title: [Neuroprotective effect of electroacupuncture therapy on damaged cholinergic neurons in rats with Alzheimer's disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the neuroprotective effect of electroacupuncture therapy on damaged cholinergic neurons in hippocampus in aged rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty six aged male rats were randomly divided into normal control group, sham-operated group, untreated group and electroacupuncture group. Animal model of AD was established with fimbria-fornix transection. The rats in the electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture on Baihui (DU 20), Yongquan (KI 1), Taixi (KI 3) and Xuehai (SP10). The activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in septal area of brain was detected by radioimmunoassay, and the protein expressions of nerve growth factor (NGF) and c-fos in CA3 region of hippocampus were detected by immunohistochemical assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ChAT activity and the expression levels of NGF and c-fos proteins in the electroacupuncture group were significantly higher than those in the untreated group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electroacupuncture therapy can protect cholinergic neurons in hippocampus in aged rats with AD by means of promoting synthesis of c-fos protein and increasing the expression level of NGF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, West China Center of Medical Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Shu-Guang
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Hai-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D059329:Cholinergic Neurons; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D006624:Hippocampus; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor