Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common disorder of cognitive functions in aged patients following anesthesia and surgery. alpha 7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (alpha 7-nAChR) plays a regulatory role in cognitive processes and is involved in cognitive deficits. This study aims to observe the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) on the cognitive function in aged POCD rats, and its regulation on expressions of hippocampal alpha 7-nAChR and proinflammatory factors. Ninety healthy Sprague-Dawley male aged rats were randomly divided into three groups (each n = 30): control group (sham operation), model group (partial hepatectomy), and electroacupuncture (EA) group. The cognitive function was detected by Morris water-maze test, and the changes of hippocampal expressions of alpha 7-nAChR, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) were detected by immunohistochemical method. Our results showed that compared with the model group, the EA group had significantly shorter escape latency and decreased crossing platform times at id, 3d and 7d after operation (P < 0.05). alpha 7-nAChR positive neurons in the hippocampus decreased and TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta positive neurons increased on postoperative days 1, 3 and 7. Compared with the model group, the alpha 7-nAChR positive neurons were increased and TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta positive neurons were decreased in the EA group at the same time points (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the electroacupuncture regulation can improve the learning and memory abilities in POCD rats, and its mechanism may be related to upregulation of alpha 7-nAChR and downregulation of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in hippocampus.
[1]Shanghai Univ TCM, Peoples Hosp 7, Dept Anesthesiol, 358 Datong Rd, Shanghai 200137, Peoples R China.
[2]Shanghai Univ TCM, Peoples Hosp 7, Dept Digest Endoscopy, Shanghai 200137, Peoples R China.
(8.0+极速模式)