Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture of "Baihui"(GV 20)

"Fengfu"(GV 16) and "Yanglingquan"(GB 34) on behavior and striatal apoptosis in Parkinson disease(PD) mice.Methods Twenty-eight adult male C57/BL mice were randomly divided into normal control

PD model

acupuncture and medication(Levodopa and Benserazide Hydrochloride) groups.Acupuncture was applied to "Baihui"(GV 20)

"Fengfu"(GV 16) and electroacupuncture(2 Hz

1 mA) was applied to "Yanglingquan"(GB 34) for 15 min

once a day for 14 days.PD model was duplicated by intragastric administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1

2

3

6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP).The locomotor test

pole test and swimming test were conducted for assessing the animals' locomotion behavior before and after MPTP administration and after the treatment.The apoptotic neurons of the striatum were detected by terminal deoxyncleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay.Results In comparison with the normal control group

the pole test score and apoptotic neuronal percentage were increased significantly(P<0.01)

and the locomotor count

swimming test score were decreased remarkably in the model group(P<0.01).Compared with the model group

the locomotor counts and swimming test scores were increased obviously(P<0.05

P<0.01)and the pole test scores decreased apparently(P<0.05) in both acupuncture and medication groups after the treatment.No significant differences were found between the acupuncture and medication groups in the motor behavior(P>0.05).The effect of acupuncture was significantly superior to that of the medication in reducing neuronal apoptosis of the striatum(P<0.01).Conclusion Acupuncture of "Baihui"(GV 20)

"Fengfu"(GV 16) and "Yanglingquan"(GB 34) can improve PD mice's locomotor function

which is closely associated with its function in reducing neuronal apoptosis of the striatum.