• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.319-336
• /
• 2015

Objectives: The object of this study was to evaluate the cognition and motor function recovery effects of Sungshim-san (SSS), a traditional Korean cardio-protective polyherbal formula in the severe rat stroke, permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) model. Methods: The experimental animals were divided into 6 groups. SSS aqueous extracts (yield=16.82%; 400, 200 and 100 mg/kg) were administered orally by using Sonde, once daily, for 28 continuous days from 24 hrs post-pMCAO. Donepezil 10 mg/kg, a representative drug for dementia, was used as a reference drug. The body weight changes, infarct/defect sizes, sensorimotor function and cognitive motor behavior were serially monitored. Limb placing and body-swing test for sensorimotor functions were conducted at 1 day before operation (base line), and 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post-pMCAO; and water maze test for the cognitive motor behavior was conducted at 14 and 28 days post-pMCAO, respectively. Results: Focal cerebral cortex infarct and defects due to pMCAO resulted in marked decreases of body weight, disorders of sensorimotor functions and cognitive motor behaviors. However, the pMCAO-related ischemic damages were markedly and dose-dependently inhibited by treatment with SSS 400 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Donepezil markedly decreased the body weight and gains, as compared with pMCAO control rats; however, SSS 400 and 200 mg/kg favorably ameliorated the pMCAO-induced decreases in body weight and gains. SSS 100 mg/kg treated rats did not show any favorable effects on the pMCAO-related ischemic damages, as compared with pMCAO control rats. Conclusions: The results of the study indicated that oral administration of SSS 400 and 200 mg/kg accelerated cognition and motor function recovery in the rat pMCAO model. The treatment effect was potentially mediated by neuroprotection via the known augmentation of cerebral antioxidant defense system of SSS itself or its individual herbal components. Especially, the overall effects of SSS 200 mg/kg were similar to those of donepezil 10 mg/kg, but less toxic.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.419-434
• /
• 2013

Objectives: The object of this study is to observe the cognition and motor function recovery effects of Joojakwhan (JJW), a traditional Korean poly-herbal formula for treating various neuropsychiatric diseases such as dementia, for the mildly stroke rats, with 60 minutes of reperfusion transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Methods: In the present study, 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg of JJW were orally administered, once per day for 10 continuous days 2 hours after the tMCAO. The body weight changes, infarct sizes under 2% 2, 3, 5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) stain, sensorimotor functions and cognitive motor behavior tests were serially monitored with cerebral caspase-3 and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-immunoreactivities and histopathological changes. The effects of tMCAO on sensorimotor functions were evaluated by using of limb placing and body-swing tests, and the cognitive motor behaviors were also observed with water maze tests. Results: From the results of tMCAO, with marked decreases of body weights, disorders of sensorimotor functions increases the limb placing test scores, and decrease the numbers and percentages of body swings to the ipsilateral sides. The cognitive motor behaviors increases the distances and time to reach the escape platform which included the inhibitions of the decreases with repeated trials that were observed with focal cerebral cortex infarct volumes. In addition, the marked increases of the atrophy, numbers of degeneration, caspase-3- and PARP-immunoreactive cells around peri-infarct ipsilateral cerebral cortex were also observed in tMCAO controls when compared with the sham control rats, respectively. Conclusions: The results obtained from this study suggest that oral administrations of JJW indicate obvious cognitions and motor function recoveries of the rats with tMCAO, mild strokes, which are mediated by neuro-protective effects through known antioxidant effects of components.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.48-56
• /
• 2007

Environmental Enrichment (EE) alone is not capable of enhancing the fine digit and the forelimb functions. Therefore, we applied modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) under the influence of EE to assess its effect on promoting improved forelimb sensorimotor functions. Focal ischemic brain injury was produced in Sprague-Dawley rats (60 rats, $250{\pm}50$ g) through middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Before MCAO induction, all rats were trained in modified limb placing tests and reaching tasks for 1 week. Then they were randomly divided into three groups: Group I: application of standard environment (SE) after MCAO induction (n=20), Group II: application of EE after MCAO induction (n=20), Group III: MCAO+EE, mCIMT and task-oriented training that was initiated at 10th day after MCAO induction (n=20). We also applied mCIMT (between 9 AM and 5 PM/daily) which included restraining the forelimb ipsilateral to the lesion using the 'Jones & Schallert' method. We assessed the change of modified limb placing, single pellet reaching test and the immunoreactivity of BDNF by immunohistochemistry (pre, 1st, 5th, 10th and 20th day). Group I showed no improved outcome, whereas group II and III significantly improved on the use of the forelimb and the immunoreactivity. The qualitative analysis of the skilled reaching test, of group III showed the greatest improvement in the fine digit and the forelimb function. These results suggest that EE combined with mCIMT is more functional in promoting enhanced fine digit and forelimb functional movements.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.386-390
• /
• 2014

