Objective To observe the effect of manual acupuncture intervention on serotonin transporter(5-HTT)

5-HT1Areceptor(5-HT1AR)

norepinephrine(NE)alpha receptor 2(NEα_2R)protein of brain tissues in rats with post-stroke depression(PSD).Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided into normal group

model group

medication group and acupuncture group

with 10 rats in each.The PSD model was established by the combination of middle cerebral artery occlusion and chronic non-predictable mild stress.Rats of the medication group were treated by gavage of fluoxetine(2 mg/kg

once daily for 21days)

and those of the acupuncture group treated by manual acupuncture stimulation of"Baihui"(GV 20)

"Fengfu"(GV 16)

bilateral"Shenmen"(HT 7)and"Taichong"(LR 3)for 20 min

once a day for 21 days

with one day's interval between each every7 days.The animals' neurological deficit was detected by Zea Longa's scaling

and the depression status assessed by sugar solution consumption

and the locomotor activity(crossing and rearing times in 5min)detected by open-field tests.The contents of 5-HT

NE

acetylcholine(ACh)

gamma aminobutyric acid(GABA)

and glutamate(Glu)of the cerebral cortex were detected using high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)and expression levels of 5-HTT

5-HT1 AR

NEα_2R proteins of the hippocampus

raphe nuclei and locus coeruleus(LC)tissues detected using western blotting(EB)

respectively.Results After modeling

the neurological deficit score was significantly increased

while the sugar solution consumption and the locomotor activities(crossing and rearing times in 5min)were notably decreased(P<0.05

P<0.001).Findings of HPLC and WB indicated that after modeling

the cerebrocortical 5-HT and NE contents and 5-HTT protein expression levels in the hippocampus

raphe nucleus and LC were obviously decreased and the cortical ACh

GABA and Glu contents as well as the expression of 5-HT1 AR and NEα_2R proteins in the hippocampus

raphe nucleus and LC considerably increased in the model group(P<0.01).Following acupuncture intervention and medication

the increased neurological deficit score

cortical ACh

GABA and Glu contents

and the expression levels of 5-HT1 AR and NEα_2R proteins in the hippocampus

rahpe nucleus and LC

as well as the decreased sugar solution consumption

crossing and rearing times of open field tests

cortical 5-HT and NE contents

as well as cortical 5-HT protein expression were all reversed in both acupuncture and medication groups(P<0.05

P<0.01).No significant differences were found between the acupuncture and medication groups in all the above-mentioned indexes(P>0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture can improve the locomotor function changes in stroke rats with depression after stroke

which may be associated with its effects in suppressing the up-regulated cortical ACh

GABA

Glu contents

the expression levels of 5-HT1 AR and NEα2R proteins in the hippocampus

raphe nucleus and LC

and the down-regulated 5-HT and NE contents in the cerebral cortex and 5-HTT protein expression levels in the hippocampus

raphe nucleus and LC.