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Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine >

2025 , Vol. 45 >Issue 2: 326 - 334

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2025.02.014

Original articles

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

  • Yongfeng LI ,
  • Xinyi CHEN ,
  • Wei REN ,
  • Haifa QIAO
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  • 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 date: 2023-10-24

  Accepted date: 2024-03-08

  Online published: 2025-03-10

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)

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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

Yongfeng LI , Xinyi CHEN , Wei REN , Haifa QIAO . 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 . DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2025.02.014

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