ObjectiveTo observe the effects of scalp moxibustion combined with treadmill training on the learning and memory function, and oxidative stress in rats with vascular dementia (VaD). MethodsA total of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group (n = 10), model group (n = 10), acupuncture-rehabilitation group (n = 10) and moxibustion-rehabilitation group (n = 10). The latter three groups were induced VaD with 2 vessels occlusion. Eight rats with obvious cognitive impairment were selected from the model groups six weeks after modeling, according to the results of Morris Water Maze; and random eight rats in the sham group were selected. The acupuncture-rehabilitation group accepted scalp acupuncture combined with treadmill training, while the moxibustion-rehabilitation group accepted scalp moxibustion combined with treadmill training. All the rats were tested with Morris Water Maze after four weeks of intervention, and measured the levels of maleic dialdehyde (MDA), superoxide orgotein dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase reductase (GSH-Px) of hippocampus. ResultsCompared with the sham group, escape latency increased in the model group, and the number of crossing platforms and the stay time in the target quadrant decreased (P < 0.001); while the levels of SOD, GSH and GSH-Px decreased, and the level of MDA increased (P < 0.001). Compared with the model group, escape latency decreased in the acupuncture- and moxibustion-rehabilitation groups (P < 0.001), the number of crossing platforms and the stay time in the target quadrant increased (P < 0.001) from the third day; while the levels of SOD, GSH and GSH-Px increased, and the level of MDA decreased (P < 0.001); all the indexes imporved more in the moxibustion-rehabilitation group than in the acupuncture-rehabilitation group (P < 0.001). ConclusionScalp moxibustion combined with treadmill training can further relieve the oxidative stress in the hippocampus of VaD rats, to improve the learning and memory function compared with the acupuncture-rehabilitation.