Objective To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture of different stimulation waveforms on the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), glutamic acid (Glu) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (CABA) contents of the hypothalamus in rats with para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA)-induced insomnia and explore the difference in the effects and the mechanism of its action. Methods Fifty SD rats were randomly allocated to a normal group of 10 rats, a model group of 10 rats and an electroacupuncture group of 30 rats. The electroacupuncture group was then randomly divided to electroacupuncture groups 1, 2 and 3, 10 rats each. A rat model of insomnia was made using PCPA in all groups of rats except the normal group. All the electroacupuncture groups received electroacupuncture treatment. Of them, electroacupuncture group 1 received sparse wave treatment; electroacupuncture group 2, dense wave treatment;electroacupuncture group 3, sparse-dense wave treatment. After 6 days of treatment, every group of rats was sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The 5-HT, Glu and CABA contents of the hypothalamus were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results The 5-HT content of the brain decreased significantly in the model group of rats compared with the blank group (P<0.01) and increased significantly in electroacupuncture group 3 of rats compared with the model group (P<0.01). There was a statistically significant difference in brain 5-HT content between electroacupuncture group 2 or 3 of rats and electroacupuncture group 1 (P<0.05,P<0.01) and between electroacupuncture groups 3 and 2 of rats (P<0.01). The Glu and CABA contents of the cerebral cortex and the ratio of Glu/CABA increased significantly in the model group of rats compared with the blank group (both P<0.01) and decreased significantly in electroacupuncture group 3 of rats compared with the model group (both P<0.01). There were statistically significant differences in the Glu and CABA contents of the cerebral cortex between electroacupuncture group 2 or 3 of rats and electroacupuncture group 1 ((P<0.05,P<0.01) and between electroacupuncture groups 3 and 2 of rats (P<0.01). Conclusions Electroacupuncture can regulate hypothalamic monoamine neurotransmitter 5-HT content and amino acid neurotransmitters Glu and CABA contents and reduce intracerebral amino acid toxicity to produce a therapeutic effect on insomnia in insomnia rats. The therapeutic effect of sparse wave electroacupuncture is superior to that of dense wave or sparse-dense wave electroacupuncture.%目的：观察电针不同波形刺激对氯苯丙氨酸(PCPA)致失眠大鼠下丘脑5-羟色胺(5-HT)及谷氨酸(Glu)、γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)含量的影响,探讨电针不同波形刺激对失眠的效应差异及作用机制。方法将50只SD大鼠随机分为正常组10只、模型组10只和电针组30只。电针组再随机分为电针1组、电针2组和电针3组,每组10只。除正常组外,其余各组大鼠均用PCPA建立大鼠失眠模型。各电针组均进行电针治疗,其中电针1组采用疏波,电针2组采用密波,电针3组采用疏密波。治疗6d后,脱颈处死各组大鼠,采用酶联免疫吸附法测定下丘脑中5-HT、Glu、GABA含量。结果与空白组比较,模型组大鼠脑内5-HT含量明显减少(P＜0.01)；与模型组比较,3组电针组大鼠脑内5-HT含量均增加(P＜0.01)。电针2组和电针3组大鼠脑内5-HT含量与电针1组比较,差异均具有统计学意义(P＜0.05,P＜0.01)。电针3组大鼠脑内5-HT含量与电针2组比较,差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.01)。与空白组比较,模型组大鼠大脑皮质Glu、GABA含量均明显增高(P＜0.01),Glu/GABA比值增大(P＜0.01)；与模型组比较,3组电针组大鼠大脑皮质Glu、GABA含量均显著减少(P＜0.01),Glu/GABA比值减小(P＜0.01)。电针2组和电针3组大鼠大脑皮质Glu、GABA含量与电针1组比较,差异均具有统计学意义(P＜0.05,P＜0.01)。电针3组大鼠大脑皮质Glu、GABA含量与电针2组比较,差异均具有统计学意义(P＜0.01)。结论电针可以调节失眠大鼠下丘脑内单胺类神经递质5-HT和氨基酸类神经递质Glu及GABA含量,减少脑内氨基酸毒性,从而发挥治疗失眠的作用。其中疏波电针治疗效果优于密波和疏密波。
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