Experimental timing. OVX = Ovariectomy; CUMS = Chronic unpredictable mild stress; EA = Electroacupuncture; SD = Sprague-Dawley.|@|~(^,^)~|@|Vaginal smears (A) Proestrus in the naïve group. There are nucleated epithelial cells (arrow) in the stage of proestrus. (B) Estrus in the naïve group. There are irregular keratinized epithelial cells (arrow) in the stage of estrus. (C) Metestrus in the naïve group. There are irregular keratinized epithelial cells, nucleated epithelial cells, and white blood cells (arrows) in the stage of metestrus. (D) Diestrus in the naïve group. There are white blood cells (arrow) in the stage of diestrus. (E) and (F) Vaginal smears in the OVX + CUMS group. After OVX surgery, the representing images showed white blood cells (arrows), but not epithelial cells. OVX = Ovariectomy; CUMS = Chronic unpredictable mild stress.|@|~(^,^)~|@|The effect of EA treatment on the serum levels of E2, LH, and GnRH after OVX and CUMS (A) The representing graph showed the serum levels of E2 in the naïve, control + CUMS, OVX + CUMS, OVX + CH + CUMS, and OVX + EA + CUMS group. (B) The representing graph showed the serum levels of LH in the naïve, control + CUMS, OVX + CUMS, OVX + CH + CUMS, and OVX + EA + CUMS group. (C) The representing graph showed the serum levels of GnRH in the naïve, control + CUMS, OVX + CUMS, OVX + CH + CUMS, and OVX + EA + CUMS group. N = 6 in each group. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD). *p < 0.05 compared with the naïve group; ˆp < 0.05 compared with the control + CUMS group; ^#p < 0.05 compared with the OVX + CUMS group. LH = Luteinizing hormone; E2 = Estrogen; GnRH = Gonadotropin releasing hormone; OVX = Ovariectomy; CUMS = Chronic unpredictable mild stress; EA = Electroacupuncture; CH = Clomipramine hydrochloride.|@|~(^,^)~|@|The effect of EA treatment on open-field test (OFT) and sucrose preference test after OVX and CUMS. (A) The fraction of the first 3 min that rats spent in the open-field test central zone. (B) The distance travelled during the OFT. (C) The sucrose preference measured before OVX and CUMS, and after EA or CH treatment. N = 6 in each group. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 compared with the naïve group; ˆp < 0.05, ˆˆp < 0.01 compared with the control + CUMS group; ^##p < 0.01 compared with the OVX + CUMS group. OVX = Ovariectomy; CUMS = Chronic unpredictable mild stress; EA = Electroacupuncture; CH = Clomipramine hydrochloride.|@|~(^,^)~|@|The effects of EA on hippocampal GSK-3β mRNA and β-catenin mRNA levels in perimenopausal depression rats. (A) The relative hippocampal GSK-3β mRNA expression. (B) The relative hippocampal β-catenin mRNA expression. N = 6 in each group. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD). **p < 0.01 compared with the naïve group; ˆˆp < 0.01 compared with the control + CUMS group; ^##p < 0.01 compared with the OVX + CUMS group. OVX = Ovariectomy; CUMS = Chronic unpredictable mild stress; EA = Electroacupuncture; CH = Clomipramine hydrochloride.|@|~(^,^)~|@|The effects of EA on hippocampal β-catenin and p-β-catenin protein levels in perimenopausal depression rats. (A) The quantitative analysis of β-catenin expression in (D). (B) The quantitative analysis of p-β-catenin expression in (D). (C) The ratio of p-β-catenin to total β-catenin in perimenopausal depression rats. (D) Representative Western blot of β-catenin and p-β-catenin staining in the hippocampus. N = 6 in each group. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 compared with the naïve group; ˆˆp < 0.01 compared with the control + CUMS group; ^##p < 0.01 compared with the OVX + CUMS group. OVX = Ovariectomy; CUMS = Chronic unpredictable mild stress; EA = Electroacupuncture; CH = Clomipramine hydrochloride.

2020;13:94~103 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jams.2020.03.065