• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.109-121
• /
• 2022

Objective : This study is conducted to investigate the effect of Astragali Radix on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) induced by the Single Proposed Stress(SPS). Methods : The experiment was conducted with five groups; SAL groups with only saline treatment, SPS group, SPS + ARX25 group, SPS + ARX50 group, and SPS + ARX100 group. After applying SPS, saline and ARX were administered for 14 days to identify the change of body weight, sucrose intake amount, and behavioral changes through Open Field Test(OFT) and Forced Swimming Test(FST). After the behavioral experiment, plasma corticosterone levels, serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay in medical prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) in the hippocampus was measured using Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction. Results : Weight change has significantly decreased in the SPS group compared to the SAL group(p<0.05). On day 14, the sucrose intake of rats has significantly increased in the SPS + ARX100 group compared to the SPS group(p<0.05). In OFT, the number of staying in the central space has significantly increased in the SPS + ARX100 group(p<0.01). In FST, immobility has significantly decreased in SPS + ARX50 group and SPS + ARX100 group(p<0.05). The concentration of serotonine, dopamine and BDNF expression has increased significantly in SPS + ARX100 group compared to SPS group(p<0.05) Conclusions : In the SPS-induced PTSD experiment, ARX increased sucrose intake and the numbers of crossing in the central zone space in OFT, decreased immobility time in FST, and increased concentration of serotonin, dopamine, and BDNF. It can be postulated that the ARX could be effective for the treatment of PTSD.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.255-264
• /
• 2023

Background: Red ginseng (RG) alleviates psychiatric disorders. Fermented red ginseng (fRG) alleviates stress-induced gut inflammation. Gut dysbiosis causes psychiatric disorders with gut inflammation. To understand the gut microbiota-mediated action mechanism of RG and fRG against anxiety/depression (AD), we investigated the effects of RG, fRG, ginsenoside Rd, and 20(S)-β-D-glucopyranosyl protopanaxadiol (CK) on gut microbiota dysbiosis-induced AD and colitis in mice. Methods: Mice with AD and colitis were prepared by exposing to immobilization stress (IS) or transplanting the feces of patients with ulcerative colitis and depression (UCDF). AD-like behaviors were measured in the elevated plus maze, light/dark transition, forced swimming, and tail suspension tests. Results: Oral gavage of UCDF increased AD-like behaviors and induced neuroinflammation, gastrointestinal inflammation, and gut microbiota fluctuation in mice. Oral administration of fRG or RG treatment reduced UCDF-induced AD-like behaviors, hippocampal and hypothalamic IL-6 expression, and blood corticosterone level, whereas UCDF-suppressed hippocampal BDNF⁺NeuN⁺ cell population and dopamine and hypothalamic serotonin levels increased. Furthermore, their treatments suppressed UCDF-induced colonic inflammation and partially restored UCDF-induced gut microbiota fluctuation. Oral administration of fRG, RG, Rd, or CK also decreased IS-induced AD-like behaviors, blood IL-6 and corticosterone and colonic IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and gut dysbiosis, while IS-suppressed hypothalamic dopamine and serotonin levels increased. Conclusion: Oral gavage of UCDF caused AD, neuroinflammation, and gastrointestinal inflammation in mice. fRG mitigated AD and colitis in UCDF-exposed mice by the regulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis and IS-exposed mice by the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
• /
• v.8 no.11
• /
• pp.461-476
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the existing theories related to overtraining syndrome and to examine the mechanism of overtraining syndrome from the viewpoint of brain science by examining domestic and foreign literature related to the relationship between overtraining syndrome and brain neurotransmitter. The aim of this paper is to provide basic data that can improve the understanding of the mechanism of overtraining syndrome and the role of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. The results of this study and a number of hypotheses about the overtraining syndrome were proposed, each with strengths and weaknesses. Similar symptoms that occur when the concentration of serotonin in the neurotransmitter increases are related to signs and symptoms of overtraining syndrome. However, it has not been validated to date because it can not distinguish the mechanism of the mediator between the central nervous system and the peripheral nerves. This study suggests that the mechanism of overtraining syndrome will provide important basic information to understand the complex causes of overtraining syndrome through the interaction of existing theory and brain neurotransmitter. Although there has been a lack of studies on the mechanism of overtraining syndrome and brain neurotransmitters so far, we hope that this study will provide an opportunity for more and more people to broaden their understanding of overtraining syndromes.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.375-386
• /
• 1995

