• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.471-476
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• 2006

Chongmyung-tang(CMT, 聰明湯), oriental herbal medicine which consists of Polygaglae Radix(遠志), Acori Graminei Rhizoma(石菖蒲) and Hoelen(白茯神) has effect on amnesia, dementia. In order to evaluate effect of CMT on memory and learning in mice, CMT extract was used for studies. This paper describes the effects of CMT extract on memory and learning processes by using the passive and active avoidance performance tests, novel object recognition task and water maze task. The CMT extract ameliorated the memory retrieval deficit induced by ethanol in the passive avoidance responses but did not affect ambulatory activity of normal mice. These results suggest that CMT has an ameliorating effect on memory retrieval impairment. CMT extract decreased spontaneous motor activity(SMA) in the latter sessions of memory registration in active avoidance responses. These results suggest that CMT has partly transquilizing or antianxiety effects. In novel object recognition task to measure visual recognition memory, CMT-administered mice enhanced in long term memory for 1-3 days. In water maze task to measure spatial learning, which requires the activation of NMDA receptors in the hippocampus, spatial learning in CMT-administered mice was faster than in wild-type mice. These results suggest that CMT enhances memory and activates NMDA receptors.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2004

Background: Needle electromyography (EMG) and motor evoked potential (MEP) of the genioglossus (tongue) are difficult to perform in evaluations of the craniobulbar region in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Therefore, we investigated the yields of needle EMG and MEP recorded from the upper trapezius, since it receives innervation from the lower medulla and upper cervical cord. Methods: Needle EMG and MEP of the upper trapezius were obtained in 17 consecutive ALS patients. The needle EMG parameters recorded included abnormal spontaneous activity and motor unit action potential (MUAP) morphology. An upper motor neuron (UMN) lesion was presumed when either response to cortical stimulation was absent, or the central conduction time was delayed (>mean+2SD). Results: Of the five patients with bulbar-onset ALS, four had abnormalities in the upper trapezius and four in the tongue by needle EMG. In contrast, of the 12 patients with limb-onset ALS, 11 had abnormalities in the upper trapezius, and only five in the tongue. When MEP was performed, it was found that three of the five patients with bulbar symptoms and three of the six patients with isolated limb involvement had abnormal MEP findings. Conclusions: Electrophysiological studies of the upper trapezius are more sensitive those of the tongue in patients without bulbar symptoms. Thus, needle EMG and MEP of the upper trapezius are alternative tools for assessing bulbar and rostral neuraxial involvement in the diagnosis of ALS.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.309-338
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• 2010

In this paper, we studied the brain-computer interface (BCI). BCIs help severely disabled people to control external devices by analyzing their brain signals evoked from motor imageries. The findings in the field of neurophysiology revealed that the power of $\beta$(14-26 Hz) and $\mu$(8-12 Hz) rhythms decreases or increases in synchrony of the underlying neuronal populations in the sensorymotor cortex when people imagine the movement of their body parts. These are called Event-Related Desynchronization / Synchronization (ERD/ERS), respectively. We implemented a BCI-based mouse interface system which enabled subjects to control a computer mouse cursor into four different directions (e.g., up, down, left, and right) by analyzing brain signal patterns online. Tongue, foot, left-hand, and right-hand motor imageries were utilized to stimulate a human brain. We used a non-invasive EEG which records brain's spontaneous electrical activity over a short period of time by placing electrodes on the scalp. Because of the nature of the EEG signals, i.e., low amplitude and vulnerability to artifacts and noise, it is hard to analyze and classify brain signals measured by EEG directly. In order to overcome these obstacles, we applied statistical machine-learning techniques. We could achieve high performance in the classification of four motor imageries by employing Common Spatial Pattern (CSP) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) which transformed input EEG signals into a new coordinate system making the variances among different motor imagery signals maximized for easy classification. From the inspection of the topographies of the results, we could also confirm ERD/ERS appeared at different brain areas for different motor imageries showing the correspondence with the anatomical and neurophysiological knowledge.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 1993

To evaluate KR-10876, a new fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent, its effects on the central nervous system(CNS) were investigated in mmice as part of phamacological study, and the results were compared with those for ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin, two prototypes of quinolone antiabctrial agents. All the parameters indicative of CNS function and acute toxicity were measured by close observation of the animals at regular time intervals after oral treatment of test compounds. KR-10876 did not have any effect on the parameters measured at lower does (100, 300 mg/kg, p.o.), it caused ptosis, suppressed spontaneous locomotor activity, hypothemia, and prolonged hexobarbital-induced sleeping time. KR-10876 also had a slight effect on motor coordination only at high dose. Simialr to ciprofloxacin, KR-10876 did not protect mice from pentylenetetrazol-strychnine-, and electroshock-inducedl convulsions at doses tested. These findings demonstrate that KR-10876 affects CNS functions only at high doses. The rank order for effects is ofloxacin$\le$KR-10876>ciprofloxacin.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 1985

Intraperitoneal administration of ginseng butanol fraction(GBF) to chronic morphinization in male Sprague-Dawley rats inhibited the development of tolerance to the analgesic effect and hyperthermic action of morphine. Rats were rendered tolerant to morphine by subcutaneous multiple morphine injections for a period of 8 days. The development of tolerance was evidenced by the decreased analgesic response to morphine and inhibition of tolerance by the greater analgesic response. Concomitant administration of morphine with GBF blocked the tolerance to the hyperthermic effect of morphine as evidenced by elevation of body temperature by morphine. Dopamine receptor sensitivity was enhanced in morphine tolerant rats as measured by apomorphine induced in spontaneous motor activity. GBF administration also blocked dopamine receptor supersensitivity induced by chronic morphinization.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.184-193
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• 2000

