Effects of abdominal Tuina on behavioral function and 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor/synapsin-1 in hippocampal CA1 region of rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injuries

Objective: To investigate the effects of abdominal Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) on behavioral function, 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptor (5-HT1AR), and synapsin-1 (Syn1) in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injuries (HIBI).Methods: Forty healthy neonatal rats, born of 5 specific pathogen-free healthy pregnant rats, were randomly divided into a group for modeling (n=28) and a sham operation group <bold>(</bold>n=12) on the 7th day of birth. In the group for modeling, 24 neonatal rats with HIBI successfully established by the Rice method were randomly divided into a model group (n=12) and an abdominal Tuina group (n=12). The abdominal Tuina group was given abdominal Tuina for 28 d from 24 h after modeling, and the other groups were put under the same conditions but without any treatments. Rats in each group were subjected to suspension tests on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th days of intervention. After the intervention, the rat hippocampal tissue was collected and stained with hematoxylin-eosin to observe the pathological changes in the rat hippocampal CA1 region. The 5-HT1AR expression in rat hippocampal CA1 region was detected by immunehistochemistry. The Syn1 expression in rat hippocampus was measured by Western blotting method.Results: The cells were disordered, and edema and necrosis appeared in the hippocampal CA1 region of the model group. Cell arrangement was clear, and edema was improved obviously in the hippocampal CA1 region of the abdominal Tuina group. Compared with the sham operation group, the suspension test scores, the number of 5-HT1AR positive cells, and Syn1 protein expression in the hippocampus decreased significantly in the model group after 21 d and 28 d of interventions (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the suspension test scores, the number of 5-HT1AR positive cells, and Syn1 protein expression increased significantly in the abdominal Tuina group after 21 d and 28 d of interventions (P<0.05).Conclusion: Abdominal Tuina improves the behavioral function of upper limbs and up-regulates the expression levels of 5-HT1AR and Syn1 in the hippocampus of neonatal HIBI rats.