Effects of Electroacupuncture on Motor Function and Neural Plasticity at Focal Cerebral Infarction and Reperfusion in Rats

Objective :To explore the effect of electroacupuncture on motor function,GAP-43 and SYN in brain tissue after cerebral focal ischemia-reperfusion in rats,and to investigate its mechanism of neural plasticity.Methods :60 male SD(Spraguer-dawley)rats were randomly divided into sham operation group,model group and electroacupuncture group,and subjected to establish the model of middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion(MCAO/R)by nylon monofilament suture.Electroacupuncture was performed in 3 hours after establishing of successful model.Electroacupucture group were needled acupoints of Neiguan,Sanyinjiao,Shuigou and Baihui,30 minutes for each time,once a day.Sham operation group and model group were conventionally fed in cages,without any intervention.10 rats on the 7 d,14 d were randomly selected,and the motor function recovery was evaluated by Longa's score,and immunohistochemistry techniques were used to detect the expressions GAP-43 and SYN.Results :Motor function :the sham operation group rats had no neurological symptoms.For model group and electroacupuncture group,there was no difference about neural function score on the 7th day(P0.05).On the 14th day,motor functional recovery of electroacupuncture group rats was significantly better than that of the model group(P0.05).Immunohistochemistry :sham operation group rats had no GAP-43 positive cells in section at each time.GAP-43 positive cells appearred around rats' cerebral ischemia 7 d after cerebral infarction.It was decreased 14 d after cerebral infarction.The difference was significant(P0.01)compared with that in sham operation group.GAP-43 positive cells of electroacupuncture group were increased significantly compared with the model group at each time(P0.01).Sham operation group showed SYN expression.SYN expression of model group reduced compared with sham operation group 7 d after cerebral infarction.SYN expression of model group began to rise 14 d after cerebral infarction.But SYN expression of model group still reduced compared with sham operation group.The difference was significant(P0.05).SYN expression of electroacupuncture group was increased significantly compared with that in the model group at each time(P0.05).Conclusion :Electroacupuncture could improve the motor function of cerebral infarction rats.The motor function enhancement may be partly due to the up-regulation of expression of GAP-43 and SYN expression in peri-infarct regions.