| 摘要: | 「百會」又稱三陽五會，在傳統醫學中，針刺百會具有提神醒腦之作用。因此，本研究的目的是研究針刺百會穴對認知與記憶功能之影響。以八臂迷宮試驗評估大鼠認知與記憶功能，同時測量腦中dopamine含量以及腦梗塞面積。將大鼠兩側總頸動脈永久性結紮，建立慢性腦缺血低灌注之研究動物模式；經由阻斷大鼠兩側總頸動脈與右中腦動脈血流90分鐘，然後再灌流，建立腦梗塞之動物模式。刺激百會穴20分鐘，每週三天，連續四週。手術後每週以八臂迷宮測試認知以及記憶功能，連續四週。動物犧牲之後將腦取出，測量dopamine含量並計算腦梗塞面積。三七能改善血液循環，並且有益於學習與記憶。本研究將研究三七對於慢性腦梗塞大鼠之學習與記憶功能的影響。經由阻斷大鼠兩側總頸動脈與右中腦動脈血流90分鐘，然後再灌流，建立腦梗塞之動物模式。三七以口服的方式每週餵食三次，每次0.5 g/kg，連續四週。手術後每週以八臂迷宮測試認知以及記憶功能，連續四週。動物犧牲之後將腦取出，以免疫染色分析ED1、GFAP、NF- κB、BDNF以及β- secretase。結果顯示，針刺對於慢性腦缺血和腦缺血再灌注損傷大鼠模型通過八臂迷宮的成功率沒有增加。 針刺能增加慢性腦缺血大鼠右大腦皮層和海馬之多巴胺含量，也增加腦缺血再灌注損傷大鼠模型的大腦皮質的多巴胺含量。再灌注後24小時的神經功能缺損評分，針刺組與對照組有相似的結果，而針刺組缺血再灌注損傷大鼠右至左半球面積的比例比對照組高。腦梗死大鼠在腦梗塞四週後，給予三七能夠成功地通過八臂迷宮測試。三七也增加ED1，BDNF和β-secretase的免疫細胞，但沒有增加GFAP和NF-κB的免疫細胞。三七減輕腦缺血再灌注損傷大鼠腦梗死引起的學習和記憶功能降低，它也增加活化的小膠質細胞和腦源性神經營養因子的數量。這些結果顯示三七的效果，至少有一部分，與被活化的小膠質細胞產生腦源性神經營養因子密切相關。
The Baihui acupoint has three Yang and five convergences; it is needled in order to activate spirit and resuscitate the brain in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture stimulation at the Baihui acupoint on cognitive and memory functions. A chronic cerebral hypoperfusion animal model was established by permanent ligation of both common carotid arteries; a cerebral infarct animal model was established by blocking the blood flow of both common carotid arteries and the right middle cerebral artery for 90 min followed by reperfusion in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The Baihui acupoint was stimulated for 20 min in three days per week for four weeks. The cognitive and memory functions were evaluated by measuring how successful rates were able to negotiate an eight-arm radial maze test; the test was performed after operation once a week for four weeks. Finally, the rats were sacrificed and their brains were removed; the dopamine levels in brain tissue were measured and the percentage of right to left hemisphere area was calculated. Panax Notoginseng Burk (PN) has been reported to improve blood circulation, as well as learning and memory functions. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of PN on learning and memory functions in chronic cerebral infarct rats. A cerebral infarct animal model was established by blocking the blood flow of both common carotid arteries and right middle cerebral artery for 90 min followed by reperfusion for four weeks. PN (0.5 g/kg) was administered orally three days per week for four weeks, whereas the control group provided bait and water only. The learning and memory functions were estimated by measuring how successful rates were able to negotiate an eight-arm radial maze test; the test was performed after operation once a week for four weeks. Finally, the rats were sacrificed and their brains were removed. The brains were sectioned and analyzed for ED1, glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), nuclear factor-κB, and brain derivative neurotrophin factor (BDNF) and β-secretase immunostaining. The results indicated that acupuncture stimulation (AS) did not increase the success rate of performing the 8-arm radial maze in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injured rat models. AS increased dopamine levels in the right cerebral cortex and hippocampus in the chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats, and increased dopamine levels of the cerebral cortex in the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injured rat's models. The neurological deficit score was similar between control and AS groups 24 hours after reperfusion, whereas the AS group comprised of ischemia-reperfusion injured rats had a greater percentage of right to left hemisphere area than the control group. Cerebral infarct rats given PN were able to successfully navigate the 8-arm radial maze test four weeks after cerebral infarction. PN also increased ED1, BDNF and β-secretase immunoreactive cells, but did not increase GFAP and NF-κB immunoreactive cells. PN attenuated the reduction in learning and memory functions induced by cerebral infarction in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injured rats; it also increased the amount of activated microglia and BDNF. These data suggest that the effect of PN, at least in part, is closely related to the increase in BDNF that was generated by activated microglia. The effect that PN has on astrocytes, NF-κB and β-secretase immunoreactive cells requires further study. In conclusion, AS at the Baihui acupoint for 4 weeks increased dopamine levels in the brain tissue of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats and of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injured rats. The AS also reduced brain atrophy after cerebral infarct, suggesting that AS at the Baihui acupoint acts as neuroprotector. However, regular stimulation at the Baihui acupoint enhances cognition and memory functions need further study. |
