shNrf2 treatment effectively downregulated Nrf2 (F7,24 = 7.425, P < 0.01, Figure 5D) and HO-1 expression (F7,24 = 6.559, P < 0.01, Figure 5E), decreased AMPK (F7,24 = 12.33, P < 0.01, Figure 5C) activity, and dampened the effects of the EA pretreatment on the expression of BDNF (F7,24 = 16.85, P < 0.01, Figure 5A) and DCX (F7,24 = 7.484, P < 0.01, Figure 5B) in PTSD rats. The gene discussed is BDNF; the disease is post-traumatic stress disorder.