title: High-frequency electroacupuncture evidently reinforces hippocampal synaptic transmission in Alzheimer's disease rats.
abstract: The frequency range of electroacupuncture in treatment of Alzheimer's disease in rats is commonly 2-5 Hz (low frequency) and 50-100 Hz (high frequency). We established a rat model of Alzheimer's disease by injecting β-amyloid 1-42 (Aβ1-42) into the bilateral hippocampal dentate gyrus to verify which frequency may be better suited in treatment. Electroacupuncture at 2 Hz or 50 Hz was used to stimulate Baihui (DU20) and Shenshu (BL23) acupoints. The water maze test and electrophysiological studies demonstrated that spatial memory ability was apparently improved, and the ranges of long-term potentiation and long-term depression were increased in Alzheimer's disease rats after electroacupuncture treatment. Moreover, the effects of electroacupuncture at 50 Hz were better than that at 2 Hz. These findings suggest that high-frequency electroacupuncture may enhance hippocampal synaptic transmission and potentially improve memory disorders in Alzheimer's disease rats.
authors.affiliation: Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Acupuncture Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Li-Hong
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4287-0536
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Acupuncture Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: School of Acupuncture Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Acupuncture Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Acupuncture Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Jie
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Sun
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Baihui (DU20); Shenshu (BL23); electroacupuncture; frequency; learning and memory; long-term depression; long-term potentiation; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration