Study on the Mechanism of Action of Auricular Electroacupuncture on Depression-Like Behaviors in Acute Stress Disorder Mice
- VernacularTitle:电针耳甲区改善急性应激障碍小鼠抑郁样行为的机制研究
- Author:
Xuanyu ZHANG
1
;
Jing HAN
;
Li LIN
;
Yusu SHI
;
Linyu SHI
;
Yongfeng LI
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords: Electroacupuncture at auricular points; Acute stress disorder; Depression-like behaviors; Tyrosine hydroxylase; Ventral tegmental area; Dopamine system
- From: World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(5):1267-1276
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
- Abstract: Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture auricular acupuncture points on depression-like behaviors and ventral dorsal tegmental area(VTA)TH,DRD1 and DRD2 induced in well acute stress disorder(ASD)mice.Methods Experiment 1:18 male C57 mice were divided into 9 control and 9 model mice.Behavioural paradigms such as forced swimming test(FST)and tail suspension test(TST)were used to detect depression-like behaviors in the mice starting on day 5 and day 36;double-labelled staining for immediate early gene protein(C-Fos)and tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)was detected in the VTA of the mice by immunofluorescence.Experiment 2:45 male C57 mice were divided into 15 mice each in the control groups,model groups and electroacupuncture groups.30 days after completion of the electroacupuncture intervention,the mice were tested for depressive behaviors using behavioural paradigms such as FST and TST;dopamine receptor D1(DRD1)and dopamine receptor D2(DRD2)was detected in the VTA of mice in each group using fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot techniques;the number of TH neurons in the brain area of the VTA of mice was observed by immunofluorescence.Results Experiment 1:Compared with the control group,the immobile duration of the model group increased in the TST(P<0.001)and FST(P<0.001)on day 5 and day 6,and the immobile duration of the model group increased in the TST(P<0.01)and FST(P<0.01)on day 36 and day 37;compared with the control group,the number of C-Fos and TH fluorescence double-labelled neurons in the model group increased(P<0.05).Experiment 2:At day after completion of the electroacupuncture intervention,the immobile duration of TST(P<0.01)and FST(P<0.01)were decreased in the electroacupuncture group compared with the model group;compared with the control group,DRD1 mRNA(P<0.001)and protein expression(P<0.01)were increased in the VTA of the electroacupuncture group,and DRD2 mRNA(P<0.001)and protein expression(P<0.05)were decreased,TH protein expression(P<0.05)increased,and the number of TH neurons increased(P<0.01).Conclusion Early intervention with auricular electroacupuncture points has an ameliorative effect on depression-like behaviors induced by acute stress disorder in mice,which may be achieved by modulating the activity level of dopaminergic neurons and the expression level of DRD1 and DRD2 in the VTA.
