Electroacupuncture Promotes Motor Recovery In Rats After Cerebral Ischemia And Reperfusion Injury

Objectives To investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of electroacupuncture treatment on motor recovery after middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced cerebral ischemia injury in rat.Methods70SD rats were randomly divided into four groups. Rats were subjected to ischemia by occluding the right middle cerebral artery (MCAO) for60min, followed by reperfusion.(1) Control group (Group Con):no exercise, no electroacupuncture treatment postoperative;(2) Exercise group (Group Ex):exercise postoperative only;(3) Electroacupuncture group (Group EA):electroacupuncture treatment postoperative only;(4) Exercise-Electroacupuncture group (Group ExEA): exercise+electroacupuncture treatment postoperative. Motor behavior scores, percentage of volume of cerebral infarction, and effects of electroacupuncture treatment on expression of BDNF in each group were compared on POD (postoperative day)15.Results Garcia’s scores (motor behavior scores) in Group Ex, EA and ExEA after MCAO15d, compared with Group Con, were significantly improved (P<0.05), but no significant difference among the three groups (P>0.05). TTC staining shows that the percentage of volume of cerebral infarction after MCAO15d in Group Ex, EA and ExEA, three groups of postoperative interventions, were significantly reduced (P<0.01). The expression of BDNF in the three groups were different with Group Con (P<0.05), showed by immunohistochemical staining. Western blot analysis shows, the expression of BDNF were significantly elevated in the three postoperative interventions groups (P<0.05), and the expression of BDNF14are higer. especially (P<0.01). There were the similar development trend between the three groups (P>0.05).Conclusion After MCAO, electroacupuncture treatment, exercise or combined treatments promote motor recovery in rats after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury on POD15, which improved the neurological function, reduced the percentage of volume of cerebral infarction. Electroacupuncture treatment, exercise or combined treatments is neuroprotective for rats with cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury after MCAO. That the postoperative interventions up-regulate the expression of BDNF may be the one of the mechanisms.