Electro acupuncture treatment alleviates central post-stroke pain by inhibiting brain neuronal apoptosis and aberrant astrocyte activation

5^th International Conference and Exhibition on Natural & Alternative Medicine

September 05-07, 2016 Beijing, China

Gui-Hua Tian, Shan-Shan Tao, Man-Tang Chen, Yu-Sang Li, You-Ping Li, Hong-Cai Shang, Xiao-Yi Tang and He-Bin Tang

Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China
South-Central University for Nationalities, China
Sichuan University, China

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Altern Integr Med

Abstract :

Electroacupuncture (EA) is reported as an effective approach to relief the central post-stroke pain (CPSP). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. To address this issue, this study investigated the mechanisms of action of different frequencies of EA treatment for CPSP. A CPSP model was constructed in rats by performing a single injection of collagenase to left ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus. The EA-treated groups then received the EA treatment at one of three frequencies [2, 2/15 (2 Hz alternating with 15 Hz) and 15 Hz] for 30 min daily for five days in total. The pain-related behavioral responses (thermal, cold and mechanical hyperalgesia), neuronal apoptosis and glial activation, and the expression of pain signal transmission-related factors (�²-catenin, COX-2 and NK-1R) were assessed using behavioral tests, Nissl staining, TUNEL staining and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. The low-frequency EA treatment significantly 1) reduced brain tissue damage and hematoma sizes and 2) inhibited neuronal apoptosis, thereby exerting abirritation effects. Meanwhile, the high-frequency EA treatment induced a greater inhibition of the aberrant astrocyte activation, accompanied by the down-regulation of COX-2 and �²-catenin expression, which further reduced the expression of NK-1R, thereby alleviating inflammation and producing strong analgesic effects. Together, these findings suggest that the neocortex and hippocampus have a close relationship with the generation of CPSP. EA treatments at different frequencies may exert abirritation effects by inhibiting brain neuronal apoptosis and aberrant astrocyte activation in the brain.

Biography :

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