This study was designed to investigate the changes in energy substrates, glucose and non-esterified fatty acid(NEFA), and fatty acid compositions in serum, following physiolgical stress in rats fed diets containing various fatty acids. Forty two Sprague-Dawley strain male rats, weighing 108$\pm$2.1g, were fed 3 different experimental diets for 4 weeks. The diets were composed of 105 fat(w/w) of either corn oil(CO;18:2 n6:57%), plant perilla oil(PO;18:3 n3:59%), or tuna fish oil(FO;20:5 n3:17%%, 22:6 n3:19%). After 4 weeks of feeding, each group wa subdiveided into (a) control, (b) 2 min swim in ice-cold water. Animals wer decapitated 20min after commencing the swim; trunk blood, brain, liver and epididymal fat pad were obtained. The levels of serum corticosterone, glucose, NEFA, triglyceride, fatty acid compositions, brain serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were determined. Basal levels of corticosterone na NEFA of serum were significantly lower in fish oil fed animals than those of any other oil fed animals. Compared to either perilla oil-fed or corn oil-fed rats, cold swim stress in fish oil fed rats produced significantly smaller NEFA and larger corticosterone responses. However, there was no significant difference in basal levels of serum glucose. Stress increased serum glucose levels slightly, and the amount of increment was larger in fish oil rats than those of any other oil fed rats than those of any other oil fed rats, although all the values were normal level. Dietary fats and stress did not affect serotonin metabolism. In additions, the composition of fatty acids in serum was significantly affected by the dietary compostion of fatty acids and stress. Stress induced decreases in monounsaturated fatty acid and non-polyunsaturated fatty acid concentration in either perilla oil fed or fish group, but did not in corn oil fed group. Stress resulted in changes in fatty acid metabolism similar to that associated with essential fatty acid(EFA) dificiency, when feeding animals n-3 fatty acids in diet. In conclusion, feeding fish oil was more effective to decrease NEFA in serum than feeding perilla oil or corn oil and improved lipid metabolism, when the rats were maintained in normal or exposed to stressful environment. However, the fact that feeding diet containing n-3 fatty acids decreased EFA status under stress suggests that the requirement of n-6 PUFA should be increased in these groups.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
• /
• v.55 no.2
• /
• pp.603-615
• /
• 2016

