title: Effects of electroacupuncture on the expression of p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase and ribosomal protein S6 in the hippocampus of rats with vascular dementia.
abstract: This study investigated the mechanism underlying electroacupuncture therapy for vascular dementia through electroacupuncture at the acupoints of Baihui (DU20), Dazhui (DU14), and bilateral Shenshu (BL23) in a rat model of vascular dementia produced by bilateral middle cerebral artery occlusion. Morris water maze test showed that electroacupuncture improved the learning ability of vascular dementia rats. Western blot assay revealed that the expression of p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase and ribosomal protein S6 in vascular dementia rats was significantly increased after electroacupuncture, compared with the model group that was not treated with acupuncture. The average escape latency was also shortened after electroacupuncture, and escape strategies in the spatial probe test improved from edge and random searches, to linear and trending swim pathways. The experimental findings indicate that electroacupuncture improves learning and memory ability by up-regulating expression of p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase and ribosomal protein S6 in the hippocampus of vascular dementia rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Yanzhen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Tuina, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Changhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Center of Neurobiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350108, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: electroacupuncture; hippocampus; neural regeneration; p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase; ribosomal protein S6; search strategy; vascular dementia