Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common forms of dementia, which cannot be cured at the moment. Therefore, researchers also look for the alternative approaches to its treatment. It is suggested that changes in human gut microbiome mediated by exercise could influence the development and progression of AD and a new term"muscle-gut-brain axis"is introduced. There is much evidence to support this assumption. The gut microbiology is closely related to a wide range of diseases of the nervous system and therefore any negative qualitative and quantitative changes in the composition of the gut microbiota can potentially contribute to the pathophysiology of AD. Research shows that the treatment of intestinal dysbiosis with probiotics/synbiotics/eubiotics can prevent or alleviate the symptoms of these chronic neurological diseases. Studies also point to the positive effects of movement on the health of seniors. A positive correlation can be found between cognitive functions and physical stress, both in the elderly and in AD patients. Even short-term interventions with a relatively low frequency seem to produce positive results, while physical activities can be performed by using relatively simple and cost-effective means. In addition, physical activity can significantly modulate gut microbiome. Thus, it can be concluded that physical activity in humans seems to correlate with gut microbiome, which can prevent the incidence and development of AD.

Antioxidants in the diet have long been thought to confer some level of protection against the oxidative damage that is involved in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease as well as general cognitive decline in normal aging. Nevertheless, support for this hypothesis in the literature is equivocal. In the case of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in particular, lack of consideration of some of the specific features of vitamin C metabolism has led to studies in which classification of participants according to vitamin C status is inaccurate, and the absence of critical information precludes the drawing of appropriate conclusions. Vitamin C levels in plasma are not always reported, and estimated daily intake from food diaries may not be accurate or reflect actual plasma values. The ability to transport ingested vitamin C from the intestines into blood is limited by the saturable sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter (SVCT1) and thus very high intakes and the use of supplements are often erroneously considered to be of greater benefit that they really are. The current review documents differences among the studies in terms of vitamin C status of participants. Overall, there is a large body of evidence that maintaining healthy vitamin C levels can have a protective function against age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease, but avoiding vitamin C deficiency is likely to be more beneficial than taking supplements on top of a normal, healthy diet.

BACKGROUND:Coconut oil has been widely used to improve health because there is much information available by word of mouth, in books, and on the internet. However, researchers still continue to search for the best diets to improve the quality of life, especially for people with cognitive decline.

OBJECTIVES:The aim of this review is to develop a novel dietary approach, the Keto-Mediet, which may help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

METHODS:Evidence gained through literature review from 1982 to 2015 on gene-by-diet interaction and lipid and glucose metabolism in the brains of Alzheimer's patients is converted into the new Keto-Mediet approach.

DESIGN:The Keto-Mediet approach combines the benefits of a Ketogenic diet and a Mediterranean diet into a pyramidal model that is rich in various types of vitamins and substitutes coconuts for saturated animal fats. Limited glucose intake is intended to delay brain degeneration. A revised adult food pyramid was created to illustrate the principles of the Keto-Mediet approach.

CONCLUSION:The Keto-Mediet approach represents and interprets food groups according to the revised adult food pyramid. This approach also encourages adherence to this healthy diet and lifestyle changes including exercise for people whose age ranges from 40 to 75 years. Those who comply with this approach will significantly enhance their knowledge and adopt a healthier lifestyle, as compared to those whose modern eating patterns are typically less healthy. Therefore, the Keto-Mediet approach can be applied in hopes of preventing and decreasing Alzheimer's disease in different ethnicities and cultural groups.

