Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41233833›Full record

ArticleChinese medicine2025

Electroacupuncture alleviates cognitive impairments in APP/PS1 mice via gastric vagal afferent-mediated activation of the nucleus tractus solitarius‒locus coeruleus noradrenergic circuit.

Chaochao Yu, Man Li, Feng Shen, Shan Gao, Jia Wang, Chuan He, Li Wang, Yongchao Wu, Yanjun Du

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Chinese medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Chaochao YuDepartment of Rehabilitation, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Man LiSchool of Basic Medicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Drug Target Research and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Feng ShenCollege of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Shan GaoDepartment of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Jia WangDepartment of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Chuan HeCollege of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Li WangCollege of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Yongchao WuDepartment of Rehabilitation, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. wuyongchao@hust.edu.cn.
Yanjun DuCollege of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. yjdu-acu@hbucm.edu.cn.

Funding

Chinese Medicine Research Project supported by the Hubei Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China No. ZY2025L183Chinese Medicine Research Project supported by the Hubei Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China No. ZY2025Q034Key Chinese Medicine Project supported by Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation 2023AFD113National Natural Science Foundation of China No. 82074566National Natural Science Foundation of China No. 82205271National Natural Science Foundation of China No. 82505777
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveNeuroinflammatory cascades mediated by the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system emerge as critical pathophysiological determinants governing the etiology and advancement of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therapeutic modulation of neuroinflammatory processes may mitigate AD-associated cognitive decline. Electroacupuncture (EA) targeting the Foot Yangming of Stomach Meridian acupoints demonstrates efficacy in ameliorating AD-related cognitive dysfunction through dual peripheral and central anti-inflammatory actions, though the precise neural circuitry linking peripheral interventions to central effects remains undefined.

methodsIn this study, APP/PS1 transgenic mice were administrated with EA stimulation at ST36 and ST37. Cognitive function was assessed via the Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests. Spatial learning capacities and episodic memory retention were quantified through Morris water maze paradigm and object novelty discrimination assays, respectively. Retrograde neural tracing was employed to validate the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS)-LC noradrenergic projection. Multimodal approaches integrating chemogenetic manipulation, immunofluorescence microscopy, Western blotting, Golgi-Cox neuronal morphology analysis, and Nissl histochemistry elucidated the gastrointestinal vagal afferent fiber (GVAF)-NTS-LC circuit's role in EA-mediated neuroinflammatory regulation. Circuit-specific functional validation was conducted through selective GVAF blockade.

resultsEA at ST36 and ST37 attenuated hippocampal synaptic ultrastructural degeneration via NTS-LC noradrenergic circuit activation. This intervention suppressed proinflammatory cytokines expression (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α) and microglial hyperactivation through ADRB2/PKA/CREB pathway modulation, effectively rescuing cognitive deficits in AD models. GVAF ablation reversed EA-induced neuroinflammatory suppression, confirming the circuit dependence.

conclusionsEA at ST36/ST37 alleviates AD-related cognitive impairment through sequential GVAF-NTS-LC circuit activation and downstream ADRB2/PKA/CREB-mediated neuroinflammatory resolution. This work identifies a previously unrecognized peripheral-central neural circuit mechanism underlying EA's therapeutic efficacy in AD pathogenesis.

Indexed as

Alzheimer's diseaseElectroacupunctureGastrointestinal vagal afferent fiberLocus coeruleusNeuroinflammationNucleus tractus solitaries

Identifiers

PMID41233833
PMCPMC12613674

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.