Study On The Effect Of Electro-acupuncture On Learning And Memory Of Rats With Vascular Dementia And Its Action Mechanism

Vascular dementia (VD) is a syndrome of dementia caused by brain damage due to a series of cerebrovascular impairment. It is characterized by learning, memory and recognition impairment, impairment of speaking, visual space and emotion and changes of personality. It ranks the second place in senile dementi. With the world population aging year by year, VD has become an international social and medical issue.China is one of the countries with most rapid speed of aging in the world. It is very import to prevent vascular dementia for improving people's life quality. Part I Literature review1. Cognition of VD in western medicine2. Understanding of VD in traditonal Chinese medicine3. Newly researches on VD in tradtional Chinese medicineMany researches have proved that VD has close correlation with the following factors: hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipemia, obesity, smoking, diet of high salt, high coagulation condition, heart diseases, alcohol drinking, psychological stress, education level, occupation and heredity factors, etc. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the basic pathogenesis of VD is deficiency as primary and excess as secondary. It has been identified that Chinese medicine and acupuncture have remarkable therapeutic effecitiveness in treating VD.Part II Experimental research ObjectiveTo study the effect of electro-acupucture on learning and memory of rats with vascular dementia and changes of NO, NOS, TXB2, PGIj ?, protein expression of NGF and BDNF in brain.MethodsAll rats were randomly divided into four groups: group A (sham-operated control),group B (model group), group C (electro-acupuncture group) and group D (Nimoldipine group). Models of VD were established by four vessels obstruction among B, C and D groups. Group C was treated by electro-acupuncture, group D was treated by Nimoldipine. Results1 Electro-acupuncture could significantly improve the learning and memory ability of VD rats in the Morris water maze test.2 Nerve cells' loss was very severe in model group. Electro-acupuncture and Nimoldipine could obviously inhibit nerve cells' loss (PO.01 or PO.05 ) .3 The serum COHb of model rats was significantly higher than that of sham-operated rats ( PO.05 ) .The serum COHb contents of rats in Nimoldipine group andelectro-acupuncture group were obviously lower than that of rats in model group (PO.05 ) .4 The number of NGF, BDNF positive cells in hippocampus of model rats was obviously lower than that of sham-operated rats (p<0.05 ) . The numbers of NGF, BDNF positive cells in hippocampus of rats in electro-acupuncture group and Nimoldipine were significantly higher than that of rats in model group ( pO .05) ?5 Compared with sham-operated group, the serum TXB2 of rats in model group was significantly increased (PO.05), 6-keto- PGIi ? was obviously decreased(PO.05), the ratio of 6-keto- PGIi. /TXB2 was also decreased (PO.05) .The serum TXB2 of rats in electro-acupuncture group and Nimoldipine group were lower than that of rats in model group (PO.05) , the serum 6-keto- PGIiawas higher than that of rats in model group(PO.05) , the ratio of 6-keto-PGIi a/TXB2 was also increased (PO.05) .6 The content of NO in brain tissue of rats in model group was obviously higher than that of rats in sham-operated group (PO.001) .The contents of NO in brain tissue of rats in electro-acupuncture group and Nimoldipine group were significantly lower than that of rats in model group (PO.05) . The activity of NOS of rats in model group was higher than that of rats in sham-operated group ( PO.001 ) .The activities of NOS of rats in electro-acupuncture group and Nimoldipine group was lower than that of rats in model group (PO.05) .Conclusion1 Electro-acupuncture can significantly improve the ability of learning and memory of rats with VD.2 Electro-acupuncture can improve the recovery of damaged neurons of rats with VD.3 Electro-acupuncture can decrease the serum COHb of rats with VD.4 Electro-acupuncture can increase the protein expression of NGF > BDNF in brain tissue of rats with VD.5 Electro-acupuncture can decrease the content of serum TXB2 and increase the content of serum 6-keto- PGIi ?.6 Electro-acupuncture can decrease the content of NO and activity of NOS in brain tissue of rats with VD. These may be the action mechanisms of electro-acupuncture in treating VD.