[Comparative analysis of electroacupuncture, metformin and their combination on cognitive function and senile plaques of cerebral cortex and hippocampus in APP/PS1 mice]

To compare the effect of electroacupuncture (EA), metformin and EA plus metformin on the cognitive ability and senile plaques (SPs) in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease (AD) mice, so as to explore a better treatment method for AD.Twenty-four male APP/PS1 mice were randomly divided into model, metformin (medication), EA and EA+medication groups, with 6 mice in each group. Other 6 male wild C57 mice were used as the control group. EA (2 Hz, 1.0 mA) was applied to "Baihui" (GV20) and "Shenshu" (BL23) for 15 min, once a day, for 4 weeks, with 1 day's off every week. The mice of the medication group received gavage of metformin (300 mg·kgCompared with the control group, the escape latency, number of SPs and the expression of βACE1 in the cortex and hippocampus were ob-viously increased (EA, metformin and EA plus metformin can improve cognitive ability and relieve SP formation in cerebral cortex and hippocampus in AD mice, which may be associated with their functions in down-regulating the expression of βACE1 and up-regulating the expression of IDE. The therapeutic effects of EA plus metformin are apparently better than those of simple EA and simple metformin.