Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of cluster needling of scalp acupuncture combined with rehabilitation(Tang's Approach) on learning and memory and hippocampus SDF-1α mRNA in rats after focal cerebral ischemia.Methods60 rats was randomly divided into 4 groups: the control group (n=6), the model group (n=18), the acupuncture with rehabilitation group (n=18) and rehabilitation group (n=18). Photochemical activity was adopted to induce focal cerebral ischemia model. The acupuncture with rehabilitation group, the model group and rehabilitation group was divided into 3 subgroups by 3,7,14 days. 24 hours after molded, the cluster needle of scalp point with Water maze training was used in the acupuncture with rehabilitation group, Water maze training was used in the rehabilitation group, but the model group did not intervene. The learning and memory in rats was evaluated by Y-maze, and the expression of hippocampus SDF-1α mRNA was observed by RT-PCR method on 3th, 7th, 14th day after infarction.ResultsOn 3th, 7th, 14th day after infarction, the scores of learning and memory in other groups was less than the control group(P<0.05), but the learning and memory in the acupuncture with rehabilitation group had been restored, and the difference was statistically significant compared with rehabilitation group (P＜0.05) on 7th, 14th day after infarction; the expression of hippocampus SDF-1α mRNA has been risen in the acupuncture with rehabilitation group compared with the rehabilitation group (P＜0.05）, but the difference was not significant on 14th day after surgery(P＞0.05）.ConclusionThe hippocampus SDF-1α mRNA after focal cerebral ischemia increases by the cluster needle of scalp point with Water maze training, which may be one of the mechanisms to improve the learning and memory by Tang's Approach after focal cerebral ischemia.

Key words: cerebral ischemia, Tang's Approach, learning and memory, stromal cell-derived factor-1α mRNA, rats