This study was conducted by performing intensities aerobic exercise for 12 weeks, three times a week targeting 28 middle aged women. The purpose of this study was analyzing factors which affect cognitive function and changes of blood pressure, renin-aldosterone system, neurotransmitter, cognitive function and working memory after treatment. The participants were divided into three groups which are the control group(n=9, non exercise), moderate intensity aerobic exercise group(n=10, 50%V02max), high intensity aerobic exercise group(n=9, 70%V02max). The two-way ANOVA(repeated measure) and multiple regression analysis were carried out to target those three groups before and after treatment. The results were as follows like this. The moderate intensity aerobic exercise increased renin, brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), cognitive function and working memory. Also, it reduced aldosterone, angiotensinII and aldosterone-renin ratio. The high intensity aerobic exercise showed increase BDNF, cognitive function and working memory and decrease systolic. As a result of a multiple regression analysis of factors affecting cognitive function after intensities aerobic exercise, the moderate intensity aerobic exercise affected diastolic blood pressure, decrease of aldosterone-renin ratio and working memory. Also, an increase of BDNF affected cognitive function, the high intensity aerobic exercise affected working memory BDNF and an increase of serotonin affected cognitive function. Therefore, It could be seen that more than moderate intensity exercise increase woman's cognitive function and working memory. Also, there were metabolic factors which affect the increase of cognitive function. To moderate intensity exercise, renin-aldosterone and working memory affected to increase of cognitive function. For high intensity exercise, BDNF and working memory affected to it.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.341-355
• /
• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to check the therapeutic effect of the Dendropanax morbifera Pharmacopuncture for insomnia and cognition caused by psychosocial stress. Methods: We separated Wistar rats (older than age 10 weeks, 300 g) into normal, control, positive control (Zolpidem administered, PC), and Dendropanax morbifera Pharmacopuncture experimental groups (DPA). Psychosocial stress such as circadian rhythm change, clammy straw, predator stress, restraint stress, noise bursts, and flashing lights were applied to the control, PC, DPA groups. The Dendropanax morbifera Pharmacopuncture group was given 0.5×, 1× and 2× amount concentration of Dendropanax morbifera Pharmacopuncture, respectively. The levels of Melatonin, Serotonin, Corticosterone, GABA, BDNF and CREB were measured, and the Y-maze test, weight and blood test were performed. Results: In all of the DPA groups, the Melatonin level showed no noticeable difference. In the DPA-2x group, Serotonin increased significantly. In all the experimental groups, Corticosterone decreased significantly and GABA showed increasing tendency. The DPA-1x and DPA-2x groups showed remarkable increase in BDNF and DPA-0.5x and the DPA-2x groups showed significant increase in CREB. The DPA-2x group showed remarkable increase in the Alternation behavior category of the Y-maze test. In all of the experimental groups the weight change showed increasing tendency, whereas no noticeable differences were found among all experimental groups regarding AST, ALT, BUN, Creatinine and CBC. Conclusions: Dendropanax morbifera Pharmacopuncture increases levels of serotonin and GABA, decreases corticosterone, increases levels of BDNF and CREB, and increases the ratio of alternation behavior in the Y-maze test. Thus, I suggest that Dendropanax morbifera Pharmacopuncture has the effect of treating insomnia caused by psychosocial stress, activating the brain, and improving cognition.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
• /
• 2001.03a
• /
• pp.51-51
• /
• 2001

Cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is a satiety factor that is regulated by leptin. It was reported that the mice intracerebroventricularly injected with CART showed behavioral changes resembled with the typical behavioral alterations found in the mice carrying disorders in the brain serotonergic (5-HT) system. Hence, this study was conducted to find out the relationships between CART and 5-HT. We first examined the mRNA levels of CART after the injections of para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA, 300 mg/kg i.p., single injection or daily for three consecutive days) in the rat brains by in situ hybridization using the mouse CART cDNA probe cloned in our laboratory. Systemic administrations of pCPA, a potent inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase, the rate limiting enzyme of 5-HT biosynthesis, acutely depletes the brain 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), which reuptakes terminal 5-HT. Results indicated that the mRNA level of CART significantly decreased in the arcuate nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, and lateral hypothalamic nucleus by three days of daily injection with pCPA with no noticeable change detected 24 hrs after the single injection. The message levels of 5-HTT in DRN decreased in both single and three days of injections. Secondly, to investigate whether CART affect to 5-HT, mouse genomic CART gene, which is consist of 3 exons and 2 introns and mouse neurofilament light (NF-L) chain promoter were cloned. Then, we constructed neuron specific expression vector, which was transfected into HeLa cell using lipid-mediated transfection system. Expression of GFP and CART linked to NF-L-chain promoter in the transfected HeLa cell were detected by using fluorescent microscope and RT-PCR. These results confirmed normal expression of DNA constructs in vitro. Then, to increase brain specific expression of CART in vivo transgenic mice carrying CART gene controlled the deleted NF-L-chain promoter were generated by the DNA microinjection into pronuclei of fertilized embryos. Transgenic mice were detected by Southern blot. Further study is necessary to examine CART expression and 5-HTT in these transgenic mice. Therefore, these results suggest that there maybe a positive molecular correlation between CART and 5-HT in responding to the stimuli.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.3-19
• /
• 2001

