Olfactory Three-Needle Electroacupuncture Improved Synaptic Plasticity and Gut Microbiota of SAMP8 Mice by Stimulating Olfactory Nerve

• Published in: Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2024-08, Vol.30 (8), p.729-741
• Main Authors: Wang, Yuan, Zheng, A-ni, Yang, Huan, Wang, Qiang, Dai, Biao, Wang, Jia-ju, Wan, Yi-tong, Liu, Zhi-bin, Liu, Si-yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acupuncture Research; Animals; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - metabolism; Electroacupuncture; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Hippocampus; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mice; Neuronal Plasticity; Olfactory Nerve
• ISSN: 1672-0415; 1993-0402; 1993-0402
• DOI: 10.1007/s11655-023-3614-3

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of olfactory three-needle (OTN) electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of the olfactory system on cognitive dysfunction, synaptic plasticity, and the gut microbiota in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice. Methods Thirty-six SAMP8 mice were randomly divided into the SAMP8 (P8), SAMP8+OTN (P8-OT), and SAMP8+nerve transection+OTN (P8-N-OT) groups according to a random number table ( n =12 per group), and 12 accelerated senescence-resistant (SAMR1) mice were used as the control (R1) group. EA was performed at the Yintang (GV 29) and bilateral Yingxiang (LI 20) acupoints of SAMP8 mice for 4 weeks. The Morris water maze test, transmission electron microscopy, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining, Nissl staining, Golgi staining, Western blot, and 16S rRNA sequencing were performed, respectively. Results Compared with the P8 group, OTN improved the cognitive behavior of SAMP8 mice, inhibited neuronal apoptosis, increased neuronal activity, and attenuated hippocampal synaptic dysfunction ( P