Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on expression of p53 protein in cerebral cortex of senile rats with global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury and to explore its mechanism. Methods: The cerebral IR injury rat model was established referring to Pulsinelli 4-vessel occlusion method. Thirty-six SD rats were randomly and evenly divided into the control group, the IR group and the IR plus EA (IR-EA) group. The animals in the control group were subjected to electrocauterization of vertebral arteries in bilateral flank orifice alone with the general carotid arteries unoccluded.To rats in the IR-EA group, immediately and 24h, 48h, 72h after cerebral IR, EA treatment on bilateral acupoint "Zusanli"(ST36) was applied once a day, lasting for 60 minutes. After the final treatment, all the rats were sacrificed and their brains were taken to examine p53 protein expression by the immunohistochemical method. Results: Cells with positive p53 immunoreactivity in the cerebral cortex of rats in the IR group was significantly higher than that in the control group ( P＜0.05), while that in the IR-EA group was significantly lower than that in the IR group (P＜0.05). Conclusion: EA could remarkably reduce expression of p53 protein in the cerebral cortex of senile rats with global cerebral IR injury, which might be one of the means for EA to inhibit neuronal apoptosis after cerebral IR injury.