Effects of electroacupuncture at Baihui and Dazhui on perioperative neurocognitive impairment and S100-β, LC3-II, Beclin-1 in patients with colon cancer

Objective: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture pre-stimulation on perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PNDs) in patients undergoing colon cancer surgery.

Methods: A total of 80 elderly patients with colon cancer undergoing elective surgery were selected as subjects.

Patients in an observation group (N=40) were given electroacupuncture pre-stimulation at Baihui and Dazhui points, while those in a control group (N=40) were given sham electroacupuncture pre-stimulation.

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), Activity of Daily Living Scale (ADL), as well as the levels of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3II (LC3-II), Bcl-2 homologous domain protein antibody 1 (Beclin-1) and central nerve specific protein S100β before and after treatment were compared.

Results: Compared with those before treatment, no significant differences were found in the scores of MMSE, SAS and ADL at 7 d after treatment in both groups, while MMSE scores were significantly lower and the scores of SAS and ADL were obviously more at 1 d and 3 d after treatment in both groups.

Moreover, at 1 d and 3 d after treatment, the MMSE score in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group, while the scores of SAS and ADL in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05).

Compared with those after treatment in the control group, the level of S100β was significantly decreased, while the levels of LC3-II and Beclin-1 were obviously increased in the observation group (all P<0.05).

Conclusion: Electroacupuncture pre-stimulation at Baihui and Dazhui points could effectively reduce neurological damage and prevent PNDs in patients undergoing colon cancer surgery through improving the cognitive functions, anxiety states and self-care ability.

The observed changes in levels of S100β, LC3-II and Beclin-1 may be associated with the beneficial effects of electroacupuncture pre-stimulation on PNDs in these patients.