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Published in: Neurological Sciences 3/2011

01-06-2011 | Original Article

Electroacupuncture enhances cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation in young rat brains

Authors: Jianfeng Gao, Sheng Wang, Xiaoyang Wang, Changlian Zhu

Published in: Neurological Sciences | Issue 3/2011

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Abstract

To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture on cell proliferation and differentiation in young rat hippocampus, postnatal day-14 rats were assigned randomly to control, ketamine anesthesia, nonacupoint, or acupoint electroacupuncture groups. Electroacupuncture was applied at bilateral acupoints (Quchi, Waiguan, Huantiao, and Zusanli) 30 min daily for 7 successive days. The proliferation and neuronal differentiation of proliferated surviving cells in the dentate gyrus were evaluated at 4 weeks after last stimulation. The stimulatory effect of electroacupuncture on cell proliferation had a long-lasting effect, as indicated by the increased phosphor-histone H3-positive cells. The number of proliferated and survival cells, indicated by BrdU labeling, was highest in the electroacupuncture group. The number of newly differentiated neurons, as indicated by BrdU/NeuN double labeling, was significantly higher in the electroacupuncture group than in any of the other groups. This finding provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of acupuncture to cerebral injury rehabilitation in children.
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Metadata
Title
Electroacupuncture enhances cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation in young rat brains
Authors
Jianfeng Gao
Sheng Wang
Xiaoyang Wang
Changlian Zhu
Publication date
01-06-2011
Publisher
Springer Milan
Published in
Neurological Sciences / Issue 3/2011
Print ISSN: 1590-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1590-3478
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-010-0402-6

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