Effect of Electroacupuncture on the Behavior of APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice of Different Age / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the effect of electroacupuncture on the behavior of APP/PS1 transgenic mice of different age, and to explore the optimal intervention time of electroacupuncture in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). Method APP/PS1 double-transgenic mice of 4 months, 6 months and 9 months old, 20 in each age group, were randomized into a model group and an electroacupuncture group, and ten C57BL/6 wild-type mice were taken as a control group; after 6-week electroacupuncture treatment, the Morris water maze was adopted for spatial memory and behavioral test, and the changes of behavior in each group were observed.Result Of the 5-month-old mice, there were no significant between-group differences (P>0.05), while the time factor (day) produced a statistical significance (P<0.01); of the 7-month-old mice, there were significant differences considering the different groups, time factor and interaction (P<0.01); of the 10-month-old mice, there were significant differences considering the different groups, time factor and interaction (P<0.05). The spatial probe test showed that there were significant between-group differences in comparing the platform crossings and swimming distance in platform quadrant in each age group (P<0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture can improve the learning and memory of APP/PS1 double-transgenic mice, the age of 6-7 months old is possibly the optimal intervention time of electroacupuncture for AD, but there still requires further mechanism studies.