Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture on the volume of cerebral infarction, apoptosis of cerebral cells and the expression of protein kinase A (PKA) in the cerebral cortex of rats after ischemia and reperfusion so as to explore how electroacupuncture stimulates brain protection. Methods: One hundred and twenty healthy, adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, an electroacupuncture group and an electroacupuncture with pre-stimulation group. All except the rats in the sham operation group received occulusion of the left middle cerebral artery using the intraluminal thread method for 2h and then reperfusion. Before the operation, the rats in the electroacupuncture with pre-stimulation group were given 30 minutes of electroacupuncture at the baihui, dazhui and right neiguan points every day for 5 days. After the operation both the electroacupuncture group and the pre-stimulated group were given that same electroacupuncture regimen. The other two groups received no special treatment. Garcia scoring was used to evaluate the neurological deficits of all of the rats 5 and 10 days after the intervention. Meanwhile, the ischemic volume, apoptosis of cortical cells and PKA-positive cells were determined using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry after triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Results: The neurological function of the injured rats was severely impaired, while no neurological deficit was found in the sham operation group. The average Garcia score, cerebral infarction volume, cerebral apoptosis rate and PKA-positive cell expression rate of the electroacupuncture and electroacupuncture with pre-stimulation groups were all significantly better than those of the model group at the same time points. The averages of the electroacupuncture with pre-stimulation group were all significantly superior to those of the electroacupuncture group at the same time points. Conclusions Pre-stimulation using electroacupuncture can promote the recovery of injured nerves after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion, at least in rats. Electroacupuncture′s protective mechanism may be related to its reducing the infarcted volume, inhibiting apoptosis of brain cells and promoting PKA expression.