Abstract: ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of electro-acupuncture (EA) on chronic spinal cord injury.MethodsAn animal model of moderate chronic progressive compression on spinal cord was made. Then the animals were decompressed and treated with EA. The combined behavioral scores (CBS) were tested, and the expressions of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor TrkB on the section of the rat's spinal cord were examined with immunohistochemical method.Results90 days after injury, the CBS of EA group was significantly better than that of decompression group ( P<0.05) and the number of positive ChAT cells in ventral horn of spinal cord in EA group was more than that in decompression group (P<0.05). The expressions of BDNF and TrkB enhanced after injury were recovered in the EA group.ConclusionThe electro-acupuncture may be effect on chronic spinal cord injury in rats by influencing the expressions of BDNF and its receptor, and improvs the expression and activity of ChAT.

Key words: electro acupuncture (EA), spinal cord injury (SCI), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)