Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To compare and observe the effects of three kinds of cephalic acupuncture therapies commonly used in the clinic on promoting nerve function rehabilitation in the brain microenvironment of rats with cerebral palsy.METHODS: A negative control group, positive control group, and three cephalic acupuncture groups based on the administration of three cephalic acupuncture therapies were established. Ten experimental rats were selected from each group at 1, 2,and 3 weeks after modeling. Neuromotor function after treatment was rated according to the Basso,Beattie, and Bresnahan method. White matter fiber bundles were evaluated by head diffusion tensor imaging. The expression levels of neuron-specific enolase, microtubule-associated protein 2, and myelin basic protein in the brain tissue extract were detected by Western blot analysis and the activities of ATPases were determined using a fixed phosphorus method.RESULTS: The pathological changes in brain tissue were restored and motor function scores were increased in the mice in each cephalic acupuncture group, and the expression of neuronal growth-related proteins in the brain tissue extract was significantly increased. Additionally, the activities of ATPases in the lesion area were significant enhanced(P < 0.05). Diffusion tensor imaging revealed that the white matter fiber bundles of mice in each cephalic acupuncture group gradually increased and recovered. The nervous system structure was significantly improved.CONCLUSIONS: All three acupuncture methods promoted the rehabilitation of nerve function damaged by cerebral palsy. These effects are likely related to the improved expression of nerve growth-related proteins, enhancement of ATPase activities,and regulation of the brain microenvironment.

Key words: cerebral palsy;;scalp acupuncture;;adenosine triphosphatases;;brain microenvironment