Objective To investigate the mechanism of Warming-promotion needling underlying improvement of vascular dementia(VD)by observing its effect on learning-memory ability and expression of hippocampal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor(nAChR)subunit proteins and mRNAs in rats with VD.Methods Sixty male SD rats were randomized into normal control

model

medication

warming-promotion needling(WPN)

uniform reinforcing-reducing needling(URRN)

and needle-twirling groups(n=10 in each group). The VD model was established via repeated occlusion and reperfusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries. Rats of the medication group were fed with Nimodipine twice a day for 14 days. For rats of the 3 acupuncture groups

WPN

or URRN or needle-twirling was applied to"Dazhui"(GV14)

"Baihui"(GV20)and"Shuigou"(GV26)for 30 min

once a day for 14 days. The learning-memory ability was detected by Morris water maze tests

and the expression levels of nAChR α4

α7 and β2 subunit proteins and mRNAs in the hippocampus were detected by Western blot and real-time PCR

separately.Results Compared with the normal group

the escape latency of Morris water maze tests was significantly prolonged(P<0. 05)

and the number of the original safe-platform quadrant crossing was significantly reduced in the model group(P<0. 05). The expression levels of nAChR α4

α7

β2 subunit proteins and mRNAs(except β2 mRNA)in the hippocampus were significantly decreased in the model group relevant to the normal group(P<0. 05). Following the interventions

the increased escape latency

and the reduced safe-platform quadrant crossing times

and the down-regulated expression levels of hippocampal nAChRα4

α7

β2 subunit proteins and mRNAs in the medication

WPN

URRN and needle-twirling groups were all reversed(P<0. 05). The effects of WPN were significantly superior to those of URRN and needle-twirling in up-regulating nAChRα4

α7

β2 subunit proteins and mRNAs(P<0. 05).Conclusion The warming-promotion needling can improve the learning and memory ability in VD rats

which may be related to its effects in up-regulating the expression of nAChR subunits in the hippocampus.