Age-related cognitive decline has been linked to a diverse set of neurobiological mechanisms, including bidirectional changes in proteins critical for neuron function. Importantly, these alterations are not uniform across the brain. For example, the hippocampus (HPC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) show distinct patterns of dysfunction in advanced age. Because higher cognitive functions require large-scale interactions across prefrontal cortical and hippocampal networks, selectively targeting an alteration within one region may not broadly restore function to improve cognition. One mechanism for decline that the PFC and HPC share, however, is a reduced ability to utilize glucose for energy metabolism. Although this suggests that therapeutic strategies bypassing the need for neuronal glycolysis may be beneficial for treating cognitive aging, this approach has not been empirically tested. Thus, the current study used a ketogenic diet (KD) as a global metabolic strategy for improving brain function in young and aged rats. After 12 weeks, rats were trained to perform a spatial alternation task through an asymmetrical maze, in which one arm was closed and the other was open. Both young and aged KD-fed rats showed resilience against the anxiogenic open arm, training to alternation criterion performance faster than control animals. Following alternation testing, rats were trained to perform a cognitive dual task that required working memory while simultaneously performing a bi-conditional association task (WM/BAT), which requires PFC-HPC interactions. All KD-fed rats also demonstrated improved performance on WM/BAT. At the completion of behavioral testing, tissue punches were collected from the PFC for biochemical analysis. KD-fed rats had biochemical alterations within PFC that were dissociable from previous results in the HPC. Specifically, MCT1 and MCT4, which transport ketone bodies, were significantly increased in KD-fed rats compared to controls. GLUT1, which transports glucose across the blood brain barrier, was decreased in KD-fed rats. Contrary to previous observations within the HPC, the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT1) did not change with age or diet within the PFC. The vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT), however, was increased within PFC similar to HPC. These data suggest that KDs could be optimal for enhancing large-scale network function that is critical for higher cognition.

Kabuki syndrome is a Mendelian intellectual disability syndrome caused by mutations in either of two genes (KMT2D and KDM6A) involved in chromatin accessibility. We previously showed that an agent that promotes chromatin opening, the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) AR-42, ameliorates the deficiency of adult neurogenesis in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus and rescues hippocampal memory defects in a mouse model of Kabuki syndrome (Kmt2d(+/βGeo)). Unlike a drug, a dietary intervention could be quickly transitioned to the clinic. Therefore, we have explored whether treatment with a ketogenic diet could lead to a similar rescue through increased amounts of beta-hydroxybutyrate, an endogenous HDACi. Here, we report that a ketogenic dietin Kmt2d(+/βGeo) mice modulates H3ac and H3K4me3 in the granule cell layer, with concomitant rescue of both the neurogenesis defect and hippocampal memory abnormalities seen in Kmt2d(+/βGeo) mice; similar effects on neurogenesis were observed on exogenous administration of beta-hydroxybutyrate. These data suggest that dietary modulation of epigenetic modifications through elevation of beta-hydroxybutyrate may provide a feasible strategy to treat the intellectual disability seen in Kabuki syndrome and related disorders.

Differential scanning calorimetry was applied to evaluate the efficacy of preventive treatments with biologically active compounds of plant origin against neurodegenerative disorder in mice. As we reported recently, large differences exist between the heat capacity profiles of water-soluble brain proteome fractions from healthy animals and from animals with scopolamine-induced dementia: the profiles for healthy animals displayed well expressed exothermic event peaking at 40-45°C, by few degrees above body temperature, but still preceding in temperature the proteome endothermic denaturational transitions; the low-temperature exotherm was completely abolished by the scopolamine treatment. Here we explored this signature difference in the heat capacity profiles to assess the efficacy of preventive treatments with protectant drugs anticipated to slow down or block progression of dementia (myrtenal, ellagic acid, lipoic acid and their combinations, including also ascorbic acid). We found that these neuroprotectants counteract the scopolamine effect and partially or completely preserve the 'healthy' thermogram, and specifically the low-temperature exotherm. These results well correlate with the changes in the cognitive functions of the animals assessed using the Step Through Test for learning and memory. The exothermic event is deemed to be associated with a reversible process of fibrillization and/or aggregation of specific water-soluble brain protein fractions preceding their denaturation. Most importantly, the results demonstrate that the effect of scopolamine and its prevention by protectant substances are clearly displayed in the heat capacity profilesof the brain proteome, thus identifying DSC as a powerful method in drug testing and discovery.

BACKGROUND:Few studies have examined the association between daily physical activity and cognitive function among older adults with Parkinson's disease (PD).

OBJECTIVE:Here we evaluate the association between accelerometer-assessed physical activity and cognition among older patients with PD.

METHODS:Cognition assessed via the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was assessed via accelerometry over a 1-2 week monitoring period.

RESULTS:After adjusting for motor impairment severity, for every 1 min/day increase in MVPA, participants had a 0.09 unit increase in MoCA-determined cognitive function (β = 0.09; 95% CI: -0.003-0.19; P = 0.05). When further adjusting for motor impairment, age and gender, results were unchanged (β = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.004-0.19; P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION:The present study provides suggestive evidence of a favorable association between daily physical activity behavior and cognitive function among adults with PD.

