Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (2): 326-334.DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2025.02.014

• Original articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Electroacupuncture stimulation of auricular concha region improves loss of control over stress induced depression-like behavior by modulating 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor

LI Yongfeng1, CHEN Xinyi1, REN Wei2, QIAO Haifa1()   

  1. 1 Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
    2 Faculty of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710062, China
  • Received:2023-10-24 Accepted:2024-03-08 Online:2025-04-15 Published:2025-03-10
  • Contact: QIAO Haifa, Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China. 1511006@sntcm.edu.cn, Telephone: +86-29-38180212
  • Supported by:
    Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province: Acupuncture’s Anxiolytic Effects in Uncontrollable Stress: Modulation of the Median Raphe Nucleus to Ventral Hippocampus Serotonergic Pathway(2022JQ-949);National Natural Science Foundation of China: Study on the Mechanisms of Learning and Memory Impairment induced by Chronic Pain and the Intervention Effects of Acupuncture(82004489)

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To observe whether electroacupuncture stimulation of auricular concha region (EA-ACR) on behavior changes of depression by loss of control over stress model (LOC), and whether its effect is improved by regulating the expression levels of hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT) 1A receptor (5-HT1AR)/ hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT) 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) in hippocampus.

METHODS: LOC was prepared using a Skinner box, and EA-ACR to observe behavioral changes, and Western Blot was used to detect the changes of 5-HT1AR/5-HT2AR in the hippocampus, and then observe the changes of EA-ACR behavior after microinjection of 5-HT1AR/5-HT2AR antagonist into the hippocampus.

RESULTS: EA-ACR improve depressive-like behavior, up-regulated 5-HT1AR expression and down-regulated 5-HT2AR expression in hippocampal brain area. EA-ACR did not improve depression-like behavior after hippocampal microinjection of 5-HT1AR antagonist, while injection of 5-HT2AR antagonists can improve depression-like behaviors.

CONCLUSION: EA-ACR can improve depressive-like behaviors. Loss of control over stress leads to up-regulation of 5-HT1AR and down-regulation of 5-HT2AR in the hippocampus, while EA-ACR mainly improves depressive behavior by regulating 5-HT1AR in Hip.

Key words: receptors, serotonin, hippocampus, loss of control over stress, electroacupuncture stimulation, auricular concha region

Cite this article

LI Yongfeng, CHEN Xinyi, REN Wei, QIAO Haifa. Electroacupuncture stimulation of auricular concha region improves loss of control over stress induced depression-like behavior by modulating 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2025, 45(2): 326-334.