본 연구는 규칙적인 태권도 트레이닝이 비만 중년 여성의 뇌신경성장인자 및 인지기능에 미치는 영향을 알아보는데 목적이 있었다. 본 연구를 위하여 중년 비만 여성 33명이 연구대상자로 선정되었으며, 연구대상자들은 태권도 그룹(TG, n=15)과 대조그룹(CG, n=18)에 무선 배정되었다. 태권도 그룹은 16 주간 일주일에 5번 태권도 트레이닝을 실시하였으며, 두 그룹 모두 트레이닝 전과 후 각각 brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1) 농도 검사와 Stroop Color and Word test를 실시하였다. 연구 결과 태권도 그룹의 BDNF와 IGF-1이 트레이닝 후 유의하게 증가한(p<.05) 반면 VEGF와 Stroop Color and Word Test 결과 는 유의한 차이가 나타나지 않아 규칙적인 태권도 트레이닝이 비만 중년 여성의 뇌신경영양인자에는 긍정 적이지만 뇌 인지기능에는 영향이 없는 것으로 나타났다.

We investigated the effect of moderate- and high-intensity resistance training on hippocampal neurotrophic factors and peripheral CCL11 levels in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. C57/black male mice received a 4 weeks diet of normal (control, CON; n = 9) or a high-fat diet (HF; n = 27) to induce obesity. Thereafter, the HF group was subdivided equally into the HF, HF + moderate-intensity exercise (HFME), and HF + high-intensity exercise (HFHE) groups (n = 9, respectively), and mice were subjected to ladder-climbing exercise for 8 weeks. The hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) levels were significantly lower in the HF group than in the CON group (p < 0.05). In addition, in the HFME and HFHE groups were significantly higher than in the HF group (p < 0.05). The peripheral CCL11 levels were significantly higher in the HF group than in the CON group (p < 0.05). In addition, in the HFME and HFHE groups were significantly lower than in the HF group (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference according to the exercise intensity among the groups. Collectively, these results suggest that obesity can induce down-regulation of neurotrophic factors and inhibition of neurogenesis. In contrast, regardless of exercise intensity, resistance training may have a positive effect on improving brain function by inducing increased expression of neurotrophic factors.

본 연구는 남자 대학생을 대상으로 12주간의 규칙적인 태권도 운동이 체구성, 체력, 뇌파활성 및 뇌신경성장인자(BDNF, IGF-1, NGF)에 미치는 영향을 규명하는데 목적이 있었다. 이를 위해 의학적 질환이 없는 대학생 24명을 대조그룹(CG), 유산소 트레이닝 그룹(ATG) 그리고 태권도 트레이닝 그룹(TTG)에 각각 8명씩 무선 배정하여 연구를 실시하였다. 12주 유산소 및 태권도 트레이닝은 주 3회 실시되었으며, 운동강도와 시간은 4주단위로 조정되었다. 뇌파활성 검사 및 채혈은 12주 유산소 및 태권도 트레이닝 전과 후 각각 실시되었으며, 그룹과 시기에 따른 체력요인 및 생화학성분에 대한 차이를 검증하기 위하여 채혈시점을 반복 측정하는 이원변량분석(two-way repeated ANOVA)을 실시하였다. 이에 대한 연구결과는 다음과 같다. 12주간의 유산소 및 태권도 트레이닝은 신체구성과 뇌파활성에 영향을 미치지 못한 것으로 나타났다. 그러나 유산소 트레이닝과 태권도 트레이닝 모두 체력요소 중 평형성을 증가시키는 것으로 나타났으며(p<.05), 12주 유산소 트레이닝은 뇌신경성장인자인 BDNF를 증가시키는 것으로 나타났다(p<.05). 이상의 결과 12주 유산소 운동은 체력과 뇌신경영양인자에 긍정적인 효과가 있는 반면 태권도 운동은 뇌파활성화 및 뇌신경영양인자에 영향을 미치지 못한 것으로 나타났다.

Taste is an important sense in survival and growth of animals. The growth and maintenance of taste buds, the receptor organs of taste sense, are under the regulation of various neurotrophic factors. But the distribution aspect of neurotrophic factors and their receptors in distinct taste cell types are not clearly known. The present research was designed to characterize mRNA expression pattern of neurotrophic factors and their receptors in distinct type of taste cells. In male 45-60 day-old Sprague-Dawley rats, epithelial tissues with and without circumvallate and folliate papillaes were dissected and homogenized, and mRNA expressions for neurotrophic factors and their receptors were determined by RT-PCR. The mRNA expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT3), receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB), exclusion of nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-4/5 (NT4/5), receptor tyrosine kinase A (TrkA), receptor tyrosine kinase C (TrkC), and p75NGFR were observed in some population of taste cell. In support of this result and to characterize which types of taste cells express NT3, BDNF, or TrkB, we examined mRNA expressions of NT3, BDNF, or TrkB in the PLCβ2 (a marker of Type II cell)- and/or SNAP25 (a marker of Type III cell)-positive taste cells by a single taste cell RT-PCR and found that the ratio of positively stained cell numbers were 17.4, 6.5, 84.1, 70.3, and 1.4 % for PLCβ2, SNAP25, NT3, BDNF, and TrkB, respectively. In addition, all of PLCβ2- and SNAP25-positive taste cells expressed NT3 mRNA, except for one taste bud cell. The ratios of NT3 mRNA expressions were 100% and 91.7% in the SNAP25- and PLCβ2-positive taste cells, respectively. However, two TrkB-positive taste cells co-expressed neither PLCβ2 nor SNAP 25. The results suggest that the most of type II or type III cells express BDNF and NT3 mRNA, but the expression is shown to be less in type I taste cells.

Neurotrophic factors are essential to maintain and organize neurons functionally; thereby neurotrophic factor-like substances or their inducers are expected to be applied to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke. In the present study, we firstly examined the effects of ethanol extracts of Hericium erinaceus (HE, Yamabushitake), on nerve growth factor expression in neuronal cells. HE extract promoted NGF expression in a brain tissue. Here we assessed neuroprotective effects of HE with a transient global cerebral ischemia model. Global cerebral ischemia was induced by occluding both common carotid arteries. Treatment with HE was initiated after ischemia induction and given once a day for 7 consecutive days. Neuronal cell loss in CA1 of hippocampus was significantly decreased and the performance in the Morris water maze was significantly improved in rats administered HE. We conclude that treatment with HE attenuated learning and memory deficits, motor functional disability, and neuronal cell loss induced by global cerebral ischemia. These results suggest that HE may be a potential candidate for the treatment of vascular dementia.