KM Science Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), 1672 Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34054, Korea.
Transl Psychiatry. 2023 Nov 22;13(1):357. doi: 10.1038/s41398-023-02663-4.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops after exposure to a traumatic event. Owing to the relatively low rates of response and remission with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as the primary treatment for PTSD, there is a recognized need for alternative strategies to effectively address the symptoms of PTSD. Dysregulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission plays a critical role in various disorders, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, the regulation of glutamate levels holds great promise as a therapeutic target for the treatment of mental disorders. Electroacupuncture (EA) has become increasingly popular as a complementary and alternative medicine approach. It maintains the homeostasis of central nervous system (CNS) function and alleviates symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, and insomnia. This study investigated the effects of EA at the GV29 (Yintang) acupoint three times per week for 2 weeks in an animal model of PTSD. PTSD was induced using single prolonged stress/shock (SPSS) in mice, that is, SPS with additional foot shock stimulation. EA treatment significantly reduced PTSD-like behavior and effectively regulated serum corticosterone and serotonin levels in the PTSD model. Additionally, EA treatment decreased glutamate levels and glutamate neurotransmission-related proteins (pNR1 and NR2B) in the hippocampus of a PTSD model. In addition, neuronal activity and the number of Golgi-impregnated dendritic spines were significantly lower in the EA treatment group than in the SPSS group. Notably, EA treatment effectively reduced glutamate-induced excitotoxicity (caspase-3, Bax, and pJNK). These findings suggest that EA treatment at the GV29 acupoint holds promise as a potential therapeutic approach for PTSD, possibly through the regulation of NR2B receptor-mediated glutamate neurotransmission to reduce PTSD-like behaviors.
创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）是一种在经历创伤事件后发展起来的精神障碍。由于选择性 5-羟色胺再摄取抑制剂作为 PTSD 的主要治疗方法，其反应率和缓解率相对较低，因此需要有公认的替代策略来有效解决 PTSD 的症状。谷氨酸能神经传递的失调在各种疾病中起着关键作用，包括焦虑、抑郁、PTSD 和阿尔茨海默病。因此，调节谷氨酸水平作为治疗精神障碍的治疗靶点具有很大的前景。电针（EA）作为一种补充和替代医学方法越来越受到关注。它维持中枢神经系统（CNS）功能的内稳态，并缓解与焦虑、抑郁和失眠相关的症状。本研究在 PTSD 动物模型中调查了每周三次共 2 周在 GV29（印堂）穴位进行 EA 的效果。PTSD 是通过单次延长应激/休克（SPS）在小鼠中诱导的，即 SPS 加上额外的足底电击刺激。EA 治疗显著减少了 PTSD 样行为，并有效调节了 PTSD 模型中的血清皮质酮和血清素水平。此外，EA 治疗降低了 PTSD 模型中海马中的谷氨酸水平和谷氨酸能神经传递相关蛋白（pNR1 和 NR2B）。此外，与 SPSS 组相比，EA 治疗组的神经元活性和高尔基染色树突棘数量明显降低。值得注意的是，EA 治疗有效降低了谷氨酸诱导的兴奋性毒性（caspase-3、Bax 和 pJNK）。这些发现表明，GV29 穴位的 EA 治疗可能是 PTSD 的一种潜在治疗方法，可能通过调节 NR2B 受体介导的谷氨酸能神经传递来减少 PTSD 样行为。
