title: Electroacupuncture improves neurobehavioral function and brain injury in rat model of intracerebral hemorrhage.
abstract: Acupuncture has been widely used as a treatment for stroke in China for a long time. Recently, studies have demonstrated that electroacupuncture (EA) can accelerate intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)-induced angiogenesis in rats. In the present study, we investigated the effect of EA on neurobehavioral function and brain injury in ICH rats. ICH was induced by stereotactic injection of collagenase type I and heparin into the right caudate putamen. Adult ICH rats were randomly divided into the following three groups: model control group (MC), EA at non-acupoint points group (non-acupoint EA) and EA at Baihui and Dazhui acupoints group (EA). The neurobehavioral deficits of ICH rats were assessed by modified neurological severity score (mNSS) and gait analysis. The hemorrhage volume and glucose metabolism of hemorrhagic foci were detected by PET/CT. The expression levels of MBP, NSE and S100-B proteins in serum were tested by ELISA. The histopathological features were examined by haematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Apoptosis-associated proteins in the perihematomal region were observed by immunohistochemistry. EA treatment significantly promoted the recovery of neurobehavioral function in ICH rats. Hemorrhage volume reduced in EA group at day 14 when compared with MC and non-acupoint EA groups. ELISA showed that the levels of MBP, NSE and S100-B in serum were all down-regulated by EA treatment. The brain tissue of ICH rat in the EA group was more intact and compact than that in the MC and non-acupoint groups. In the perihematomal regions, the expression of Bcl-2 protein increased and expressions of Caspase-3 and Bax proteins decreased in the EA group vs MC and non-acupoint EA groups. Our data suggest that EA treatment can improve neurobehavioral function and brain injury, which were likely connected with the absorption of hematoma and regulation of apoptosis-related proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Southwest Medical University, Zhongshan Road, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Southwest Medical University, Zhongshan Road, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Southwest Medical University, Zhongshan Road, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
authors.forename: Huajun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Southwest Medical University, Zhongshan Road, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Grade 2011 Clinical Medical Undergraduate, Southwest Medical University, Zhongshan Road, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
authors.forename: Youhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Southwest Medical University, Zhongshan Road, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. Electronic address: Jiming.Kong@umanitoba.ca.
authors.forename: Jiming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Southwest Medical University, Zhongshan Road, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China; Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. Electronic address: lyycx@foxmail.com.
authors.forename: Chaoxian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D005684:Gait / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019254:Genes, bcl-2 / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Electroacupuncture; Gait analysis; Intracerebral hemorrhage; PET/CT