Purpose: We aimed to investigate whether visuomotor function would be modulated, when healthy subjects performed tracking task after tDCS application over the primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) in the non-dominant hemisphere. Methods: Thirty four right-handed healthy participants were enrolled, who randomly and evenly divided into two groups, real tDCS group and sham control group. Direct current with intensity of 1 mA was delivered over SM1 for 15 minutes. After tDCS, tracking task was measured, and their performance was calculated by an accuracy index (AI). Results: No significant difference in AI at the baseline between the two groups was observed. The AI of the real tDCS group was significantly increased after electrical stimulation, compared to the sham control group. Two way ANOVA with repeated measurement showed a significant finding in a large main effects of time and group-by-repeated test interaction. Conclusion: This study indicated that application of the anodal tDCS over the SM1 could facilitate higher visuomotor coordination, compared to sham tDCS group. These findings suggest possibility that tDCS can be used as adjuvant brain modulator for improvement of motor accuracy in healthy individuals as well as patients with brain injury.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.59-69
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of an upper extremities group exercise program based on motor learning in chronic stroke patients and to assess improvements in upper sensory motor function and activities of daily living (ADL). Five chronic stroke patients participated for the duration of 25 weeks. On the assessment of motor and process skills, there was a statistically significant improvement in motor area functioning in 4 of the subjects. In process area functioning, there was a statistically significant change in 3 of the subjects. Therefore, further studies are needed to assess sensorimotor area and ADL changes in chronic stroke patients to reduce medical cost and assess for positive psychological changes.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.51-60
• /
• 2004

Falls are common, costly, and a leading cause of death among older adults. The major predisposing factors of a fall may include age-related deterioration in the dynamic system composed of auditory, somatosensory, vestibular, visual, musculoskeletal, and neuromuscular subsystems. Older adults with a history of frequent falls demonstrated significant reductions in gait velocity, muscle force production, and balance performance. These altered neuromechanical characteristics may be further exaggerated when faced with conflicting multisensory conditions. Despite the important contribution of multisensory function on the sensorimotor system during postural and locomotor tasks, it remains unclear whether multisensory intervention will produce dynamic balance improvement during locomotion in older adults with a history of frequent falls. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to address important factors associated with falls in elderly adults and provide theoretical rationale for a multisensory intervention program model.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.55-64
• /
• 2015

The present study identified the brain based learning activities on the individual learning senses by using the brain laterality and the whole brain index. Students receive the information through the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic senses by Politano and Paquin's (2000) classification. These learning senses are reflected on brain by the various combinations of senses for learning. Measuring the types of the learning senses involving in brain laterality and whole brain is required to figure out the related learning styles. Self-directed learning involved in the learning senses shows the problem-based learning associated to the brain function by emphasizing the balanced brain utilization which is known as whole brain. These research results showed the successful whole brain learning is closely associated with elevated auditory learning and elevated visual learning in sensorimotor brainwave rhythm (SMR) while it shows the close association with elevated kinesthetic and elevated visual learning in beta brainwave rhythm.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.202-222
• /
• 2003

Chronic upper extremity hemiparesis is a leading cause of functional disability after stroke. The purpose of this study were to identify effects of a 6weeks repetitive bilateral arm training on upper motor function and the reorganization of motor network. Four chronic stroke patients participated in this study. They performed for 6 consecutive weeks, 3 days a week, 30 minutes a day. In the single group study, four 5-minute periods per session of bilateral arm training were performed with the use of a custom-designed arm training machine. The results of this study was as follows. 1. Following the 6weeks period of RBAT, patient exhibited a improvement in FMA and BBT. 2. Following the 6weeks period of RBAT, it showed improvement in reaching time, symbol digit substitution and finger tapping speed of KCNT. 3. fMRI activation after RBAT showed a focal map in lesional cortical area and perilesional motor areas. These fMRI data suggest that hemodynamics response to RBAT reflect sensorimotor reorganization in contralateral hemisphere. In conclusion, these date suggest that improved upper extremity function induced by repetitive bilateral arm training after stroke is associated with reorganization of motor network as a neural basis for the improvement of paratic upper extremity function.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.119-130
• /
• 2005

Stroke is a leading cause of chronic physical disability. The recent randomized controlled trials have that motor function of chronic stroke survivors could be improved through physical or pharmacologic intervention in the stroke rehabilitation setting. In addition, several functional neuroimaging techniques have recently developed, it is available to study the functional topography of sensorimotor area of the brain. However, the mechanisms involved in motor recovery after stroke, are still poorly understood. Four motor recovery mechanisms have been suggested, such as reorganization into areas adjacent to the injured primary motor cortex (M1), unmasking of the motor pathway from the unaffected motor cortex to the affected hand, attribution of secondary motor areas, and recovery of the damaged contralateral corticospinal tract. Understanding the motor recovery mechanisms would provide neurorehabilitation specialists with more information to allow for precise prognosis and therapeutic strategies based on the scientific evidence; this may help promote recovery of motor function. This review introduces several methodologies for neuroimaging techniques and discusses theoretical issues that impact interpretation of functional imaging studies of motor recovery after stroke. Perspectives, for future research are presented.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.89-93
• /
• 2002

We report a preliminary fMRI evidence of modulation of somatomotor areas by acupuncture in GB34 acupoint. GB34, located in the back of the knee, is known to be effective in recovering motor function after stroke. Using 3T MR scanner, functional MR imaging was performed in five normal volunteers in two stimulation paradigms; acupuncture manipulation on GB34 and sham points. Group analysis form five individuals showed that bilateral sensorimotor areas (BA 3,4,6 and 7) showed stimulation related BOLD signal contrast of approximately 6% whereas very few areas were activated when sham stimulation is given. Our results suggest that acupuncture fMRI study can be safely conducted in 3T environment and stimulation in GB34 modulate the cortical activities of the somatomotor area in human.