The Mechanisms Of Electroacupuncture On Depression-like Behavior Produced By Alcohol Withdrawal In Mice

Objective:Acupuncture is a very useful tool to cure a lot of disease,and elcetroacupuncture(EA)has been accepted by modern medicine.In this study,we tested if chronic treatment(14days)with 2/100 Hz electroacupuncture during abstinence could prevent the emergence of depression-like behavior;we also examined if electroacupuncture could prevent the reduction of BDNF and neurogenesis in hippocampus produced by abstinence following alcohol drinking.Methods:C57BL/6J male mice were divided into four groups,that are,water group,alcohol withdrawal group,restrain group and elcetroacupuncture group.Mice were allowed to self-administer alcohol(10% v/v)vs H2 O in the home cage for 28 days.Alcohol was then removed and electroacupuncture was given for 14 days,once a day at 8 o’clock,its frequency was 2/100 Hz,intensity was 0.5,1,1.5 m A,every intensity lasted for 10 minutes.Restrain was given at the same time,while there is no treatment for alcohol withdrawal group.Every group had 12 mice,on day 43,all mice were tested in the forced swim test to measure depression-like behavior.On day 44,6 of them were injected with Brd U(100 mg/kg,i.p.),and killed 2 hours later to examine the neurogenesis.Another 6 of them were killed to examine BDNF with ELISA kits.Results:1.After 28 days of alcohol self-administration,C57BL/6J mice maintained a high preference(more than 75%)for the 10% alcohol solution and maintained a mean alcohol intake of > 15 g/kg.There was no significant difference in alcohol intake between alcohol withdrawal,restrain and electroacupuncture group(P>0.05).Throughout the duration of the study,body weight gain for the alcohol-consuming group was similar to the water control group(P>0.05).2.After 14 days abstinence from alcohol drinking,mice showed asignificant increase in depression-like behavior,that is,immobility time on the forced-swim test was significantly increased in alcohol-consuming group(P<0.01).Mice undergoing 14 days of alcohol abstinence had significantly less BDNF in hippocampus compared with water controls(P<0.05).There was a reduction in Brd U immunoreactivity in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus indicating that proliferating neural progenitor cells(NPC)were reduced in alcohol withdrawal mice(P<0.05).3.Chronic treatment(14 days)with electroacupuncture could decrease immobility time on the forced-swim test(P<0.05),that is,electroacupuncture could improve the depression-like behavior in alcohol withdrawal mice.Chronic treatment with electroacupuncture could also prevent the reduction in hippocampal BDNF and neurogenesis in alcohol withdrawal mice(P<0.05).Conclusions:1.Forced abstinence from alcohol after 28 days of self-administration would lead to depression-related behavioural changes and reduced hippocampal BDNF and neurogenesis.2.2/100 Hz electroacupuncture during the abstinence period could improve the depression-like behavior in alcohol withdrawal mice.Electroacupuncture could also prevent the reduction in hippocampal BDNF and neurogenesis in this model.In summary,our results demonstrated the potential value of electroacupuncture for the treatment of addiction-related neuropsychiatric symptoms.