Effect of median nerve electrical stimulation on expression of α1-adrenergic receptor in prefrontal cortex of coma rats induced by traumatic brain injury / 重庆医学

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the wake-promoting action of median nerve electrical stimulation(MNES) in coma rats induced by traumatic brain injury(TBI) and its influence on the expression of α1-adrenergic receptor(α1 R) in the prefrontal contex (PFC).Methods Seventy-two healthy Sprague Dawley(SD) rats were randomly divided into the control group,sham-stimulated group(TBI),stimulated group (TBI+ MNES) and antagonist group(TBI+ OX1R antagonist +MNES).The control group had no any treatment.The TBI coma rat models were prepared in the other 3 groups.The sham stimulated group had no treatment.The antagonist group was injected with orexin receptor-l(OX1R) antagonist SB334867 into lateral ventricle,and both the antagonist group and stimulated group received MNES treatment.Then the behavior changes of rats in each group were observed and the α1 R expression level in PFC was detected by using the immunohistochemistry technique.Results Thirteen rats in the stimulated group and 8 rats in the antagonist group revived,while only 4 rats in the TBI group.The α1R levels from low to high were the blank control group,sham-stimulated group,antagonist group and stimulated group,showing the increasing trend,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion MNES can improve the rat consciousness level after TBI coma,and its mechanism may be related with up-regulating the α1 R expression level in PFC area,moreover Orexin-A participates in this regulation process.