Electroacupuncture Alleviates Memory Deficits in APP/PS1 Mice by Targeting Serotonergic Neurons in Dorsal Raphe Nucleus.

Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a significant global concern, but effective drugs able to slow down AD progression is still lacked. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been demonstrated to ameliorate cognitive impairment in individuals with AD. However, the underlying mechanisms remains poorly understood.

The gut-brain axis: Effect of electroacupuncture pretreatment on learning, memory, and JNK signaling in D-galactose-induced AD-like rats.

Objectives: To examine the effect and potential mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment in spatial learning, memory, gut microbiota, and JNK signaling in D-galactose-induced AD-like rats.

Materials And Methods: The AD-like rat model was generated by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose. Morris water maze was used to determine spatial learning and memory ability, Real-time PCR to determine intestinal flora levels, ELISA to determine tryptophan (Trp) and 5-HT levels in the colon and hippocampal tissues, immunofluorescence to determine 5-HT levels in enterochromaffin cells (ECs), and immunoblotting to determine JNK signaling protein levels in hippocampal tissues.

Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Puerarin in Central Nervous System Diseases: Update.

Due to global population aging and modern lifestyle changes, the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, such as neurodegenerative diseases, neuropsychiatric disorders, and cerebrovascular diseases, is increasing and has become a major public health challenge. Current medications commonly used in the clinic are far from satisfactory and may cause serious side effects. Therefore, the identification of novel drugs for the effective management of CNS diseases is very urgent.

Preventive electroacupuncture ameliorates D-galactose-induced Alzheimer's disease-like inflammation and memory deficits, probably via modulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Objectives: We aimed to observe the effects of preventive electroacupuncture (EA) on the microbiota-gut-brain axis and spatial learning and memory deficits and to investigate the possible mechanism using D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging rats.

Materials And Methods: D-gal was intraperitoneally injected to establish the aging model. We used Morris water maze to detect spatial learning and memory function of rats.

Epigenetic Regulation of Amyloid-beta Metabolism in Alzheimer's Disease.

Senile plaques (SPs) are one of the pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and they are formed by the overproduction and aggregation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides derived from the abnormal cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP). Thus, understanding the regulatory mechanisms during Aβ metabolism is of great importance to elucidate AD pathogenesis. Recent studies have shown that epigenetic modulation-including DNA methylation, non-coding RNA alterations, and histone modifications-is of great significance in regulating Aβ metabolism.

[Effect of pretreatment of acupuncture on learning-memory ability and related protein of NLRP3 inflammasome in hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease like rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of pretreatment of acupuncture on the expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor 3(NLRP3), Caspase-1, interleukin1β(IL-1β) and the number of activated microglia (MG) in the hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease (AD) like rats, so as to explore the mechanism of pretreatment of acupuncture in preventing and treating AD.

Methods: A total of 36 SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group and an electroacupuncture (EA) group, 12 rats in each group. The AD like rat model was established by 8-week continuous intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose (120 mg·kg·d) in the model group and the EA group.

Experimental Evidence of the Benefits of Acupuncture for Alzheimer's Disease: An Updated Review.

As the global population ages, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is also increasing. At present, there are no widely recognized drugs able to ameliorate the cognitive dysfunction caused by AD. The failure of several promising clinical trials in recent years has highlighted the urgent need for novel strategies to both prevent and treat AD.

Preventive electroacupuncture reduces cognitive deficits in a rat model of D-galactose-induced aging.

Acupuncture can reduce cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease. However, whether electroacupuncture can prevent or alleviate the cognitive deficits in animal models of aging remains poorly understood. Studies have shown that disordered epigenetic modifications play a critical role in age-related cognitive decline.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on cyclin-dependent kinase 5 and Tau protein in hippocampus of SAMP8 mice].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) and manual acupuncture (MA) on learning-memory ability, changes of ultrastructure of neurons and expression of CDK5 and Tau proteins in hippocampus of SAMP8 mice，so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of Alzheimer's disease (AD)．.

Methods: A total of 45 male SAMP8 mice were randomly divided into model, EA and MA groups, with 15 mice in each group. The other 15 SAMR1 mice were used as the normal group.

Preventive Electroacupuncture Ameliorates D-Galactose-Induced Alzheimer's Disease-Like Pathology and Memory Deficits Probably via Inhibition of GSK3/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Acupuncture has been practiced to treat neuropsychiatric disorders for a thousand years in China. Prevention of disease by acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, guided by the theory of Chinese acupuncture, gradually draws growing attention nowadays and has been investigated in the role of the prevention and treatment of mental disorders such as AD. Despite its well-documented efficacy, its biological action remains greatly invalidated.

Epigenetic Modulation on Tau Phosphorylation in Alzheimer's Disease.

