The Influence of Acupuncture on Neuron Apoptosis in a Rat Model of Alzheimer Disease

Objective To observe corticocerebral and hippocampine neuron apoptosis in a rat model of Alzheimer disease(AD) and investigate the influence of acupuncture on the neuron apoptosis.Methods SD rats were randomly allocated to blank control,model and acupuncture groups.A model of AD was made by a combination of an peritoneal injection of 0.96% D-galactose and bilateral Meynert basal nuclei injections of ibotenic acid(IBO) for destruction.Meanwhile,Baihui,Dazhui and Fengchi were acupunctured in the acupuncture group.A behavioral examination was made by a Y-shaped electricity maze.Cellular apoptosis was determined by TUNEL. Results (1) Rat'learning and memory abilities were significantly lower in the model group than in the blank control group(both P0.01) and significantly higher in the acupuncture group than in the model group(both P0.01).(2) Large numbers of apoptosis cells were distributed in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus in the model group of rats,while few were in the acupuncture group.The number of apoptosis cells in the cortex were significantly more in the model group(45.34±6.28) than in the acupuncture group(20.39±5.48) and in the blank control group(9.46±1.86)(both P0.01).The number of apoptosis cells in the hippocampus were also significantly more in the model group(53.64±8.20) than in the acupuncture group(11.38±6.36) and in the blank control group(3.62±0.89)(both P0.01).The number of apoptosis cells in the cortex were also significantly more in the acupuncture group than in the blank control group(P0.01).Conclusion Acupuncture can reduced corticocerebral and hippocampine neuron apoptosis to a certain extent and thereby prevent a decline in learning and memory abilities in a rat model of AD.