Objective To observe the influence of music-electroacupuncture(EA) and pulse EA on locomotor activity and hippocampal neuron numbers and excitatory amino acid transporters(EAATs) mRNA expression in depression rats

so as to explore their mechanisms underlying improvement of depression in acupuncture clinic.Method Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into blank control

depression model

medication

pulse EA and music-EA groups

with 12 rats in each group.Depression model was established by using chronic unpredictable mild stress protocols combined with solitary feeding.Rats of the medication group were treated by oral administration of fluoxetine(a standard antidepressant

2 mg/kg).EA was applied to "Baihui"(GV 20) and "Yintang"(EX-HN 3) for 20 min

once a day for 21 days.The animals' ethological changes were detected by using field tests for recording the number of crossing squares and the number of rearing.The number of hippocampal neurons were calculated under microscope after Nissl's staining of the hippocampal tissue section.Hippocampal EAAT 1 and EAAT 2 mRNA expression levels were assayed by fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR.Results In comparison with the blank control group

the numbers of crossing and rearing movements

as well as the expression levels of hippocampal EAAT 1 and EAAT 2 mRNA were significantly lower in the model group(P<0.01)

while compared with the model group

the numbers of both crossing and rearing movements of the medication

pulse EA and music-EA groups were obviously increased(P<0.01).Correspondingly

the expression levels of hippocampal EAAT 1 and EAAT 2 mRNA were considerably upregulated in the pulse EA and music-EA groups in comparison with the model group(P<0.01).No significant differences were found among the medication

pulse EA and music-EA groups(P>0.05).Results of Nissl's staining displayed that in the model group

the hippocampal neurons were loose in arrangement and some of them were absent

but in the medication

pulse EA and music-EA groups

the neurons were clear in shape and lined in order.Conclusion Both pulse EA and music-EA can effectively improve the locomotor activity and hippocampal neuronal structure in depression rats which may be closely associated with their effects in upregulating hippocampal EAAT 1 and EAAT 2 mRNA expression.