Effect of electric acupuncture on learning and memory and perphosphorylated tau proteins of hippocampal matrix in rats with Alzheimer's disease

Objective To investigate the electro acupuncture for improvement of learning and perphosphorylated tau proteins in rats of Alzheimer's disease(AD).Methods Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group,a model group and an electro acupuncture group,10 rats in each group.The AD rat model was established by injecting Aβ25-35 into lateral cerebral ventricle,except the rats in the normal group.The electro acupuncture group lasted for 3courses treatment.The learning and memory ability was assessed by Morris water maze and Western blotting was car ried out to observe the level of Tau protein phosphorylation in the hippocampus.Analytic software was used to deter mine the OD value of protein strap.Results The escape latency of model group was prolonged(all P 0.05) compared to normal group.Otherwise the escape latency of electro acupuncture group was different statistically from normal group.No difference in total Tau protein was observed in three groups.Compared with model group,the levels of Ser 198 tau protein and the Ser 404 tau protein in electro acupuncture group were obviously decreased(all P 0.05).Conclusion Electro acupuncture can attenuate the level of tau protein phosphorylation in the hippocampus of rats,thereby prevent a decline in learning and memory abilities in AD rats.