OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the specific mechanisms by which electroacupuncture (EA) alleviates anxiety and fear behaviors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), focusing on the role of lipocalin-2 (Lcn2). METHODS: The PTSD mouse model was subjected to single prolonged stress and shock (SPS&S), and the animals received 15 min sessions of EA at Shenmen acupoint (HT7). Behavioral tests were used to investigate the effects of EA at HT7 on anxiety and fear. Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to quantify Lcn2 and inflammatory cytokine levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Additionally, the activity of PFC neurons was evaluated by immunofluorescence and in vivo electrophysiology. RESULTS: Mice subjected to SPS&S presented increased anxiety- and fear-like behaviors. Lcn2 expression in the PFC was significantly upregulated following SPS&S, leading to increased expression of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 and suppression of PFC neuronal activity. However, EA at HT7 inhibited Lcn2 release, reducing neuroinflammation and hypoexcitability in the PFC. Lcn2 overexpression mitigated the effects of EA at HT7, resulting in anxiety- and fear-like behaviors. CONCLUSION EA at HT7 can ameliorate PTSD-associated anxiety and fear, and its mechanism of action appears to involve the inhibition of Lcn2-mediated neural activity and inflammation in the PFC. Please cite this article as: Yang YD, Zhong W, Chen M, Tang QC, Li Y, Yao LL, et al. Electroacupuncture alleviates behaviors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder by modulating lipocalin-2-mediated neuroinflammation and neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):537-547.
Electroacupuncture ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/metabolism* ; Animals ; Lipocalin-2/metabolism* ; Prefrontal Cortex/physiopathology* ; Male ; Mice ; Neurons/physiology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fear ; Behavior, Animal ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; Anxiety/therapy* ; Acupuncture Points

Objective To discuss the application value of CT scanning technology in cause of death determination of medical dispute cases. Methods From July 2017 to December 2018, postmortem CT imaging data of 12 medical dispute cases were collected. CT imaging diagnosis results and anatomy findings as well as differences between antemortem and postmortem CT diagnosis were compared. The advantages and disadvantages of CT routine tests of the cadavers in terms of the diagnosis of disease and damage were analyzed. Results The comparison between CT imaging diagnosis and anatomical findings showed that CT scans had advantages in the diagnosis of disease and damage with large differences in density changes, such as atelectasis, pneumonia, calcification, fracture and hemorrhage, etc. The comparison of CT diagnosis in antemortem and postmortem examination showed that the cadavers of medical dispute cases were well preserved and that postmortem CT scan was meaningful for the diagnosis of antemortem diseases. Conclusion Virtual anatomy technology has a relatively high application value in postmortem examination of medical dispute cases. It can provide effective information for the appraisers before the autopsy and can also provide a reference for cause of death analysis when the anatomy cannot be performed.
Autopsy ; Cadaver ; Dissent and Disputes ; Humans ; Postmortem Changes ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Animals ; Borna Disease ; epidemiology ; immunology ; metabolism ; virology ; Borna disease virus ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Humans