To evaluate GC-rhEPO, human erythropoietin produced by recombinant DNA technique, its general pharmacological properties were investigated in experimental animals administering intravenously and in vitro test system. GC-rhEPO at doses of 70,700 and 7,000 IU/kg body weight had no influence on general behavior, spontaneous motor activity, thiopental-inducted sleeping time, writhing syndrome induced by acetic acid, strychnine-induced convulsions, charchoal meal propulsion in mice, and body temperature, gastric juice secretion, urine and electrolyte excretion in rats. In anesthetized rabbits, GC-rhEPO (70, 700 and 7,000 lU/kg, i.v.) did not alter respiratory rate, blood pressure, heat rate. In in vitro experiments, GC-rhEPO did not affect the contractions of the isolated ileum of guinea pigs and the muscle twitchs of isolated neuromuscular junction of the rats. In addition, GC-rhEPO did not affect the blood coagulation time and ADP-induced platelet aggregation in plasma of rabbits. Taken together, these results indicate that GC-rhEPO does not induce any adverse effects in the experimental animals.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.385-390
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• 1996

General pharmacological properties of urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) following intravenous administration of 1,000,000 units/kg were examined in terms of effects on central nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system in mice, rats and rabbits. Administration of UTI (1,000,000 units/kg, iv) had no effect on central nervous system; no influences on pentobarbital sleeping time, spontaneous activity, normal body temperature, chemoshock produced by pentylenetetrazole solution, writhing syndromes induced by 0.6% acetic acid solution, and motor coordination of mice. The administration of UTI (1,000,000) units/kg, iv) in rats had no effect on systolic blood pressure and pulse rate. UTI (500,000 units/kg, iv) given to anesthetized rabbits showed no effect on respiratory rate. However, it showed significant elevation of respiratory rate at the concentration of 1,000,000 units/kg. Gastric secretion of rat and intestinal motility of mice were not influenced by the dose of 1,000,000 units/kg. In terms of autonomic nervous system, the material did not show direct effect and inhibitory or augmentative action of histamine- or acetylcholine-induced contraction at the concentration of 2,000 units/ml in the isolated ileum of guinea pig.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2003

Water extract (kwath) of six different widely used Ayurvedic medicinal plants were tested in mice for possible neuropharmacological efficacy. In the present experiments it was observed that a number of plant tested causes a significant level of Central Nervous System (CNS) depression, in that it significantly decreased the spontaneous Motor activity, and also lowered the exploratory behavior of the treated animals. Terminalia chebula (HAA), Terminalia bellerica (BHA), Emblica officinalis (AA), Piper longum 1. (PP). exhibited depressant action of on the CNS. Apart from them a mild to moderate degree of depression was evident as a consequence of administration of Zingiber officinale Rosc (SUT), Piper nigrum L. (MRC). However, none of the plant tested did not exhibit significant effects on pentobarbital induced narcosis, and this indicated that the sedating effects of the drug was not associated with the risk of fatal consequences on overdose.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2003

The pharmacological effects of an Ayurvedic diuretic drug 'Treenoponchomul' (TPM) was investigated in animal model. The pharmacological actions of the test drug along with that of the components thereof, on the Central Nervous System (CNS) were studied. The drug under study TPM showed little effect on the CNS, the same can not be said about the components. The most prominent CNS depressant effect was observed with Saccharum officinarum Linn. (EE) in that it lowered the spontaneous motor activity as well the exploratory -behavior of the animals. An exploration retarding effect of moderate degree, was evident with Imperata cylindrica Beauv. (UU), and Phragmites maxima Blatter & McCann (NN). Although the test drug did not alter the normal locomotor and/ or exploratory behavior of the treated animals, it did significantly (p<0.01) lower the locomotion of the amphetamine induced hyperactive animals. TPM along with its components (especially Desmostachya bipinnata Stapf. Root, KU), significantly reduced the gastro-intestinal motility of the treated animals (p<0.01). The test drug and its components lowered the body weight of the treated animals, on being administered chronically (30 days), with EE being the only exception.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.309-318
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• 1996

This study was conducted to investigate the subacute intravenous toxicity of rHu-EPO in Sprague-Dawley rats. rHu-EPO was daily administered to male and female rats for 30 days with different dose levels(100, 500, 2,500 unit/ kg). After the administration period of 30 days, 5 males and 5females rats per each dose group were assigned for recovery period of additional 30 days. There were no clinical signs compared with control group but slight decrease in spontaneous motor activities and locomotions were observed at high dose groups of males and females. In males, feed consumption was reduced at 500 unit/kg and body weight gain was retarded. In the administration sites of tail, focal congestion was observed in a few animals treated with rHu-EPO. No deaths were occurred during the course of study. In hematological examination. a significant increase of hemoglobin and hematocrit was observed in the males and females rats receiving high dose of rHu-EPO. rHu-EPO administration for 30 days showed a marked decrease in glucose concentration. At the highest dose groups, there was a significant incerase in the weights of spleens in both sexes. but this was considered to be related to its pharmacological activity. These results indicate that rHu-EPO does not induce any significant toxic effect on Sprague-Dawley rats for 30 days.