Confronting the anxiety of Generation Z: electroacupuncture therapy regulates oxidative stress and microglia activity in amygdala-basolateral of socially isolated mice.

Anxiety disorders are prevalent mental health conditions characterized by significant impairments in daily functioning and social interactions. Despite the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments, challenges such as medication resistance, adverse side effects, and the high rate of relapse necessitate the exploration of alternative therapies. Recently, electroacupuncture (EA) has garnered attention as a promising non-pharmacological intervention for anxiety disorders; however, the mechanisms by which EA exerts its anxiolytic effects remain poorly understood. This study aims to elucidate the role of microglial cells in anxiety, specifically examining how EA modulates microglial morphology and function within the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in the context of anxiety induced by social isolation.

Pubmed ID: 39980591