[Review on the mechanism of acupuncture therapy for regulating synaptic plasticity in treatment of ischemic stroke]

Acupuncture has an unique advantage in treatment of ischemic stroke, which not only promotes the repair of synaptic structure and function, but also regulates the transmission of neurotransmitters and receptors, as well as induces glial cell to repair neurons, and then to protect them. At present, the mechanism study on acupuncture for advancing synaptic plasticity in cerebral ischemia is of the high priority. In the paper, from the following three aspects, i.e. synaptic plasticity (structure and function), interaction between synapses (neurotransmitters and receptors), and interconnection between synapses and environments (synaptic-glial structure), the progress of mechanism study of acupuncture in recent years was reviewed on regulating synaptic plasticity in treatment of ischemic stroke.