OBJECTIVES:The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness and safety of combined treatment using acupuncture and bee venom acupuncture (BVA) as an adjunctive treatment for idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD).

METHODS:Eleven patients (7 men and 4 women) with idiopathic PD who had been receiving a stable dose of anti-parkinsonian medication for at least 4 weeks. Participants received conventional treatment for 12 weeks. Subsequently, they received additional treatment with acupuncture and BVA twice weekly for 12 weeks while still maintaining conventional treatment. All participants were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks by using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQL), the speed and number of steps required to walk 20 m, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Maximum excursion and directional control, measured by computerized dynamic posturography (Balance Master(®) System, NeuroCom, San Carlos, CA), were used to assess postural stability.

RESULTS:Patients who underwent 12 weeks of twice-weekly combined treatment with acupuncture and BVA showed significant improvements in gait speed, PDQL score, activities of daily living (UPDRS part II), motor symptoms (UPDRS part III), and combined UPDRS part II+III scores compared with assessments after conventional treatment.

CONCLUSIONS:Combined treatment with acupuncture and BVA showed promising results as a safe adjunctive therapy for PD.

OBJECTIVES:The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness and safety of combined treatment using acupuncture and bee venom acupuncture (BVA) as an adjunctive treatment for idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD).

METHODS:Eleven patients (7 men and 4 women) with idiopathic PD who had been receiving a stable dose of anti-parkinsonian medication for at least 4 weeks. Participants received conventional treatment for 12 weeks. Subsequently, they received additional treatment with acupuncture and BVA twice weekly for 12 weeks while still maintaining conventional treatment. All participants were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks by using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQL), the speed and number of steps required to walk 20 m, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Maximum excursion and directional control, measured by computerized dynamic posturography (Balance Master(®) System, NeuroCom, San Carlos, CA), were used to assess postural stability.

RESULTS:Patients who underwent 12 weeks of twice-weekly combined treatment with acupuncture and BVA showed significant improvements in gait speed, PDQL score, activities of daily living (UPDRS part II), motor symptoms (UPDRS part III), and combined UPDRS part II+III scores compared with assessments after conventional treatment.

CONCLUSIONS:Combined treatment with acupuncture and BVA showed promising results as a safe adjunctive therapy for PD.

Ginseng, a perennial plant belonging to the Panax genus of the Araliaceae family, has been used in China, Korea, and Japan as a traditional herbal medicine for thousands of years. Ginseng is recorded to have exhibited a wide variety of beneficial pharmacological effects and has become a popular and worldwide known health supplement and drug. The protective effects of ginseng on central nervous system are discussed in this review. Ginseng species and ginsenosides and their intestinal metabolism and bioavailability are concisely introduced. The molecular mechanisms of the effects of ginseng on central nervous system, mainly focused on the neuroprotection properties of ginseng, memory, and learning enhanced properties, and the effects on neurodegenerative disorders are presented. Thus, ginseng and its constituents are of potential merits in the treatment of cerebral disorders.

Motor learning is impaired in Parkinson's disease (PD), with patients demonstrating deficits in skill acquisition (online learning) and consolidation (offline learning) compared to healthy adults of similar age. Recent studies in young adults suggest that single bouts of aerobic exercise (AEX), performed in close temporal proximity to practicing a new motor task, may facilitate motor skill learning. Thus, we aimed at investigating the effects of a single bout of aerobic cycling on online and offline learning in PD patients.17 PD patients (Hoehn and Yahr 1 - 2.5, age: 64.4± 6.2) participated in this crossover study. Immediately prior to practicing a novel balance task, patients either performed 30 min of (i) moderate intensity (60-70% VO) aerobic cycling, or (ii) seated rest (order counterbalanced). The task required patients to stabilize a balance platform (stabilometer) in a horizontal position for 30 s. For each experimental condition, patients performed 15 acquisition trials, followed by a retention test 24 h later. We calculated time in balance (platform within± 5° from horizontal) for each trial, and analyzed within- and between-subjects differences in skill acquisition (online learning) and skill retention (offline learning) using mixed repeated-measures ANOVA.We found that the exercise bout had no effect on performance level or online gains during acquisition, despite affecting the time course of skill improvements (larger initial and reduced late skill gains). Aerobic cycling significantly improved offline learning, as reflected by larger 24-h skill retention compared to the rest condition.Our results suggest that a single bout of moderate-intensity AEX is effective in improving motor skill consolidation in PD patients. Thus, acute exercise may represent an effective strategy to enhance motor memory formation in this population. More work is necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms, the optimal scheduling of exercise, and the applicability to other motor tasks. Further, the potential for patients in later disease stages need to be investigated. The study was a priori registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03245216).

