Evaluation of the prevention and treatment effects of acupuncture-moxibustion for Alzheimer disease based on various mouse models / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the prevention and treatment effects of acupuncture-moxibustion for Alzheimer disease (AD) based on various AD mouse models.Methods: Several representative types of mouse models were selected according to the pathophysiological causes of AD, including senescence accelerated mouse/prone (SAMP) mice, soluble amyloid-β protein (Aβ) injection mice/rats, amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice, and APP/PS1 double transgenic mice. Through the observation of behavioral changes and analysis of core items, the possible mechanisms of acupuncture-moxibustion in preventing and treating AD were explored. Results: Acupuncture-moxibusiton therapy can improve AD mice's cognitive dysfunction; the major action mechanisms including increasing cerebral blood flow, improving the expressions of vital proteins in the hippocampus, preventing neuron cell apoptosis, promoting the clearance of Aβ deposition, activating autophagy pathway to reduce memory deficits and regulating the metabolisms of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, tyrosine kinase receptor B, N- acetylaspartate and glutamic acid. Conclusion: Although the optimal mouse model is not determined, it is sure that acupuncture-moxibustion therapy can improve cognitive function. A more suitable AD animal model should be duplicated in order to better explore the inherent action mechanism of acupuncture-moxibustion in preventing and treating AD.