High-frequency electroacupuncture evidently reinforces hippocampal synaptic transmission in Alzheimer′s disease rats

• Main Authors: Wei Li, Li-hong Kong, Hui Wang, Feng Shen, Ya-wen Wang, Hua Zhou, Guo-jie Sun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2016-01-01
• Series: Neural Regeneration Research
• Subjects: nerve regeneration; Alzheimer′s disease; frequency; electroacupuncture; long-term potentiation; long-term depression; learning and memory; Baihui (DU20); Shenshu (BL23); neural regeneration
• Online Access: http://www.nrronline.org/article.asp?issn=1673-5374;year=2016;volume=11;issue=5;spage=801;epage=806;aulast=Li
• ISSN: 1673-5374

The frequency range of electroacupuncture in treatment of Alzheimer′s disease in rats is commonly 2-5 Hz (low frequency) and 50-100 Hz (high frequency). We established a rat model of Alzheimer′s disease by injecting ß-amyloid 1-42 (Aß1-42 ) into the bilateral hippocampal dentate gyrus to verify which frequency may be better suited in treatment. Electroacupuncture at 2 Hz or 50 Hz was used to stimulate Baihui (DU20) and Shenshu (BL23) acupoints. The water maze test and electrophysiological studies demonstrated that spatial memory ability was apparently improved, and the ranges of long-term potentiation and long-term depression were increased in Alzheimer′s disease rats after electroacupuncture treatment. Moreover, the effects of electroacupuncture at 50 Hz were better than that at 2 Hz. These findings suggest that high-frequency electroacupuncture may enhance hippocampal synaptic transmission and potentially improve memory disorders in Alzheimer′s disease rats.