Motor learning is impaired in Parkinson's disease (PD), with patients demonstrating deficits in skill acquisition (online learning) and consolidation (offline learning) compared to healthy adults of similar age. Recent studies in young adults suggest that single bouts of aerobic exercise (AEX), performed in close temporal proximity to practicing a new motor task, may facilitate motor skill learning. Thus, we aimed at investigating the effects of a single bout of aerobic cycling on online and offline learning in PD patients.17 PD patients (Hoehn and Yahr 1 - 2.5, age: 64.4± 6.2) participated in this crossover study. Immediately prior to practicing a novel balance task, patients either performed 30 min of (i) moderate intensity (60-70% VO) aerobic cycling, or (ii) seated rest (order counterbalanced). The task required patients to stabilize a balance platform (stabilometer) in a horizontal position for 30 s. For each experimental condition, patients performed 15 acquisition trials, followed by a retention test 24 h later. We calculated time in balance (platform within± 5° from horizontal) for each trial, and analyzed within- and between-subjects differences in skill acquisition (online learning) and skill retention (offline learning) using mixed repeated-measures ANOVA.We found that the exercise bout had no effect on performance level or online gains during acquisition, despite affecting the time course of skill improvements (larger initial and reduced late skill gains). Aerobic cycling significantly improved offline learning, as reflected by larger 24-h skill retention compared to the rest condition.Our results suggest that a single bout of moderate-intensity AEX is effective in improving motor skill consolidation in PD patients. Thus, acute exercise may represent an effective strategy to enhance motor memory formation in this population. More work is necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms, the optimal scheduling of exercise, and the applicability to other motor tasks. Further, the potential for patients in later disease stages need to be investigated. The study was a priori registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03245216).

Physical activity has long been hypothesized to influence the risk and pathology of Alzheimer's disease. However, the amount of physical activity necessary for these benefits is unclear. We examined the effects of three months of low and high intensity exercise training on soluble Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels in extracellular enriched fractions from the cortex and hippocampus of young Tg2576 mice. Low (LOW) and high (HI) intensity exercise training animals ran at speeds of 15m/min on a level treadmill and 32 m/min at a 10% grade, respectively for 60 min per day, five days per week,from three to six months of age. Sedentary mice (SED) were placed on a level, non-moving, treadmill for the same duration. Soleus muscle citrate synthase activity increased by 39% in the LOW group relative to SED, and by 71% in the HI group relative to LOW, indicating an exercise training effect inthese mice. Soluble Aβ40 concentrations decreased significantly in an exercise training dose-dependent manner in the cortex. In the hippocampus, concentrations were decreased significantly in the HI group relative to LOW and SED. Soluble Aβ42 levels also decreased significantly in an exercise training dose-dependent manner in both the cortex and hippocampus. Five proteins involved in Aβ clearance (neprilysin, IDE, MMP9, LRP1 and HSP70) were elevated by exercise training with its intensity playing a role in each case. Our data demonstrate that exercise training reduces extracellular solubleAβ in the brains of Tg2576 mice in a dose-dependent manner through an up-regulation of Aβ clearance.