Recent basic and clinical studies demonstrate a major role for neural plasticity in the etiology and treatment of depression and stress-related illness. The neural plasticity is reflected both in the birth of new cell in the adult brain(neurogenesis) and the death of genetically healthy cells(apoptosis) in the response to the individual's interaction with the environment. The neural plasticity includes adaptations of intracellular signal transduction pathway and gene expression, as well as alterations in neuronal morphology and cell survival. At the cellular level, repeated stress causes shortening and debranching of dendrite in the CA3 region of hippocampus and suppress neurogenesis of dentate gyrus granule neurons. At the molecular level, both form of structural remodeling appear to be mediated by glucocorticoid hormone working in concert with glutamate and N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA) receptor, along with transmitters such as serotonin and GABA-benzodiazepine system. In addition, the decreased expression and reduced level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) could contribute the atrophy and decreased function of stress-vulnerable hippocampal neurons. It is also suggested that atrophy and death of neurons in the hippocampus, as well as prefrontal cortex and possibly other regions, could contribute to the pathophysiology of depression. Antidepressant treatment could oppose these adverse cellular effects, which may be regarded as a loss of neural plasticity, by blocking or reversing the atrophy of hippocampal neurons and by increasing cell survival and function via up-regulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding proteins(CREB) and BDNF. In this article, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie stress, depression, and action of antidepressant are precisely discussed.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 1998

This study aimed to evaluate the anti-stress effects of soyosan and chyengansoyosan on the contents cold swimming stress.The experimental animals were forced cold swimming stress for 3 minutes, and administered 4㎎/10g of soyosan and chyengansoyosan extract for 7 days before stress. The monoamines contents were measured by HPLC method in various part of mouse brain. The following results were obtained :1. In frontal cortex, the contenrs of norepinephrine ans dopamine increased significantly in the group administered chyrngansoyosan compared with in the group administered non chyengansoyosan and soyosan(control group) of mice stressed by cold swiming.2. In hypothalamus, the content of norepinephrine increased with statistical significance in the group administered soyosan compared with control group of mice stressed by cold swimming. 3. The content of dopamine increased with statistical significance on the group administered chyenfansoyosan and compared with control group of mice stressed by cold swimming in hypothlaamus and hippocampus.4. The content of serotonin increased with statistical significance in the group administered soyosan and compared with control group of mice stressed by cold swimming in hippocampus and corpus striatum.5. In corpus striatum and hippocampus, the content of norepineohrine decreased with statistical significance in the group administered soyosan and chyengandoyosan compared with control group of mice stressed by cold swimming.Judgding from the above results, this sthdy reaches a conclusion that soyosan or chyengansoyosas has significant effects in reducing stress.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.36 no.9
• /
• pp.918-923
• /
• 2003

L-theanine Is an amino acid in green tea and has been known to decrease serotonin and increase norepinephrine in rat brains, and also reported to produce mental relaxation, lower blood pressure and improve learning ability in human beings. But, few studies on these effects for human beings have been conducted so far. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of L-theanine on the release of brain alpha waves known to be related with mental relaxation and concentration. Twenty healthy male volunteers aged 18 to 30 years without any Physical and Psychological diseases were recruited through written advertisement. Alpha power values of EEG as a surrogate marker of mental relaxation and concentration were measured in frontal and occipital regions for 40 minutes after administration of four placebo or test tablets and 20 minute resting period. The same procedure crossed over at 7-day intervals. We analyzed average alpha power values in frontal and occipital regions at 10 minute intervals. Repeated ANOVA revealed that there were significant differences of occipital alpha power values between placebo and test groups with high anxiety (p < 0.05). The mean values at 20,30,40,50 and 60 minute intervals were 0.23, 024, 0.28, 0.25 and 0.34 in placebo, respectively and 0.23, 0.29, 0.40, 0.34, and 0.45 in test, respectively. But there were no significant differences of frontal and occipital alpha power values between placebo and test groups with low anxiety (p > 0.05) . The results of this study suggest that L-theanine containing tablets promote the release of alpha waves related to mental relaxation and concentration in young adult males.