China is in the "high death zone" of the world cerebrovascular disease(CVD)map.The prevention and treatment of ischemic CVD(ICVD)have become the top priority in clinical practice.It has been demonstrated that acupuncture therapy has a positive role in bettering clinical symptoms of ICVD patients.Findings of recent experimental studies displayed that electroacupuncture(EA)intervention is effective in reducing the cerebral infarcted volume and cellular injury

promoting proliferation

migration and differentiation of nerve stem cells

facilitating the regeneration of nerve tissue

bettering dysneuria and limb locomotor ability

etc.in ICVD rats

which are closely associated with its effects in regulating different intracellular signaling pathways.In the present study

we review the progress of recent experimental studies on the underlying mechanisms of EA in improving ICVD from six major signaling pathways including Notch

mitogen-activated protein kinases(MAPK)/extracellular signal regulated protein kinases(ERK)

phosphatidy linositol-3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(Akt)

Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription(JAK-STAT)

erythropoietin-producing hepatocyte receptor(Eph)/Ephrin

nuclear factor of kappa B(NF-κB)and their compositions

which may provide new therapeutic targets for acupuncture treatment of ICVD.More attention should be paid to the comparison of the efficacy of acupuncture of different acupoint combinations(traditional acupoint formulas)in relieving ICVD.