YI Wei,PAN Youcan,XUN Nenggui, SHING Junhen,ZHENG Xiaoyan

（Southern China Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine，Guangzhou 510006，China）

Abstract：Objective：  To observe the effect of electroacupuncture on learning and memory behavior  of  hypoxic-ischemic  young  rats,  and  to  explore  the  protective  effect  of electroacupuncture on neurons in hypoxic-ischemic rats. Methods：  A total of 50 SD rats aged 7 days were randomly divided into the sham operation group (Sham), the model group (HIE), and the electroacupuncture group (HIE+EA). The HIE model was established by ligation of the le ft 

common carotid artery combined with hypoxia. Electroacupuncture at "Baihui" （GV 20） “Dazhui” (GV 14), once every other day, 20 min each time, 28 consecutive D. At the beginning of twentyninth D, the density of dendritic spines of young rats was observed by Golgi staining. Results：Rotarod and elevated maze test, no differences between the three groups (P>0.05); water maze test,  the  model  group  compared  with  the  sham  operation  group (P<0.05),  the  escape  latency increased escape distance increased (P<0.05), the platform quadrant time reduced (P<0.05), cross platform (P<0.05), reduce the number of EA group escape reduce the latency (P<0.05), reduce the escape  distance  in platform  quadrant time  increased (P<0.05),  the   increase  in the number  of crossing  platform  (P<0.05). Compared with the sham operation group, the Density  of dendritic spines decreased (p<0.05) in the model group, and the density of dendritic spines in the EA group was higher than that in the model group (P<0.05). Conclusion   Electroacupuncture can improve the learning and memory ability of young rats induced by hypoxia and ischemia, and the effect may be related to regulating the density of dendritic dendritic spines.

Key words :  Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Learning and memory, Hypoxia-ischemia, Dendritic spines