[Effect of "Xiusanzhen" on learning-memory ability and hippocampal somatostatin and arginine vesopressin contents in vascular dementia rats].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Xiusanzhen" [bilateral "Yingxiang" (LI 20) + "Yintang" (GV 29)] on learning-memory ability and hippocampal somatostatin (SS) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) contents in vascular dementia (VD) rats.


METHODS
Forty SD rats were randomly divided into control, VD model, VD plus olfactory bulb lesion (OBL, destroyed by electro-coagulation) and EA groups, with 10 cases in each. VD model was established by 4-vessel occlusion. Morris maze tests were conducted for evaluating the rats' learning and memory ability. EA (1-3 mA, 80/100 Hz) was applied to bilateral LI 20 and GV 29 in VD + OBL and EA groups for 10 min, once daily (except Saturdays and Sundays) for 6 weeks. The contents of SS and AVP in hippocampus tissue were measured by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
In comparison with control group, the average escape latency (AEL) prolonged significantly and the target-platform crossing times (TPCT) decreased remarkably in VD model group (P < 0.01). In comparison with VD model group, the AEL was shortened and TPCT increased remarkably in EA group (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between VD model and VD + OBL groups in the AEL and the TPCT (P > 0.05). Hippocampal SS and AVP contents in VD model group were significantly lower than those in control group (P < 0.05), while those in EA group were markedly higher than those in VD model group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between VD model and VD + OBL groups in SS and AVP contents (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
EA of "Xiusanzhen" can improve VD rats' learning-memory ability, which may be related to its effects in raising hippocampal SS and AVP contents and to the intact olfactory pathway.
Niu
Wen-Min
WM
Department of Acu-moxibustion and Cerebropathy, Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi College of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712083, China. niuwenmin6@sina.com
Liu
Zhi-Bin
ZB
Yang
Xiao-Hang
XH
Niu
Xiao-Mei
XM
Wang
Yuan
Y
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000032:analysis*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry*; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis*
D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D013004:Somatostatin