Effect of abdominal massage on organ index,hippocampal cell morphology,and apoptosis in rats with chronic fatigue syndrome
Objective To investigate the mechanism of abdominal massage for treating chronic fatigue syndrome(CFS).Methods Thirty clean-grade female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the normal control,model control,and abdominal massage groups(n=10 rats per group).The CFS rat model was established through cold water swimming combined with the chronic restraint method in the model control and abdominal massage groups.The rats in the abdominal massage group were treated with the core techniques of Jingu zang-fu massage,namely layer press"Guanyuan"(CV4)for 8 min and Tuanmo"Zhongwan"(CV12)for 12 min as the primary intervention techniques,once a day for 14 consecutive days.The rats in the two control groups did not receive intervention;however,they were bound to the experimental bench when the experimental group was massaged.After the intervention,the indexes of the main organs of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis and hippocampal cell apoptosis in each group were measured.The morphology of hippocampal cells in each group was observed using Nissl staining of hippocampal tissue and transmission electron microscopy of hippocampal neurons.Results The index of each organ in the model control group was upregulated(P<0.01)compared to that of the normal control group.In contrast,the index of each organ in the abdominal massage group was downregulated(P<0.01)compared with that of the model control group.Compared to the normal control group,the index of each organ in the abdominal massage group was upregulated;however,the difference was not significant.Compared to the normal control group,the cell nuclei in the model control group were significantly consolidated,the nuclear membrane structure was ruptured,and the margins were irregular.Most of the cell morphology in the abdominal massage group was normal compared with that of the model control group,and a small number of nuclear membrane structures were unclear.Compared to the normal control group,the hippocampal neuronal cell in the other two groups was significantly damaged,and the hippocampal neuronal cell in the abdominal massage group was in good condition compared to the model control group.The degree of neuronal apoptosis in the model control group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group(P<0.01).The degree of neuronal apoptosis in the abdominal massage group decreased compared to that of the model control group(P<0.01),which was slightly higher than that in the normal control group but not significant.Conclusion Cold water swimming combined with chronic restraint can simulate CFS in rats,and abdominal massage can reduce the organ index of the hypothalamus,pituitary gland,and adrenal gland,increase hippocampal cell activity,reduce hippocampal tissue damage,inhibit hippocampal cell apoptosis,and maintain the normal physiological function of hippocampal neurons.
abdominal massagechronic fatigue syndromeorgan indexhippocampusultrastructure of cerebral tissueneuronal apoptosisrats