Olfactory Three-Needle Electroacupuncture Improved Synaptic Plasticity and Gut Microbiota of SAMP8 Mice by Stimulating Olfactory Nerve.

Objective: To investigate the effects and mechanisms of olfactory three-needle (OTN) electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of the olfactory system on cognitive dysfunction, synaptic plasticity, and the gut microbiota in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice.

Methods: Thirty-six SAMP8 mice were randomly divided into the SAMP8 (P8), SAMP8+OTN (P8-OT), and SAMP8+nerve transection+OTN (P8-N-OT) groups according to a random number table (n=12 per group), and 12 accelerated senescence-resistant (SAMR1) mice were used as the control (R1) group. EA was performed at the Yintang (GV 29) and bilateral Yingxiang (LI 20) acupoints of SAMP8 mice for 4 weeks.