Abstract
Electroacupuncture (EA) therapy via alternating current stimulation on the scalp over the motor cortex is used for the treatment of brain disorders. Perinatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI), a brain injury in newborns, leads to long-term neurologic complications. Here, we investigated whether EA could promote functional improvements and neurogenesis in a neonatal HI rat model. A neonatal HI rat model was induced by permanent ligation of the left carotid artery in postnatal day 7 pups. EA for neonatal HI rats was performed at 2 Hz (1, 3, or 5 mA; 20 min) from 4–6 weeks after birth. HI rats undergoing EA had improved motor and memory function, with the greatest improvement after 3 mA EA. The corpus callosum was significantly thicker and showed a significant increase in proliferating astrocytes in the 3 mA EA group. We observed proliferating cells and a greater number of newly developed neurons and astrocytes in the subventricular zone and dentate gyrus of the 3 mA EA group than in those of the HI group. These results suggest that EA promotes functional improvements following neonatal HI assault via the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. This effect was the strongest after 3 mA EA, suggesting that this is the optimal treatment dose.
Highlights
Perinatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is the most prominent cause of brain injury, disability, and death in infants, accounting for 23% of infant mortality worldwide and affecting 0.7–1.2 million infants annually [1,2]
We previously reported that acupoint-based EA enhanced the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in mouse focal cerebral ischemia [15,16,17]
To investigate the effect of EA on the scalp over the motor cortex in a rat hypoxia-ischemia model, neonatal HI was induced in rat pups on postnatal day 7 (Figure 1)
Summary
Perinatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is the most prominent cause of brain injury, disability, and death in infants, accounting for 23% of infant mortality worldwide and affecting 0.7–1.2 million infants annually [1,2]. Perinatal HI restricts oxygen and blood supply, which damages brain cells. Perinatal HI leads to long-term neurologic complications such as mild behavioral deficits, severe seizures, mental retardation, and/or cerebral palsy in newborns [3]. HI-associated brain injury in preterm newborns is. HI, during the perinatal period, is one cause of cerebral palsy. Intrauterine asphyxia is the most common cause of hypoxic injury, which is characterized by insufficient blood supply caused by clotting of placental arteries, placental abruption, or inflammatory processes, amongst others [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