An essential feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is implicated in brain energy metabolic impairment that is considered underlying pathogenesis of cognitive impairment. Therefore, therapeutic interventions to allay cognitive deficits that target energy metabolism may be an efficacy strategy in AD. In this study, we found that electroacupuncture (EA) at the DU20 acupoint obviously increased glucose metabolism in specific brain regions such as cortex, hippocampus, cingulate gyrus, basal forebrain septum, brain stem, and cerebellum in APP/PS1 transgenic mice by animal (18)F-Fluoro-2-deoxy-D-Glucose ((18)F-FDG)/positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, accompanied by cognitive improvements in the spatial reference learning and memory and memory flexibility and novel object recognition performances. Further evidence shown energy metabolism occurred in neurons or non-neuronal cells of the cortex and hippocampus in terms of the co-location of GLUT3/NeuN and GLUT1/GFAP. Simultaneously, metabolic homeostatic factors were critical for glucose metabolism, including phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and AKT serine/threonine kinase. Furthermore, EA-induced phosphorylated AMPK and AKT inhibited the phosphorylation level of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) to decrease the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) in the cortex and hippocampus. These findings are concluded that EA is a potential therapeutic target for delaying memory decline and Aβ deposition of AD. The AMPK and AKT are implicated in the EA-induced cortical and hippocampal energy metabolism, which served as a contributor to improving cognitive function and Aβ deposition in a transgenic mouse model of AD.

Pretreatment with electroacupuncture (EA) attenuates cerebral ischemic injury through the endocannabinoid system, although the molecular mechanisms mediate this neuroprotection are unknown. It is well-known that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays an essential role in cell survival and proliferation. Therefore, we investigated whether STAT3 is involved in EA pretreatment-induced neuroprotection via cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1R) after transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Two hours after EA pretreatment, focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MACO) for 120 min. The expression of pSTAT3(Ser727), which is necessary for STAT3 activation, was examined in the ipsilateral ischemic penumbra. Infarct volumes and neurological scores were evaluated at 72 h after MACO in the presence or absence of the STAT3 inhibitor peptide (PpYLKTK). Neuronal apoptosis and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio were also evaluated 24h after reperfusion. Our results showed that EA pretreatment significantly enhanced neuronal expression of pSTAT3(Ser727) in the ischemic penumbra 6h after reperfusion. Moreover, EA pretreatment reduced infarct volume, improved neurological outcome, inhibited neuronal apoptosis and decreased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio following reperfusion. The beneficial effects of EA were attenuated by PpYLKTK administered 30 min before MACO, and PpYLKTK effectively reversed the increase in pSTAT3(Ser727) expression. Furthermore, CB1R antagonist or CB1R knockdown with siRNA blocked the elevation of pSTAT3(Ser727) expression by EA pretreatment, whereas the two CB1R agonists increased STAT3 activation. In conclusion, EA pretreatment enhances STAT3 activation via CB1R to protect against cerebral ischemia, suggesting that STAT3 activation may be a novel target for stroke intervention.

OBJECTIVE:To identify the acupoint combinations used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS:The clinical literature regarding acupuncture and moxibustion for AD was searched and collected from databases including Chinese Biomedical Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database and PubMed. The database of acupuncture and moxibustion prescriptions for AD was established by using Excel software so as to conduct the descriptive analysis, association analysis on the data.

RESULTS:Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), Fengchi (GB 20), Taixi (KI 3), Dazhui (GV 14), Shenshu (BL 23), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Shenting (GV 24), Fenglong (ST 40), Xuanzhong (GB 39), Shuigou (GV 26) and Taichong (LR 3) were of higher frequency in the treatment of AD with acupnucture and moxibustion. Most acupoints were selected from the Governor Vessel. The commonly used acupoints were located on the head, face, neck and lower limbs. The combination of the local acupoints with the distal ones was predominated. The crossing points among the specific points presented the advantage in the treatment. The association analysis indicated that the correlation among Fengchi (GB 20)-Baihui (GV 20) was the strongest, followed by combinations of Dazhui (GV 14)-Baihui (GV 20), Shenshu (BL 23)- Baihui (GV 20) and Neiguan (PC 6)- Baihui (GV 20) and indicated the common rules of the clinical acupoint selection and combination for AD.

CONCLUSION:Our findings provide a reference for acupoints selection and combination for AD in clinical acupuncture practice.

