Electroacupuncture enhances cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation in young rat brains

Neurol Sci. 2011 Jun;32(3):369-74. doi: 10.1007/s10072-010-0402-6. Epub 2010 Sep 18.

Abstract

To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture on cell proliferation and differentiation in young rat hippocampus, postnatal day-14 rats were assigned randomly to control, ketamine anesthesia, nonacupoint, or acupoint electroacupuncture groups. Electroacupuncture was applied at bilateral acupoints (Quchi, Waiguan, Huantiao, and Zusanli) 30 min daily for 7 successive days. The proliferation and neuronal differentiation of proliferated surviving cells in the dentate gyrus were evaluated at 4 weeks after last stimulation. The stimulatory effect of electroacupuncture on cell proliferation had a long-lasting effect, as indicated by the increased phosphor-histone H3-positive cells. The number of proliferated and survival cells, indicated by BrdU labeling, was highest in the electroacupuncture group. The number of newly differentiated neurons, as indicated by BrdU/NeuN double labeling, was significantly higher in the electroacupuncture group than in any of the other groups. This finding provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of acupuncture to cerebral injury rehabilitation in children.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Cell Survival / physiology
  • Dentate Gyrus / cytology*
  • Dentate Gyrus / growth & development
  • Electroacupuncture / methods*
  • Hippocampus / cytology*
  • Hippocampus / growth & development
  • Male
  • Neurogenesis / physiology*
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Stem Cells / cytology
  • Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation / physiology