Show less Lixing Chen1*

Lixing Chen

 

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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, Zengyu Yao1*

Zengyu Yao

 

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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, Shanshan Qu1

Shanshan Qu

 

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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, Jialing Zhang2

Jialing Zhang

 

School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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, Jiping Zhang1

Jiping Zhang

 

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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, Zhinan Zhang1

Zhinan Zhang

 

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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, Yong Huang1†

Yong Huang

 

School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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, Zheng Zhong3

 

https://doi.org/10.1177/0300060520918419

 

Abstract

 

Objectives

To investigate the antidepressant effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) in rats, as well as the effects of EA on hippocampal neurons, synaptic morphology, and 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT) receptor expression.

 

Methods

Forty adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control, CUMS, EA, and paroxetine groups. CUMS modeling was performed for 21 days, followed by 14 days of intervention: rats in the EA group underwent stimulation of GV20 and GV29 acupuncture points for 30 minutes daily; rats in the paroxetine group were administered paroxetine daily. Behavioral tests, transmission electron microscopy, western blotting, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to evaluate the effects of the intervention.

 

Results

EA treatment reversed the behavioral changes observed in rats due to CUMS modeling; it also improved the pathological changes in organelles and synaptic structures of hippocampal neurons, and upregulated the protein and mRNA expression levels of 5-HT1A receptor. There were no significant differences in 5-HT1B receptor protein and mRNA expression levels among the groups.

 

Conclusions

EA treatment can alleviate depression-like symptoms in CUMS rats. The underlying mechanism may include promoting the expression of 5-HT1A receptor mRNA and protein, thereby improving synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus.

 

Keywords Electroacupuncture, chronic unpredictable mild stress, 5-HT1A, synaptic plasticity, hippocampus, serotonin, paroxetine, depression, neuronal plasticity

 

 

Full Text

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0300060520918419