• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.298-304
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• 2016

Dianthus superbus (D. superbus) is a traditional crude drug used for the treatment of urethritis, carbuncles and carcinomas. The objective of this study was to confirm the cognitive enhancing effect of D. superbus in memory impairment induced mice and to elucidate the possible potential mechanism. Effect of D. superbus on scopolamine induced memory impairment on mice was evaluated using the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. We also investigated acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) expression in scopolamine-induced mice. HPLC-DAD analysis was performed to identify active compounds in D. superbus. The results revealed that D. superbus attenuated the learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine. D. superbus also inhibited AChE levels in the hippocampi of the scopolamine-injected mice. Moreover, D. superbus increased BDNF expression in the hippocampus. Eight compounds were identified using HPLC-DAD analysis. The content of 4-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid was higher than contents of other compounds. These results indicated that D. superbus improved memory functioning accompanied by inhibition of AChE and upregulation of BDNF, suggesting that D. superbus may be a useful therapeutic agent for the prevention or treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

• MALSORI
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• no.51
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• pp.39-55
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• 2004

Working memory is the term used to refer to the mental workplace in which information can be temporarily stored and manipulated during complex everyday activities such as understanding language. The studies on language and working memory are based on Baddeley's phonological working memory and Daneman and Carpenter's functional working memory. This article reviews two working memory models and the studies on language and working memory based on each model. These are described in the implication of working memory in language development and specific language impairment-evaluation and treatment.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.83-92
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• 2019

This qualitative study employed focused group interviews to collect data on the forgetfulness experienced by elderly persons (over the age of 65) who suffer with subjective memory impairment. The participants were ten elderly persons who participated in the cognitive function improvement program at an elderly welfare center in D city. They were divided into three groups that were comprised of three/four people each, and each group was interviewed for 40~60 minutes. The results showed that "difficulties in human relations", "feeling uncomfortable in daily life", "exposure to a safety risk", "inexpressible ambivalence" and "family effort to overcome forgetfulness" were all expressed in the interviews. The elderly who participated in this study and who complained of subjective memory impairment had both feelings of anxiety and anxiety about non-dementia, and they were making efforts to overcome forgetfulness themselves. Based on this study, we suggest that interventions should be developed that reflect the individual needs of elderly people with subjective memory impairment.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.175-181
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• 2014

Objectives It was the aim to examine the association of the thyroid-related hormones with cognitive function, depression, and subjective memory impairment in community-dwelling elders with questionable dementia. Methods The sample consisted of 399 community residents with 'questionable dementia' aged 60 or over in whom serum thyroid-related hormones [thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine] had been assayed. Cognitive impairment was defined using the Korean version of the Consortium Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease. Depression was diagnosed using the Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale and subjective memory complaint (SMC) was checked using the subjective memory complaints questionnaire (SMCQ). Age, gender, education, and the presence of apolipoprotein E {\varepsilon}4 were included as covariates. Results There was a significant positive association between verbal fluency test (VFT) score and serum TSH levels (p = 0.01). There was a significant negative association between SMCQ total score and word list memory test (WLMT)(p = 0.002) or word list recall test (WLRT) score (p = 0.013). Conclusions Lower serum TSH levels were associated with semantic memory (VFT), and we found that SMC was associated with episodic memory (WLMT and WLRT) in this sample.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.203-208
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• 2020

This study examined whether Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is related to the reduction of specific memory among linguistic memory and visuospatial memory, and to identify the most predictive index for discriminating MCI from normal elderly. The subjects were analyzed for 189 elderly (103 healthy elderly, 86 MCI). The verbal memory was used by the Seoul Verbal Learning Test. visuospatial memory was measured using the Rey Complex Figure Test. As a result of multiple logistic regression, verbal memory and visuospatial memory showed significant predictive performance in discriminating MCI from normal elderly. On the other hand, when all the confounding variables were corrected, including the results of each memory test, the predictive power was significant in distinguishing MCI from normal aging only in the immediate recall of verbal memory, and the predictive power was not significant in the immediate recall of visuospatial memory. This result suggests that delayed recall of visuospatial memory and immediate recall of verbal memory are the best combinations to discriminate memory ability of MCI.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.347-354
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• 2016

