Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) with three frequencies (100 Hz, 2 Hz, and 2 Hz/100 Hz) on the apoptosis of neurons and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway in the hippocampus of rats with vascular dementia (VD), and explore the mechanism of EA intervention for VD. Methods: Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a model group, a sham operation group, a 100 Hz EA group, a 2 Hz EA group, and a 2 Hz/100 Hz EA group, with ten rats in each group. The VD model rats were established by repeated ischemia-reperfusion of bilateral common carotid arteries. The rats in the EA groups received EA intervention at Baihui (GV20), Dazhui (GV14), Geshu (BL17) and Zusanli (ST36), once a day for 14 d. Afterward, Morris water maze was used to examine the learning and memory performances of the rats in each group, hematoxylin-eosin staining to observe the histomorphological changes in the hippocampal CA1 region, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling to test the apoptosis of neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region, and Western blot to detect the protein expression levels of JNK, phosphorylated JNK (p-JNK), Caspase-8, and Caspase-3 in the hippocampus tissue. Results: Compared with the sham operation group, the escape latency of the model group in water maze test was prolonged; the number of crossing the original platform was decreased (P<0.01); the hippocampal neurons were severely damaged and the number of surviving neurons was decreased (P<0.01), whereas the number of apoptotic neurons was increased (P<0.01); the protein expression levels of JNK, p-JNK, Caspase-8, and Caspase-3 in the hippocampus were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the escape latency of each EA group was significantly shortened; the number of crossing the original platform was significantly increased (P<0.01); the damage of hippocampal neurons was alleviated, the number of surviving neurons was increased (P<0.01), and the number of apoptotic neurons was decreased (P<0.01); the protein expression levels of JNK, p-JNK, Caspase-8, and Caspase-3 in the hippocampus were decreased (P<0.01). The results in the 2 Hz EA group and the 2 Hz/100 Hz EA group were superior to those in the 100 Hz EA group. Conclusion: EA with the three frequencies (100 Hz, 2 Hz, and 2 Hz/100 Hz) can improve the learning and memory performances in VD rats subjected to ischemia-reperfusion, its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of neuronal apoptosis and the regulation of the related protein expression of JNK signaling pathway, and the intervention effects of EA with 2 Hz and 2 Hz/100 Hz are more significant.

BACKGROUND: The effect of arteriosclerotic intracranial arterial vessel wall enhancement (IAVWE) on downstream collateral flow found in vessel wall imaging (VWI) is not clear. Regardless of the mechanism underlying IAVWE on VWI, damage to the patient's nervous system caused by IAVWE is likely achieved by affecting downstream cerebral blood flow. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of arteriosclerotic IAVWE on downstream collateral flow. METHODS: The present study recruited 63 consecutive patients at the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2021 to November 2021 with underlying atherosclerotic diseases and unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) M1-segment stenosis who underwent an magnetic resonance scan within 3 days of symptom onset. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to IAVWE and the stenosis ratio (Group 1, n = 17; Group 2, n = 19; Group 3, n = 13; Group 4, n = 14), and downstream collateral flow was analyzed using three-dimensional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (3D-pCASL) and RAPID software. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores of the patients were also recorded. Two-factor multivariate analysis of variance using Pillai's trace was used as the main statistical method. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was found in baseline demographic characteristics among the groups. IAVWE, but not the stenosis ratio, had a statistically significant significance on the late-arriving retrograde flow proportion (LARFP), hypoperfusion intensity ratio (HIR), and NIHSS scores ( F = 20.941, P <0.001, Pillai's trace statistic = 0.567). The between-subject effects test showed that IAVWE had a significant effect on the three dependent variables: LARFP ( R2 = 0.088, F = 10.899, P = 0.002), HIR ( R2 = 0.234, F = 29.354, P <0.001), and NIHSS ( R2 = 114.339, F = 33.338, P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Arteriosclerotic IAVWE significantly reduced downstream collateral flow and affected relevant neurological deficits. It was an independent factor affecting downstream collateral flow and NIHSS scores, which should be a focus of future studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION ChiCTR.org.cn, ChiCTR2100053661.
Humans ; Constriction, Pathologic/pathology* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Middle Cerebral Artery/pathology* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed