Related Experiment Videos
Electroacupuncture enhances motor recovery performance with brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in rats with
Min-Wook Kim1, You Chul Chung, Hee Chan Jung
1Institute of Catholic Integrative Medicine, Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic University, Seoul, Korea.
Objective:
Electroacupuncture (EA) is a traditional medicine in patients with post-stroke rehabilitation. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a potent growth factor involved in recovery following cerebral injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether EA increases BDNF levels and facilitates functional recovery.
Methods:
Occlusion of the middle cerebral artery was performed in rats (N=12) followed by reperfusion. EA was applied at the GV20 (Baihui) acupoint. Motor and sensory functions were monitored on the Garcia scale for 2 weeks. Expressions of BDNF and receptor tyrosine kinase B (trkB) were determined by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry.
Results:
Improvement of Garcia scores, particularly in motor performance, were noted in the group with EA stimulation (p<0.05). With EA application, BDNF was elevated in the ischaemic hemisphere with increased numbers of BDNF(+) cells. Increased expression of trkB was also detected.
Conclusion:
These results indicate that EA at GV20 improves motor recovery and stimulates BDNF/trkB expression in rats with cerebral ischaemia.