol and water extracts, produced a substantial increase in acquisition in the Morris water maze. Treatment with methanol extract of Gagamchongmyung-tang increased the performance of the retention test in the Morris water maze. Consistent with behavioral data, immunohistochemical data showed that treatment with methanol extract, but not water extract, of Gagamchongmyung-tang significantly recovered reduction of AchE and ChAT reactivity in the hippocampal CAl area. Conclusion : These results demonstrated that methanol extract of Gagamchongmyung-tang has protective effects against ischemia-induced learning and memory impairments, and provided evidence of methanol extract of Gagamchongmyung-tang as a putative treatment for amnesia, vascular dementia, and longer memory.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.467-473
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the memory enhancing effect and underlying molecular mechanism of arabinoxylan (AX), a major component of dietary fiber in wheat against scopolamine (SCO)-induced amnesia in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Diverse behavior tests including Y-maze, Morris water maze, and passive avoidance tests were performed to measure cognitive functions. SCO significantly decreased the spontaneous alterations in Y-maze test and step-through latency in passive avoidance test, whereas increased time spent to find the hidden platform in Morris water maze test compared with the sham control group. In contrast, oral administration of AX (25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) effectively reversed the SCO-induced cognitive impairments in SD rats. Furthermore, AX treatment up-regulated the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the cortex and hippocampus via promoting activation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB). Therefore, our findings suggest that AX can improve SCO-induced learning and memory impairment possibly through activation of CREB and up-regulation of BDNF levels, thereby exhibiting a cognition-enhancing potential.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.27-44
• /
• 2003

Objective : The aim of this study was to assess protective effects of Whangryonhaedoktang on the chronic mild stress (CMS) animal model of depression. Method : Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. The subjects were divided into 3 groups (CMS-drug group: Whangryonhaedoktang was administered during CMS procedure, CMS-vehicle: water was administered during CMS procedure, normal control group: without CMS procedure). After 4 weeks of CMS procedure, Morris water maze (MWM) test and open field test were executed and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was measured in ventral tegmental area (VTA) and locus coeruleus (LC) of rat brain. Result : 1. CMS procedure induced defects of spatial learning in early period of MWM test. 2. CMS Whangryonhaedoktang group showed shorter escape latency in comparison with CMS control group in MWM test on the first day of the test. 3. CMS Whangryonhaedoktang group and CMS control group showed no significant difference of activities and emotional behaviors in comparison with normal control group in open field test. 4. CMS Whangryonhaedoktang group showed significant inhibition effects of TH expression in VTA and LC areas in comparison with CMS control group. Conclusion : These results suggest that Whangryonhaedoktang may have inhibition effects to early period defects of spatial learning and protective antidepressant effects in CMS model rats.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.479-487
• /
• 2013

This study is intended to examine the tDCS and Morris Water maze training in Alzheimer's disease(AD) rats on Tau protein expression. Experiment groups were divided into four groups and assigned 16 rats to each group. Group I was a control group(AD induced by scopolamine); Group II was a experimental control group(AD injured by scopolamine and treatment tacrine); Group III was a group of tDCS application after AD injured by scopolamine; Group IV was a group of morris water maze training after AD injured by scopolamine. In cognition test, the outcome of group II was significantly lower than the groups(p<.001). and group III, IV were significantly low result at 14 days(p<.05). In histological finding, the experimental groups were destroy of micro vessels and finding of cell atropy and swelling. Group III, IV were decreased in degeneration of liver and kidney cells. In immuno- histochemistric response of BDNF and tau protein in hippocampus, BDNF expression of Group II was more increase than the other groups. and increase of BDNF expression was III, IV were higher than group I at 21 days. Tau protein expression of Group II was more decrease than the other groups. and decrease of Tau protein expression was III, IV were lower than group I at 21 days. These result suggest that improved tDCS and morris water maze training after scopolamine induced is associated with dynamically altered expression of BDNF and Tau protein in hippocampus and that is related with cognitive function.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.324-328
• /
• 2013

Soy (Glycine max, family Leguminosae) contains isoflavones and saponins as main constituents. In our preliminary study, soybean ethanol extract (SE) ameliorated scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice in the passive avoidance task. Therefore, to confirm its ameliorating effect for memory impairments, we measured its effect in scopolamine-induced memory-impaired mice in Morris water maze task. SE significantly prevented scopolamine-induced memory impairment in the Morris water maze task. SE also increased the swimming time within quadrant section of the platform on the day after the final training session test. SE protected the reduction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation in the hippocampi of scopolamine-treated mice. However, SE did not inhibit acetylcholinesterase. To understand the possible role of soysaponins in memory impairments, we prepared soyasaponins-rich (butanol) fraction of soybean (SRF) and investigated its protective effect against in the passive avoidance and Morris water maze tasks. SRF ameliorated scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice. The memory impairment-ameliorating effect of SRF was more effective than that of SE. Based on these findings, soybean may improve memory impairment by regulating CREB phosphorylation and BDNF expression.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.345-352
• /
• 2010

The present study was undertaken to explore the potential of erythropoietin in memory deficits of mice. Memory impairment was produced by scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg, $i.p.$) and intracerebroventricular streptozotocin (i.c.v STZ, 3 mg/kg, $10{\mu}l$, $1^{st}$ and $3^{rd}$ day) in separate groups of animals. Morris water-maze test was employed to assess learning and memory. The levels of brain thio-barbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were estimated to assess degree of oxidative stress. Brain acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) activity was also measured. Scopolamine/streptozotocin administration induced significant impairment of learning and memory in mice as indicated by marked decrease in Morris water-maze performance. Scopolamine/streptozotocin administration also produced a significant enhancement of brain AChE activity and brain oxidative stress (an increase in TBARS and a decrease in GSH) levels. Treatment of erythropoietin (500 and 1,000 IU/Kg i.p.) significantly reversed scopolamine- as well as streptozotocin-induced learning and memory deficits along with attenuation of those-induced rise in brain AChE activity and brain oxidative stress levels. It may be concluded that erythropoietin exerts a beneficial effect in memory deficits of mice possibly through its multiple actions including potential anti-oxidative effect.