Effect of Electroacupuncture on Cognition and Hippocampal TNF-α and IL-1β Expressions in Rats with Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the cognition and hippocampal tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β expressions in rats with postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), and discuss the action mechanism of EA.Method Ninety healthy male senile Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomized into a sham operation group (group C), an operation group (group S) and an EA group (group Z), 30 rats in each group. Each group was then further divided into 3 subgroups postoperative day 1, postoperative day 3 and postoperative day 7. The Morris water maze was adopted to evaluate the cognitive function, and immunochemistry method was used to detect the changes of TNF-α and IL-1β.Result Compared with group C at the same time points, the latent period was significantly longer and the crossing times were lower in group S on postoperative day 1, day 3 and day 7 (P<0.05), and the differences were most significant on postoperative day 3; compared with group S at the same time points, the latent period was significantly shorter and the crossing times were higher in group Z on postoperative day 1, day 3 and day 7 (P<0.05). Compared with group C at the same time point, the positive expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly higher in group S (P<0.05); compared with group S at the same time points, the positive expressions were significantly lower in each subgroup of group Z (P<0.05). Conclusion EA can improve the learning and memory of rats after left lateral segmentectomy of the liver, which is possibly related to the inhibition of the over-expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β.