Electroacupuncture treatment enhances hippocampal growth hormone level and restores mitochondrial function in vascular dementia rats

Although electroacupuncture (EA) yields favorable clinical outcomes for vascular dementia (VD), its mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of EA on VD by regulating growth hormone (GH). A rat VD model was induced by multiple microinfarction (MMI). EA was applied at Baihui (GV20) and Shenting (GV24), and its effects on cognitive function and synaptic lesions were assessed. Hippocampal synaptic morphology and synaptic protein expression, as well as GH level were detected using transmission electron microscopy and biochemical methods. Finally, GH and PGC-1α agonists were used for mechanistic validation. Our results showed that MMI rats presented severe cognitive deficits and synaptic dysfunction relative to sham rats, and EA successfully alleviated these abnormalities. The expression of GH-related and mitochondrial proteins in the hippocampus continuously decreased on D7, D14 and D21 post-modeling, and EA significantly prevented such reductions. EA also increased hippocampal GH level and repaired damaged mitochondria in VD rats. Of note, GH receptor and PGC-1α agonists exerted similar beneficial effects as EA, validating the proposed mechanism. Collectively, EA at GV20 and GV24 increases hippocampal GH levels, rescues mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunction in VD rats, and possesses great potential for clinical application.