Electroacupuncture on the Scalp over the Motor Cortex Ameliorates Behavioral Deficits Following Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia in Rats via the Activation of Neural Stem Cells
Da Hee Jung,
Malk Eun Pak,
Hong Ju Lee,
Sung Min Ahn,
Young Ju Yun,
Yong-Il Shin,
Hwa Kyoung Shin,
Seo-Yeon Lee,
Byung Tae Choi
Affiliations
Da Hee Jung
Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Gyeongnam, Korea
Malk Eun Pak
Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Gyeongnam, Korea
Hong Ju Lee
Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Gyeongnam, Korea
Sung Min Ahn
Korean Medical Science Research Center for Healthy-Aging, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Gyeongnam, Korea
Young Ju Yun
Department of Integrative Medicine, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Gyeongnam, Korea
Yong-Il Shin
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Gyeongnam, Korea
Hwa Kyoung Shin
Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Gyeongnam, Korea
Seo-Yeon Lee
Department of Pharmacology, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan 54538, Jeonbuk, Korea
Byung Tae Choi
Department of Korean Medical Science, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Gyeongnam, Korea
Electroacupuncture (EA) therapy via alternating current stimulation on the scalp over the motor cortex is used for the treatment of brain disorders. Perinatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI), a brain injury in newborns, leads to long-term neurologic complications. Here, we investigated whether EA could promote functional improvements and neurogenesis in a neonatal HI rat model. A neonatal HI rat model was induced by permanent ligation of the left carotid artery in postnatal day 7 pups. EA for neonatal HI rats was performed at 2 Hz (1, 3, or 5 mA; 20 min) from 4–6 weeks after birth. HI rats undergoing EA had improved motor and memory function, with the greatest improvement after 3 mA EA. The corpus callosum was significantly thicker and showed a significant increase in proliferating astrocytes in the 3 mA EA group. We observed proliferating cells and a greater number of newly developed neurons and astrocytes in the subventricular zone and dentate gyrus of the 3 mA EA group than in those of the HI group. These results suggest that EA promotes functional improvements following neonatal HI assault via the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. This effect was the strongest after 3 mA EA, suggesting that this is the optimal treatment dose.
