Effects of electro-acupuncture on nerve growth factor and ovarian morphology in rats with experimentally induced polycystic ovaries

Despite extensive research on the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), there is still disagreement on the underlying mechanisms. The rat model for experimentally induced polycystic ovaries (PCO)-produced by a sin gle injection of estradiol valerate-has similarities with human PCOS, and b oth are associated with hyperactivity in the sympathetic nervous system. Ne rve growth factor (NGF) is known to serve as a neurotrophin for both the sy mpathetic and the sensory nervous systems and to enhance the activity of ca techolaminergic and possibly other neuron types. Electro-acupuncture (EA) i s known to reduce hyperactivity in the sympathetic nervous system. For thes e reasons, the model was used in the present study to investigate the effec ts of EA (12 treatments, approximately 25 min each, over 30 days) by analyz ing NGF in the central nervous system and the endocrine organs, including t he ovaries, The main findings in the present study were first, that signifi cantly higher concentrations of NGF were found in the ovaries and the adren al glands in the rats in the PCO model than in the control rats that were o nly injected with the vehicle toil or NaCl), Second, that repeated EA treat ments in PCO rats resulted in concentrations of NGF in the ovaries that wer e significantly lower than those in non-EA-treated PCO rats but were within a normal range that did not differ from those in the untreated oil and NaC l control groups. The results in the present study provide support for the theory that EA inhibits hyperactivity in the sympathetic nervous system.