Due to the dangers associated with psychotropic medications, there is an urgent need for non-pharmacologic therapies to treat behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Acupuncture and acupressure are safe and well-tolerated non-pharmacologic therapies for this population, but currently no review has explored acutherapy for management of distressing dementia symptoms. This review synthesizes research on acupuncture and acupressure for BPSD. Upon searching five databases, 15 studies met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Nine examined acupressure, six acupuncture, and eight were randomized controlled trials. The percent of studies demonstrating statistically significant improvements in symptoms were: activities of daily living (ADLs; 75%), agitation (100%), anxiety (67%), depression (100%), mood (100%), neuropsychological disturbances (67%), and sleep disturbances (100%). Variations in study design, intervention procedures, and outcomes limit interpretations about effectiveness. It is recommended that further research be done to examine the efficacy of these therapies and promote generalizability.

BACKGROUND:Acupuncture has been associated with improved cerebral circulation, analgesia, neuromodulatory function and neurogenesis. In particular, acupuncture at ST36 has been widely used in several central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. However, its effects on hydrocephalus have not been studied. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of acupuncture at ST36 on behaviour, motor development and reactive astrogliosis in infantile rats with hydrocephalus.

METHODS:Hydrocephalus was induced in sixteen 7-day-old pup rats by injection of 20% kaolin into the cisterna magna. One day after hydrocephalus induction, acupuncture was applied once daily (for 30 min) for a total of 21 days in eight randomly selected animals (HAc group) while the remaining eight remained untreated (H group). An additional eight healthy animals were included as controls (C group). All animals were weighed daily and, from the fifth day after hydrocephalus induction, underwent MRI to determine the ventricular ratio (VR). Rats were also exposed to modified open-field tests every 3 days until the end of the experiment. After 21 days all the animals were euthanased and their brains removed for histology and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS:Hydrocephalic rats showed an increase in VR when compared with control rats (P<0.01). In addition, these animals exhibited delayed weight gain, which was attenuated with acupuncture treatment. Hydrocephalic animals treated with acupuncture performed better in open field tests (P<0.05), and had a reduction in reactive astrocyte cell density in the corpus callosum and external capsule, as assessed by GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) immunohistochemistry (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:These findings indicate that acupuncture at ST36 has a neuroprotective potential mediated, in part, by inhibition of astrogliosis.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of acupuncture in the middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced ischemia model. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two experimental groups: middle cerebral artery occlusion group (MCAO, n=8), and middle cerebral artery occlusion plus acupuncture group (MCAO + Acu, n=8). Acupuncture stimulation was given immediately after reperfusion. The effect of its stimulation to both GB34 and GB39 on the size of the brain infarct and the functional status of the brain cells after middle cerebral artery occlusion was examined by nissl staining and neuron-specific nuclear protein immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The infarction volume was significantly decreased in the MCAO + Acu group (16.4 +/- 4.8%), compared with the MCAO group (39.9 +/- 10.2%). The number of neuron-specific nuclear protein-positive cells in the MCAO group was significantly decreased by 42.3 +/- 12.6% in the striatum and by 45.8 +/- 5.8% in the motor cortex, but the neuron-specific nuclear protein-positive cells in the MCAO + Acu group were rescued by 67.0 +/- 3.8% in the striatum and by 68.1 +/- 4.5% in the motor cortex, compared with the contralateral side (100%). DISCUSSION: This study showed that acupuncture had neuroprotective effects against focal ischemia in the middle cerebral artery occlusion model.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of acupuncture in the middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced ischemia model. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two experimental groups: middle cerebral artery occlusion group (MCAO, n=8), and middle cerebral artery occlusion plus acupuncture group (MCAO + Acu, n=8). Acupuncture stimulation was given immediately after reperfusion. The effect of its stimulation to both GB34 and GB39 on the size of the brain infarct and the functional status of the brain cells after middle cerebral artery occlusion was examined by nissl staining and neuron-specific nuclear protein immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The infarction volume was significantly decreased in the MCAO + Acu group (16.4 +/- 4.8%), compared with the MCAO group (39.9 +/- 10.2%). The number of neuron-specific nuclear protein-positive cells in the MCAO group was significantly decreased by 42.3 +/- 12.6% in the striatum and by 45.8 +/- 5.8% in the motor cortex, but the neuron-specific nuclear protein-positive cells in the MCAO + Acu group were rescued by 67.0 +/- 3.8% in the striatum and by 68.1 +/- 4.5% in the motor cortex, compared with the contralateral side (100%). DISCUSSION: This study showed that acupuncture had neuroprotective effects against focal ischemia in the middle cerebral artery occlusion model.