Electroacupuncture promotes functional recovery and activates energy metabolism in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury.

This article investigates the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at acupuncture points GB30, ST36, and BL40 on the repair of sciatic nerve injury in a rat model, focusing on energy metabolism regulation through glucose transport and mitochondrial dynamics. The study found that EA significantly increased glucose uptake in the injured nerve area, upregulated the expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), nerve growth factors (NGF and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF), and mitochondrial dynamic proteins mitofusin (Mfn)1/2 and dynamin-related protein (Drp)1, leading to improved nerve conduction velocity and reduced pathological damage compared to injury-only and electrical stimulation (ES) groups. Micro-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (micro-PET/CT) was used to quantify glucose metabolism, demonstrating enhanced energy supply associated with EA treatment. The findings suggest that EA promotes sciatic nerve repair by activating glucose transport and improving mitochondrial dynamic balance, whereas ES around the nerve showed no significant therapeutic effect.