Tau hyperphosphorylation is a typical pathological change in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is involved in the early onset and progression of AD. Epigenetic modification refers to heritable alterations in gene expression that are not caused by direct changes in the DNA sequence of the gene. Epigenetic modifications, such as noncoding RNA regulation, DNA methylation, and histone modification, can directly or indirectly affect the regulation of tau phosphorylation, thereby participating in AD development and progression.

[Effect of acupuncture on the ultrastructure of neurons and astrocytes in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in rats with Alzheimer's disease induced by Aβ].

Objective: To observe the effects of acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Shenshu" (BL 23) on the ultrastructure of hippocampal dentate gyrus in rats with Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: Forty SPF Wistar male rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group and an acupuncture group, 10 rats in each one. The rats in the model group and the acupuncture group were treated with injection of 5 μL Aβ at bilateral hippocampus, while the rats in the sham operation group were treated with injection of 5 μL 0.

Acupoint combinations used for treatment of Alzheimer's disease: A data mining analysis.

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.

Effects of Acupuncture on Alzheimer's Disease: Evidence from Neuroimaging Studies.

As the worldwide population ages, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) increases. However, the results of promising medications have been unsatisfactory. Chinese acupuncture has a long history of treating dementia, but lack of evidence from well-designed randomized controlled trials that validate its efficacy and safety, as well as its lack of clear underlying mechanisms, contribute to its limited application in clinical practice.

High-frequency (50 Hz) electroacupuncture ameliorates cognitive impairment in rats with amyloid beta 1-42-induced Alzheimer's disease.

Acupuncture has been shown to ameliorate cognitive impairment of Alzheimer's disease. Acupoints and stimulation frequency influence the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture. Rat models of Alzheimer's disease were established by injecting amyloid beta 1-42 (Aβ) into the bilateral lateral ventricles.

[Effects and mechanisms of different frequencies of electroacupuncture for learning and memory ability of Alzheimer's rats].

Objective: To observe the effects of different frequencies of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Baihui (GV 20)" and "Shenshu(BL 23)" for the learning and memory ability as well as glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in hippocampal tissue of rats with Alzheimer's disease(AD), so as to explore the mechanism of different frequencies of EA for the prevention and treatment of AD.

Methods: One hundred and twelve healthy Wistar male rats were divided into seven groups by random number table, namely a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group, an acupuncture group, a 2 Hz EA group, a 30 Hz EA group, and a 50 Hz EA group, 16 rats in each one. The rats in the normal group were conventionally raised in the laboratory without any treatment.

High-frequency electroacupuncture evidently reinforces hippocampal synaptic transmission in Alzheimer's disease rats.

The frequency range of electroacupuncture in treatment of Alzheimer's disease in rats is commonly 2-5 Hz (low frequency) and 50-100 Hz (high frequency). We established a rat model of Alzheimer's disease by injecting β-amyloid 1-42 (Aβ1-42) into the bilateral hippocampal dentate gyrus to verify which frequency may be better suited in treatment. Electroacupuncture at 2 Hz or 50 Hz was used to stimulate Baihui (DU20) and Shenshu (BL23) acupoints.

Acupuncture and moxibustion reduces neuronal edema in Alzheimer's disease rats.

To examine the possible correlation of aberrant Wnt signaling and pathological changes in Alzheimer's disease, we established a rat model of Alzheimer's disease and measured axin and β-catenin expression in the hippocampus. Rats were pretreated with moxibustion or electroacupuncture, or both, at Baihui (GV20) and Shenshu (BL23). Axin expression was lower, β-catenin expression was greater, and neuronal cytoplasmic edema was visibly prevented in the rats that had received the pretreatments.

Moxibustion Activates Macrophage Autophagy and Protects Experimental Mice against Bacterial Infection.

Moxibustion is one of main therapies in traditional Chinese medicine and uses heat stimulation on the body surface from the burning of moxa to release pain or treat diseases. Emerging studies have shown that moxibustion can generate therapeutic effects by activating a series of signaling pathways and neuroendocrine-immune activities. Here we show moxibustion promoted profound macrophage autophagy in experimental Kunming mice, with reduced Akt phosphorylation and activated eIF2α phosphorylation.

[Protective mechanism of acupuncture-moxibustion on hippocampal neuron mitochondria in rats with Alzheimer's disease].

Objective: To observe effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on ultrastructure and silent information regulator 1 (SIR1) in hippocampal neuron mitochondria in rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in order to explore its possible effective mechanism during the process of protecting mitochondria.

Methods: Eighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group and an acupuncture group, 20 rats in each one. The AD model was established in the model group and acupuncture group with injection of Amyloid beta Protein Fragment1-14 (Abeta1-42) into the hippocampus.