title: [Effects of acupuncture on behavior and striatal apoptosis in mice with Parkinson disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of acupuncture of "Baihui" (GV 20), "Fengfu" (GV 16) and "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) on behavior and striatal apoptosis in Parkinson disease (PD) mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight adult male C57/ BL mice were randomly divided into normal control, PD model, acupuncture and medication (Levodopa and Benserazide Hydrochloride) groups. Acupuncture was applied to "Baihui"(GV 20), "Fengfu" (GV 16) and electroacupuncture (2 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to "Yanglingquan"(GB 34) for 15 min, once a day for 14 days. PD model was duplicated by intragastric administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). The locomotor test, pole test and swimming test were conducted for assessing the animals' locomotion behavior before and after MPTP administration and after the treatment. The apoptotic neurons of the striatum were detected by terminal deoxyncleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the normal control group, the pole test score and apoptotic neuronal percentage were increased significantly (P<0.01), and the locomotor count, swimming test score were decreased remarkably in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the locomotor counts and swimming test scores were increased obviously (P<0.05, P<0.01) and the pole test scores decreased apparently (P<0.05) in both acupuncture and medication groups after the treatment. No significant differences were found between the acupuncture and medication groups in the motor behavior (P>0.05). The effect of acupuncture was significantly superior to that of the medication in reducing neuronal apoptosis of the striatum (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture of "Baihui" (GV 20), "Fengfu" (GV 16) and "Yanglingquan"(GB 34) can improve PD mice's locomotor function, which is closely associated with its function in reducing neuronal apoptosis of the striatum.
authors.affiliation: Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China. lu_zhengyu@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Zheng-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zong
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000473:pathology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D013550:Swimming