《Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice》 ›› 2022, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (8): 927-933.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-9771.2022.08.008

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Effects of scalp moxibustion combined with treadmill training on learning and memory, and oxidative stress in rats with vascular dementia

GUAN Ying1,2,YU Guoqiang1,2,TANG Yizhou1,2,XIN Guile1,2,LI Ji1,2,WANG Lu1,2,ZHANG Li1,2,ZHANG Chunyan1,2()   

  1. 1. Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, China
    2. Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
  • Received:2022-02-24 Revised:2022-05-11 Published:2022-08-25 Online:2022-08-30
  • Contact: ZHANG Chunyan E-mail:676477397@qq.com
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(82004439);Heilongjiang Natural Science Foundation(LH2019H045);Sun Shentian Remember Foundation for Youth(2019KY-06)

Abstract:

Objective To observe the effects of scalp moxibustion combined with treadmill training on the learning and memory function, and oxidative stress in rats with vascular dementia (VaD).

Methods A total of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group (n = 10), model group (n = 10), acupuncture-rehabilitation group (n = 10) and moxibustion-rehabilitation group (n = 10). The latter three groups were induced VaD with 2 vessels occlusion. Eight rats with obvious cognitive impairment were selected from the model groups six weeks after modeling, according to the results of Morris Water Maze; and random eight rats in the sham group were selected. The acupuncture-rehabilitation group accepted scalp acupuncture combined with treadmill training, while the moxibustion-rehabilitation group accepted scalp moxibustion combined with treadmill training. All the rats were tested with Morris Water Maze after four weeks of intervention, and measured the levels of maleic dialdehyde (MDA), superoxide orgotein dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase reductase (GSH-Px) of hippocampus.

Results Compared with the sham group, escape latency increased in the model group, and the number of crossing platforms and the stay time in the target quadrant decreased (P < 0.001); while the levels of SOD, GSH and GSH-Px decreased, and the level of MDA increased (P < 0.001). Compared with the model group, escape latency decreased in the acupuncture- and moxibustion-rehabilitation groups (P < 0.001), the number of crossing platforms and the stay time in the target quadrant increased (P < 0.001) from the third day; while the levels of SOD, GSH and GSH-Px increased, and the level of MDA decreased (P < 0.001); all the indexes imporved more in the moxibustion-rehabilitation group than in the acupuncture-rehabilitation group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion Scalp moxibustion combined with treadmill training can further relieve the oxidative stress in the hippocampus of VaD rats, to improve the learning and memory function compared with the acupuncture-rehabilitation.

Key words: vascular dementia, scalp moxibustion, treadmill training, oxidative stress

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