Synaptic dysfunction and neuronal loss are related to cognitive impairment of
Alzheimer’s disease. Recent evidence indicates that regulating the
phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase (PI3K)/AKT/GSK-3 pathway is a therapeutic
strategy for improving synaptic plasticity in Alzheimer’s disease. Here,
we investigated “olfactory three-needle” effects on synaptic function and the
PI3K/AKT/GSK-3 signaling pathway in -amyloid (A)-induced
Alzheimer’s disease rats. A three-needle olfactory bulb insertion
for 28 days alleviated A-induced Alzheimer’s disease rats’ cognitive impairment as assessed by performance
in the Morris water maze test. Furthermore,
the
three-needle electrode inhibited neuro-apoptosis and neuro-inflammation. It
significantly upregulated the protein expression of postsynaptic density protein
95, synaptophysin, and GAP43,
indicating
a protective effect on hippocampal synaptic
plasticity. Additionally, the activation level of PI3K/AKT signaling and the
phosphorylation inactivation of GSK-3 were significantly enhanced by the
“olfactory three-needle”. Our findings suggested that the three-needle
acupuncture is a potential alternative to improve synaptic
plasticity and neuronal survival of Alzheimer’s disease brain in rodents.