Aim:　Clinically　electroacupuncture　(EA)　is　proved　an　effective　therapy　for　vascular　dementia　(VD),　but　their　mechanisms　remain　uncertain.　The　aim　of　this　study　was　to　determine　whether　EA　protects　pyramidal　cells　from　apoptosis　in　hippocampus　of　a　VD　rat　model　by　inhibiting　the　expression　of　p53　and　Noxa.　Methods:　One　month　after　a　VD　animal　model　was　established　by　bilateral　occlusion　of　common　carotid　arteries,　EA　treatment　was　given　at　Baihui　(DU20),　Dazhui　(DU14),　and　Shenshu　(BL23).　The　learning　and　memory　ability　was　assessed　by　Morris　water　maze.　Neuronal　apoptosis　in　hippocampus　was　evaluated　with　hematoxylineosin　(HE)　staining,　and　the　expression　of　p53　and　Noxa　was　analyzed　by　confocal　laser　scanning　microscope　with　immunofluorescence　staining.　Results:　Expressions　of　p53　and　Noxa　in　the　EA　group　and　sham-operated　group　were　less　than　in　the　VD　model　group　(P　＜　0.01),　and　the　expression　of　p53　was　positively　correlated　to　expression　of　Noxa　in　hippocampus　of　VD　rats　(r　=　0.918,　P　＜　0.01).　EA　treatment　could　reduce　the　amount　of　apoptotic　neurons　in　hippocampal　CA1　area　of　rats　with　VD.　The　average　latency　in　the　Morris　water　maze　test　was　significantly　shorter,　and　escape　strategies　improved　from　edge　and　random　searches　to　more　linear　swim　pathway　in　the　EA　group　compared　with　the　VD　model　group　(P　＜　0.01).　Conclusions:　The　increasing　expressions　of　p53　and　Noxa　play　important　roles　in　the　pathogenesis　of　VD.　EA　improves　learning　and　memory　ability　and　protects　pyramidal　cells　from　apoptosis　by　blocking　expression　of　p53　and　Noxa　in　the　hippocampal　CA1　region　of　VD　rats.　These　results　suggest　a　novel　mechanism　of　EA　treatment　to　VD.