Study On The Effect Of Electroacupuncture On Synaptic Plasticity And The Ability Of Learning And Memory In Sleep-deprived Rats

Objective:To observe the effect of electroacupuncture on learning and memory ability of sleep-deprived rats.Morris water maze was performed to assess the rats’ escape time in place navigation test and the number of times rats enter the target area in spatial probe test.The expression of p250 GAP and downstream protein Racl,Cdc42 was detected by Western Blot and immunohistochemistry,then to explore the effect of electroacupuncture on learning and memory ability and the synaptic plasticity.Methods:Forty clean male SD rats were divided into 4 groups by the method of stratified randomization.Blank control group: The rats were fed in water environmental with large platform,and grabbed in the same way when other groups were treated with electroacupuncture.Model group:Establish the model of REM sleep deprivation in rats without acupuncture intervention,and grabbed in the same way when other groups were treated with electroacupuncture.Electroacupuncture group:Establish the model of REM sleep deprivation in rats,and give the rats electroacupuncture treatment.Sham electroacupuncture group:Establish the model of REM sleep deprivation in rats,and give the rats sham electroacupuncture treatment.The treatment began on the first day of the sleep deprivation.Electroacupuncture therapy intervene the rats’ “Baihui”and “Dazhui” points of electroacupuncture group at 9:00 a.m every day.The rats in the sham electroacupuncture group were treated with acupuncture in the same time,but the points of sham electroacupuncture is set aside for 4mm away from“Baihui”and “Dazhui”points,and there is no electricity after connecting the electric acupuncture therapeutic instrument.Both of the group are treated for once a day for 15 minutes each time,continuous for 5 day.After sleep deprivation and treatment,Morris watermaze was use to assess spatial learning and memory of rats by test the rats’ escape time and the number of times rats enter the target area.Finally,Western Blot was used to detect the expression of p250 GAP,Racl and Cdc42 in hippocampus,and the expression of p250 GAP and the downstream protein Racl,Cdc42 were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results:1.At the end of the treatment,the body weight of the electroacupuncture group decreased,the hair was moist and messy,and the sham electroacupuncture group showed dysphoria in comparison with the blank group.The weight of the rats in the sham electroacupuncture group was lower than that of the electroacupuncture group.The weight of the rats in the model group was lower,the hair was reluster,messy,and agitated.The weight of the rats in the model group was lower than that of the control group.2.The results of Morris water maze test showed that the escape latency of the model control group was significantly longer than the blank control group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference between the sham electroacupuncture group and the model group(P>0.05),and the electric acupuncture group was significantly shorter than the model group(P<0.05).The results of space exploration ability test showed that there was a significant differences between the model group and the blank group in the times of crossing the original area of platform and entering the target quadrant(P<0.05).There was no significant difference between the sham electroacupuncture group and the model control group(P>0.05).The times of crossing the original area of platform and entering the target quadrant of electroacupuncture group was significantly more than the model group(P<0.05).3.The relative content of p250 GAP of the model group was higher than that of the blank control group(P<0.05).The relative content of p250 GAP of the electroacupuncture group was significantly lower than the model group(P<0.05).The difference was no statistical significance between the sham electroacupuncture group and the model control group(P>0.05).The relative content of Racl of electroacupuncture group was significantly higher than the model group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference between the model group and the sham electroacupuncture group(P>0.05).The relative content of Cdc42 of the model group was significantly lower than the blank control group(P<0.05),and the electroacupuncture group was significantly higher than the model group(P<0.05),there was no significant difference between the model group and the sham electroacupuncture group(P>0.05).4.The immunohistochemical staining results of p250 GAP showed that there were more brown and yellow positive cells in the cytoplasm of the model group than those of the blankgroup,the positive cells of the model group was more than the electroacupuncture group,and the difference of the positive cells between the sham electroacupuncture group and the model group was not obvious.The immunohistochemical staining results of Rac1 and Cdc42 showed that the number of positive cells in the model group was significantly less than that in the blank control group,the difference between the sham electroacupuncture group and the model group was not obvious,the number of positive cells in the electroacupuncture group was significantly higher than that in the model group.Conclusions:1.Electroacupuncture treatment can significantly improve the learning and memory ability of rats with sleep deprivation.2.Electroacupuncture treatment has an inhibitory effect on the expression of p250 GAP and promotes the expression of Racl and Cdc42.3.The possible mechanism of electroacupuncture to improve learning and memory ability in rats is to increase the activity of Rac1 and Cdc42 by inhibiting the expression of p250 GAP,and increasing the synaptic plasticity of rat hippocampus.