Improvement of noninvasive electrostatic field stimulation on lipopolysaccharide-induced neurocognitive impairment mice

Abstract

Objective To explore the improvement of noninvasive electrostatic field stimulation (NEFS) on neurocognitive impairment mice induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods Forty-eight female C57 mice aged 3 months were divided into the CTL group, the NaCl+NEFS group, the LPS+SHAM group and the LPS+NEFS group, with 12 mice in each group. Both the LPS+NEFS group and the LPS+SHAM group were injected with 2 mg/kg LPS intraperitoneally to establish the mouse model of neurocognitive impairment, and after the model was constructed, they were treated with NEFS for 4 d, during which the LPS+NEFS group received an electrostatic field of 160 kV/m for 30 min/d while the LPS+SHAM group were only stimulated by an electrostatic field of 0 kV/m for 3 s/d. The NaCl+NEFS group was injected with the same amount of 0.9% normal saline instead of LPS and stimulated by electrostatic field (160 kV/m); The CTL group was a no-treatment group. After NEFS, the cognitive ability of mice was observed by T maze experiment (T-maze) and the new object recognition (NOR) experiment. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the number of hippocampal neurons in mice, and immunofluorescence method was used to detect the changes of hippocampal astrocytes. Results Compared with the results of behavioral experiment and morphological observation of the CTL group, the learning and memory abilities of the LPS+SHAM group in T-maze and NOR was significantly weakened (P < 0.05), and the number of neurons in hippocampus decreased significantly while the number of activated astrocytes increased significantly (P < 0.05). Furthermore, compared with the LPS+SHAM group, the learning and memory abilities of the LPS+NEFS group in T-maze and NOR was significantly improved (P < 0.05), and the number of neurons in hippocampus was also significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the proliferation of astrocytes was significantly inhibited (P < 0.05). Conclusion Intraperitoneal injection of 2 mg/kg LPS can establish neurocognitive impairment model, and NEFS has protective effect on LPS-induced neurocognitive impairment in mice. [Key words] electric stimulation therapy , neurocognitive impairment , neuroprotection ,

Keywords

• electric stimulation therapy
• neurocognitive impairment
• neuroprotection
• learning and memory
• lipopolysaccharide