Electro-acupuncture Combined with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Improves Learning and Memory Function of Rats with Cerebral Infarction by Inhibiting Neuron Cell Apoptosis

This study examined the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy at different time windows on learning and memory ability of rats with cerebral infarction and the underlying mechanism.Two hundred SD rats were randomly divided into four groups:normal group,sham-operated group,model group and EA+TMS group,and each group was then divided into five sub-groups in terms of the different time to start treatment post operation:6,12,24,48 and 72 h.Cerebral infarction models were established in the model and the EA+TMS groups by left middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R).After treatment for 14 d,the Morris water maze test was applied to examine the spatial learning and memory abilities of rats.In infarcted area,the expression of caspase-3 was immunohistochemically detected,and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to measure the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA.The results showed that in EA+TMS group compared with model group at the same treatment time windows,the escape latency was substantially shortened,the expression of caspase-3 was considerably decreased and the expression level of Bcl-2 mRNA significantly increased (P<0.05).In the EA+TMS sub-groups,the escape latency was shortest,the expression level of caspase-3 lowest,and the expression level of Bcl-2 mRNA highest at the treatment time window of 24 h.It was concluded that EA combined with TMS can promote neurological function of rats with cerebral infarction by increasing the expression level of Bcl-2 mRNA and decreasing the expression of caspase-3.The best time window is 24 h after perfusion treatment to ischemia.

Correlation Analysis Between BDNF and Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Aged Rats

Objective:To investigate the relationship between BDNF and postoperative cognitive dysfunction among aged rats.Methods:36 SPF healthy aged male SD rats were randomly assigned to a control group and a model group,respectively,with 18 rats in each group.Abdominal exploration was performed on the rats in the model group after anesthesia,while the rats in the control group were not operated on after anesthesia.The escape latency and swimming distance of the two groups were analyzed on a day prior to surgery as well as on the first day,third day,and seventh day following surgery;the expression levels of BDNF protein in the hippocampus of rats in the two groups were compared on the first day,third day,and seventh day following surgery;the correlation between BDNF and escape latency and swimming distance was analyzed.Results:The escape latency and swimming distance of the rats in the control group on a day prior to surgery,the first day,third day,and seventh day following surgery did not differ significantly(p>0.05),but those in the model group had significant behavioral difference(p<0.05).On a day prior to surgery,the rats in both groups showed no significant behavioral difference in escape latency and swimming distance(p>0.05),but on the first day,third day,and seventh day following surgery,the escape latency and swimming distance of the rats in the model group were significantly longer than those in the control group(p<0.05).In the control group,there was no significant difference in the protein expression of BDNF in the hippocampus of rats on the first day,third day,and seventh day following surgery,but there was significant difference in the model group.On the first day,third day,and seventh day following surgery,the BDNF protein expression level in the rats’hippocampus of the control group was significantly higher than that of the model group(p<0.05).The data from Pearson correlation analysis confirmed that BDNF protein expression is negatively correlated with escape latency(r=-0.567,p<0.001)and swimming distance(r=-0.623,p<0.001).Conclusion:In aged rats,the BDNF protein expression level decreases,and the degree of cognitive dysfunction increases after surgery.