title: Antidepressant effect of electroacupuncture regulates signal targeting in the brain and increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels.
abstract: Electroacupuncture improves depressive behavior faster and with fewer adverse effects than antidepressant medication. However, the antidepressant mechanism of electroacupuncture remains poorly understood. Here, we established a rat model of chronic unpredicted mild stress, and then treated these rats with electroacupuncture atYintang(EX-HN3) andBaihui(DU20) with sparse waves at 2 Hz and 0.6 mA for 30 minutes, once a day. We found increased horizontal and vertical activity, and decreased immobility time, at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Moreover, levels of neurotransmitters (5-hydroxytryptamine, glutamate, and γ-aminobutyric acid) and protein levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor-related proteins (TrkB, protein kinase A, and phosphorylation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein) were increased in the hippocampus. Similarly, protein kinase A and TrkB mRNA levels were increased, and calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II levels decreased. These findings suggest that electroacupuncture increases phosphorylation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels by regulating multiple targets in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein signaling pathway, thereby promoting nerve regeneration, and exerting an antidepressive effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care of South Building, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Mei
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2650-5854
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture College of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiao
keywords: TrKB; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; chronic unexpected mild stress; cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein signal pathway; depression; electroacupuncture; fluoxetine; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neurotransmitter; protein kinase A