Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) on hippocampal apoptosis and c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK) signal pathway in chronic stress depression rats so as to study its mechanism underlying acupuncture-induced improvement of depression.Methods Sixty-five SD rats were randomly divided into control

control+EA

model

EA and Prozac groups

with 13 rats in each.Open-field test was used to detect the rats' behavior changes.The apoptotic rate of the hippocampal cells was detected by Annexin V fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)/ Propidium iodide(PI)(Annexin V-FITC/PI) double-staining

and the expression of hippocampal JNK protein detected by Western blot.Results After repeated stress stimulation(21 days)

the crossing numbers(1.8±0.2) and rearing times(0.5±0.1) in the model group were apparently lower than those(48.1±18.3

14.2±2.4)in the control group and those(47.2 ±15.8

13.5±2.6)in the control+EA group(P<0.05).Compared with the model group

the crossing numbers and rearing times(40.2±10.1

10.3±2.2) during 3 min in the EA group and those(39.8±12.4

10.6±3.2) in the Prozac group were increased considerably(P<0.05).The hippocampal apoptotic rate was significantly higher in the model group(67±10) than in the control(53±13) and control+EA groups(52±10

P<0.05).In comparison with the model group

the apoptotic rate(29±9) of the EA group and that(51±13) of the Prozac group were significantly lower(P<0.05).Compared with the control group

the phosphorylated JNK(p-JNK) level was considerably higher in the model group(P<0.05);while compared with the model group

the p-JNK level was significantly lower in the EA and Pozac groups(P<0.05).No apparent differences were found between the EA and and Prozac groups in the aforementioned indexes(P>0.05).Conclusion EA can reduce hippocampal apoptotic rate and down-regulate hippocampal p-JNK level in depression rats

which is responsible for its effect in improving depression-induced decreased movement.