Effect of Electroacupuncture on Central Dopamine Receptor in Morphine-dependent Rats / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the change of dopamine receptor in ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAc) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) in morphine-dependent rats, and the regulation effect of electroacupuncture (EA). Method Thirty male SD rats were randomized into a control group, a model group and an EA group, 10 rats each. Morphine-dependent rat models were induced by morphine self-administration. In the EA group, bilateral Jiaji points (EX-B2) of T5 and L2 were selected, and the EA intervention lasted 4 d. Western blotting method was adopted to observe the change of the contents of dopamine receptor D1 and D2 in VTA, NAc and PFC of the rats. Result After the intervention, compared to the model group, the morphine intake was reduced significantly in the EA group (P<0.05); the level of D2 declined significantly in VTA of rats in the model group (P<0.05); the level of D1 increased significantly and D2 declined significantly in NAc of rats in the model group (P<0.05); the level of D1 declined significantly and D2 increased significantly in PFC of rats in the model group (P<0.05); EA produced regulation effect on the altered contents of D1 and D2 in the cerebral areas mentioned above, approaching the normal level. Conclusion EA can inhibit the hunger of addiction rats for morphine to some extent; the contents of dopamine receptors in dopamine projection pathway will take adaptive changes after morphine addiction, while EA can regulate the abnormal expressions of dopamine receptors, producing a protective effect on dopamine receptors of morphine-dependent rats.