This study evaluated the effects of Fructus Corni Officinalis water extract (FCE) on congnitive impairment and Aβ clearance induced by beta amyloid Aβ (1-42) injection in the hippocampus of rat. Aβ (1-42) was injected into the hippocampus using a Hamilton syringe and micropump (5 ㎍/5 ㎕, 1 ㎕/min, each hippocampus bilaterally). FCE was administered orally once a day (100, 250, 500 mg/kg) for 4 weeks after the Aβ (1-42) injection. The acquisition of learning and retention of memory were tested using the Morris water maze. Aβ accumulation and Aβ clearance in the hippocampus were observed using immunostaining. Aβ (1-42) level in plasma was confirmed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). FCE significantly shortened the escape latencies during acquisition training trials. FCE significantly increased the number of target heading to the platform site and significantly shortened the time for the 1^sttargetheadingduringtheretentiontesttrial.FCEsignificantlyattenuatedtheAβ accumulation in the hippocampus produced by Aβ (1-42) injection. FCE significantly increased LRP-1 expression around vessels in the hippocampus and Aβ (1-42) levels in plasma. The results suggest that FCE improved cognitive impairment by ameliorate Aβ clearance and Aβ accumulation in the hippocampus. FCE may be a beneficial herbal formulation in treating cognitive impairment including Alzheimer's disease.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 2014

Dehydroevodiamine HCl (DHED) has been reported to prevent memory impairment and neuronal cell loss in a rat model with cognitive disturbance. We investigated the effect of DHED on memory impairment and behavioral abnormality caused by stress. We demonstrated that DHED can improve stress-induced memory impairments and depression-like behaviors by using open-field test, Y-maze test and forced swimming test. DHED treatment significantly recovered the decreases in the levels of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) proteins caused by stress and the decreases in cell viability. Our results suggested that DHED is a potential drug candidate for neuronal death, memory impairment and depression induced by stress.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.874-883
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• 2011

Many studies have shown that the steamed root of Rehmannia glutinosa (SRG), which is widely used in the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases in the context of Korean traditional medicine, is effective for improving cognitive and memory impairments. The purpose of this study was to examine whether SRG extracts improved memory defects caused by administering scopolamine (SCO) into the brains of rats. The effects of SRG on the acetylcholinergic system and proinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus were also investigated. Male rats were administered daily doses of SRG (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, i.p.) for 14 days, 1 h before scopolamine injection (2 mg/kg, i.p.). After inducing cognitive impairment via scopolamine administration, we conducted a passive avoidance test (PAT) and the Morris water maze (MWM) test as behavioral assessments. Changes in cholinergic system reactivity were also examined by measuring the immunoreactive neurons of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and the reactivity of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) in the hippocampus. Daily administration of SRG improved memory impairment according to the PAT, and reduced the escape latency for finding the platform in the MWM. The administration of SRG consistently significantly alleviated memory-associated decreases in cholinergic immunoreactivity and decreased interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$) and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) mRNA expression in the hippocampus. The results demonstrated that SRG had a significant neuroprotective effect against the neuronal impairment and memory dysfunction caused by scopolamine in rats. These results suggest that SRG may be useful for improving cognitive functioning by stimulating cholinergic enzyme activities and alleviating inflammatory responses.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.29-38
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological symptoms of insomnia, impulsiveness, and memory impairment according to the drinking frequency of college students. Methods: From May 4 to May 17, 2018, a questionnaire survey was conducted for men and women enrolled in J city S university in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Architecture, Social Welfare, and Digital Content. After visiting the department to explain the purpose of the study, 400 questionnaires were distributed to those who agreed to participate in the study. The SPSS 22.0 program was used to analyze the data collected. All statistical analyses were performed at the significance level of 5 %. Results: There is a correlation between alcohol consumption and psychological symptoms, such as insomnia, impulsivity, and memory impairment. As a result of analyzing all departments, insomnia, impulsivity, and memory impairment were the highest in the addiction level. In post-analysis of psychological symptoms, insomnia and impulsiveness had no significant difference, but there was a significant difference in memory impairment (p=.04). Conclusion: Our hope is that this study will help activate programs like preventative education and counseling on alcohol-related psychological symptoms for college students.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.646-652
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• 2018

Neurodegeneration can result in memory loss in the central nervous system (CNS) and impairment of taste and smell in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The neurodegeneration seen in Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by functional loss of dopaminergic neurons. Recent studies have also found a role for dopaminergic neurons in regulating taste memory rewards in insects. To investigate how taste memories and sugar sensitivity can be affected in PD, we utilized the $DJ-1{\beta}$ mutant fruit fly, $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$, as a PD model. We performed binary choice feeding assays, electrophysiology and taste-mediated memory tests to explore the function of the $DJ-1{\beta}$ gene in terms of sugar sensitivity as well as associative taste memory. We found that PD flies exhibited an impaired ability to discriminate sucrose across a range of sugar concentrations, with normal responses at only very high concentrations of sugar. They also showed an impairment in associative taste memory. We highlight that the taste impairment and memory defect in $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$ can be recovered by the expression of wild-type $DJ-1{\beta}$ gene in the dopaminergic neurons. We also emphasized the role of dopaminergic neurons in restoring taste memory function. This impaired memory property of $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$ flies also allows them to be used as a model system for finding supplementary dietary foods that can improve memory function. Here we provide evidence that the associative taste memory of both control and $DJ-1{\beta}^{ex54}$ flies can be enhanced with dietary supplementation of the medicinal plant, omija.