HE Jiao-jun, PENG Tian-qiang, XIA Mei-xia, CHEN Hua-de

(1Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Hangzhou 310005; 2Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou310013)

Abstract:  Objective: To explore the effects of long-time-retaining needle on Baihui learning memory impairment rats BDNF expression in learning memory disorder Rats.Methods:32 normal intelligence and healthy Sprague Dawley rats aged 3-6 mouths were randomly divided into sham group, control group, group treated with nimodipine and long-time retainingneedle on Baihuigroup. Besides the sham group, the rest rats showed some impairment in learning and memory via Morris water in the following seven days after ischemia and reperfusion. The reverse Morris water test was performed again to test the ability of keeping  learning  and  memory.  All  the  rats  were  sacrificed  immediately  after  the  tests. Immunohistochemistrystaining was applied to measure the expression of BDNF and receptor trkBin CA1, a part of hippocampus.  Results:(1) compared with the sham group, all the groups showed a significant increase in latent period and swimming distance (P<0.01), also with a decrease in the platform residence time (P<0.01). (2) the results showed a favor to the both groups which got treatments, however, the results did not show any statistical significance between the medicine group and acupuncture group(P>0.05).(3) the expression of BDNF in hippocampus CA1 part: compared with the sham group, all the groups showed a significant decrease(P<0.01). When compared to the control group, the result showed a higher expression (P<0.01), but it did not show much difference between the last two groups (P>0.05). The expression of trkB had a same trend in the hippocampus. Conclusion:the method of long time retaining needle on Baihui has good effect on improving the learning, memory ability and the underlying mechanism might connect withregulating the expression of BDNF and trkB receptor.

Key  Words:  Long  Time  Retaining  Needling,  Baihui,  Learning  and  memory  impairment;  BDNF ,  trkB receptor ,Hippocampus