Electroacupuncture atBaihui (DU20) acupoint up-regulates mRNA expression of NeuroD molecules in the brains of newborn rats sufferingin utero fetal distress

NeuroD plays a key regulatory effect on differentiation of neural stem cells into mature neurons in the brain. Thus, we assumed that electroacupuncture atBaihui (DU20) acupoint in newborn rats exposed toin utero fetal distress would inlfuence expression of NeuroD. Electroacupuncture atBaihui was performed for 20 minutes on 3-day-old (Day 3) newborn Sprague-Dawley rats exposed toin utero fetal distress; electroacupuncture parameters consisted of sparse and dense waves at a frequency of 2–10 Hz. Real-time lfuorescent quantitative PCR results demonstrated that mRNA expression of NeuroD, a molecule that indicates NeuroD, increased with prolonged time in brains of newborn rats, and peaked on Day 22. The level of mRNA expression was similar between Day 16 and Day 35. These ifndings suggest that electro acupuncture atBaihui acupoint could effectively increase mRNA expression of molecules involved in NeuroD in the brains of new-born rats exposed to in utero fetal distress.