ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of cognitive training and cognitive trainer on cognitive function in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS: A randomized controlled single blind trial with 2 treatment groups was designed and 40 participants were included in this study. They received cognitive training intervention by cognitive professional and non-professional. The cognitive training focused on memory strategies. This cognitive intervention consisted of 8 sessions training and once a week. The effect of program was examined in performance-based measures of cognitive abilities; memory, language, constructional praxis, attention, and working memory. The comparison of effect of trainer was examined by repeated measure analysis of variance. RESULTS: Thirty-six MCI completed the cognitive intervention and was assessed neurocognitive test on pre- and post-intervention. Attention, language inhibition and semantic language were significantly improved compared with baseline in total group. The memory (p=0.003) was significantly improved in Professional Program Group and attention (p=0.007) was significantly improved in Non-Professional Program Group (NPG). Distinctively, Korean version of Short form of Geriatric Depression Scale mean score in NPG was statistically improved from 4.24 to 3.29 (p=0.018) after intervention, but the comparison between groups was not significant. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the cognitive intervention program may improve on memory, attention and language in cognitive functions of MCI. But there is difference in improvement of the domains of cognitive abilities depending on the trainer.
Subject(s)
Humans , Cognition , Depression , Memory , Memory, Short-Term , Cognitive Dysfunction , SemanticsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether GnRH-agonist (GnRH-Ag) using in IVF-ET affects apoptosis of human granulosa-luteal cells and expression of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) protein involved in the apoptosis of the cells. METHODS: Granulosa-luteal cells obtained during oocyte retrieval were cultured and treated with 10(-5) M GnRH-Ag. Apoptosis of the cells by the treatment was confirmed using DNA fragmentation analysis 24 h after culture. The presence of PBR protein within the cells was examined by immunofluorescence staining and the expression of the protein was analyzed by Western blotting. In addition, it was measured for progesterone and nitric oxide (NO) produced by granulosa-luteal cells after GnRH-Ag treatment. To evaluate the relationship between NO production and PBR expression, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a NO donor was added in media and investigated the expression of PBR protein by Western blotting. RESULTS: Apoptosis increased in the granulosa-luteal cells 24 h after GnRH-Ag treatment, whereas the expression of PBR protein significantly decreased. Furthermore, the production of progesterone and nitric oxide (NO) by the cells significantly fell from 12 h after the treatment. In the results of Western blotting after SNP treatment, the expression of PBR protein increased in the treatment with SNP alone to the granulosa-luteal cells, but was suppressed in the treatment with GnRH-Ag and SNP. Additionally, the staining result of PBR protein in the cells showed the even distribution of it through the cell. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that GnRH-Ag treatment induces apoptosis, decreasing expression of PBR protein and NO production in human granulosa-luteal cells. The present study suggests that one of the apoptosis mechanism of human granulosa-luteal cells by GnRH-Ag might be a signal transduction pathway via NO and PBR.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Apoptosis , Blotting, Western , DNA Fragmentation , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , Luteal Cells , Nitric Oxide , Nitroprusside , Oocyte Retrieval , Progesterone , Receptors, GABA-A , Signal Transduction , Tissue DonorsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the cell cycle signaling pathway by cyclins-cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) in endometriosis. METHODS: 38 women with endometriosis were recruited. Endometrioma and the normal ovarian tissues were obtained during laparoscopic surgery on the follicular phase of menstrual cycle. And then, the normal endometrial tissues were taken by currettage. Nuclear proteins (cyclin D1, cyclin E etc), CDK molecules and CDK inhibitors (p27(kip1), p21 etc) were quantitated on transcriptional and translational levels by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: In RT-PCR analysis, the expression of cyclin D1-CDK6, cyclin E-CDK2 of endometrioma and eutopic endometrium was increased, and the expression of p27(kip1) was decreased compared with normal ovary. The mRNA expression of cyclins-CDKs and p27(kip1) was not significantly different between endometrioma and eutopic endometrium. In Western blot analysis, the expression of cyclin D1-CDK6, cyclin E-CDK2 was significantly increased and the expression of p27(kip1) was significantly decreased in endometrioma and eutopic endometrium compared with normal ovary. And, the expression of p27(kip1) in endometrioma was further decreased than that of eutopic endometrium. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that p27(kip1) on the translational level, in the cell cycle signaling pathway, was closely related to endometriosis. In future, further experimental studies will be needed for the understanding of the cell cycle signaling pathway in endometriosis.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Blotting, Western , Cell Cycle , Cyclin E , Cyclins , Endometriosis , Endometrium , Follicular Phase , Laparoscopy , Menstrual Cycle , Nuclear Proteins , Ovary , Phosphotransferases , RNA, MessengerABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the cell cycle signaling pathway by cyclins-cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) in endometriosis. METHODS: 38 women with endometriosis were recruited. Endometrioma and the normal ovarian tissues were obtained during laparoscopic surgery on the follicular phase of menstrual cycle. And then, the normal endometrial tissues were taken by currettage. Nuclear proteins (cyclin D1, cyclin E etc), CDK molecules and CDK inhibitors (p27(kip1), p21 etc) were quantitated on transcriptional and translational levels by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: In RT-PCR analysis, the expression of cyclin D1-CDK6, cyclin E-CDK2 of endometrioma and eutopic endometrium was increased, and the expression of p27(kip1) was decreased compared with normal ovary. The mRNA expression of cyclins-CDKs and p27(kip1) was not significantly different between endometrioma and eutopic endometrium. In Western blot analysis, the expression of cyclin D1-CDK6, cyclin E-CDK2 was significantly increased and the expression of p27(kip1) was significantly decreased in endometrioma and eutopic endometrium compared with normal ovary. And, the expression of p27(kip1) in endometrioma was further decreased than that of eutopic endometrium. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that p27(kip1) on the translational level, in the cell cycle signaling pathway, was closely related to endometriosis. In future, further experimental studies will be needed for the understanding of the cell cycle signaling pathway in endometriosis.