Brain atrophy in a murine model of chronic fatigue syndrome and beneficial effect of Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41).

Abstract

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with the main symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and neuron apoptosis. Nevertheless, no study has been performed directly to explore the relationship between CFS, BDNF and neuron apoptosis. We induced a CFS model by six injections of killed Brucella abortus antigen in BALB/c mice and treated them with Hochu-ekki-to (TJ-41). Daily running activity, body weight (BW), ratio of cerebral weight to BW (CW/BW) and expression levels of BDNF and Bcl-2 mRNA in the hippocampus were determined. The daily activity and CW/BW decreased significantly in the CFS model. BDNF and Bcl-2 mRNA expression levels in the hippocampus were suppressed in the CFS model and TJ-41 treated mice, while no significant difference was found between them. We improved a murine model to investigate the relationship between CFS and brain dysfunction. In this model, reduced daily activity might have been associated with decreased hippocampal BDNF mRNA expression, hippocampal apoptosis and brain atrophy. TJ-41 increased the daily running activity of the model, which was independent of brain recovery.

• Authors: Rui Chen, Junji Moriya, Jun-ichi Yamakawa, Takashi Takahashi, Qian Li, Shigeto Morimoto, Kunimitsu Iwai, Hiroyuki Sumino, Nobuo Yamaguchi, Tsugiyasu Kanda
• Journal: Neurochemical research (Neurochem Res) Vol. 33 Issue 9 Pg. 1759-67 (Sep 2008) ISSN: 1573-6903 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 18317925 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal
• bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang

Topics

• Animals
• Atrophy (drug therapy, pathology)
• Behavior, Animal (drug effects)
• Body Temperature
• Body Weight
• Brain (anatomy & histology, drug effects, pathology)
• Brain Diseases (drug therapy, pathology)
• Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (genetics, metabolism)
• Brucella abortus
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Eating
• Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic (drug therapy, pathology)
• Female
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Motor Activity (drug effects)
• Random Allocation
• Survival Rate