Objective Restraint manipulation is necessary for observing the effect of acupuncture or moxibustion stimulation on various variables in the experimental study.Thus

the present study was designed to examine the impact of restraint manipulation on rats' learning-memory ability

visional acuity

and body mass

so as to have a reasonable assessment on the influence of restraint stress.Methods Normal Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a restraint group(n=15)and a control group(n=15).In the restraint group

self-made restraint devices were used to bind the rats for 30 min daily for 30 consecutive days.The body mass of the rats was monitored daily;and the learning-memory ability and the visional acuity assessed using visual water task.Results After 30 days' restraint

no significant differences were found between the two groups in the training times for acquiring a correct rate of 80%in the learning-memory tests

and visional acuity and body mass(P >0.05).Conclusion Thirty days' restraint has no obvious impact on the increase of body weight

learning-memory and visional acuity in normal rats

suggesting an applicable of restraint device in acupuncture study.