Objective To investigate the expression of apoptosis-related proteins Fas and FasL in the brain tissue of rats with traumatic brain injury and the effect of electroacupuncture on the expression of Fas and FasL

so as to explore the effective time window of electroacupuncture in the treatment of traumatic brain injury. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into blank group

sham-operation group

model group

and electroacupuncture treatment groups 1

2

and 3. Traumatic brain injury was induced by the modified Feeney free-fall impact device

and for the rats in the electroacupuncture treatment groups 1

2

and 3

electroacupuncture started at 4 hours and on days 3 and 7

respectively

after modeling and lasted to day 14. The Morris water maze test was used to evaluate learning and memory ability

and immunofluorescence assay and Western blot were used to observe the changes in the expression of Fas and FasL in traumatic brain tissue. Results Compared with the blank group and the sham-operation group

the model group had a lower percentage of time spent in the target quadrant from the 3

(rd)

day folowing modeling; after electroacupuncture intervention

the electroacupuncture treatment groups showed a gradual increase in the time spent in the target quadrant

and on day 7

10 and 14

electroacupuncture treatment group 1 had a significantly higher percentage than the model group(P

<

0.05). On day 14

electroacupuncture treatment group 2 had a significantly higher percentage than the model group(P

<

0.05). After electroacupuncture intervention

all groups except the blank group and the sham-operation group had increases in the expression of Fas and FasL in brain tissue

which reached the highest level on day 7 after modeling and then tended to decrease; compared with electroacupuncture treatment groups 2 and 3 and the model group

electroacupuncture treatment group 1 had significant reductions in the expression of Fas and FasL(P

<

0.05

P

<

0.01); compared with electroacupuncture treatment group 3 and the model group

electroacupuncture treatment group 2 had significant decreases in the expression of Fas and FasL(P

<

0.05) on day 14 after modeling; compared with the model group

electroacupuncture treatment group 3 had significant reductions in the expression of Fas and FasL in brain tissue on day 14 after modeling(P

<

0.05). Conclusion Early electroacupuncture intervention can regulate the apoptosis receptor pathway by down-regulating Fas and FasL to exert a therapeutic effect on traumatic brain injury and help with the recovery of cognition and memory ability after traumatic brain injury.