ALTERED SMALL-WORLD EFFICIENCY OF BRAIN FUNCTIONAL NETWORKS IN ACUPUNCTURE AT ST36:A FUNCTIONAL MRI STUDY

Objective: Acupuncture in human can produce clinical effects via the central nervous system.However, the neural mechanism of acupuncture's effects remains mostly unknown.Methods: We utilized functional MRI to investigate the topological efficiency of brain functional networks in eighteen healthy young adults who were scanned before and after acupuncture at the ST36 acupoints(ACUP) and the sham point(SHAM).Whole-brain functional networks were constructed by thresholding temporal correlation matrices of ninety brain regions, followed by a graph theory-based analysis.Results: We showed that brain functional networks exhibited small-world attributes(high local and global efficiency) regardless of the order of acupuncture and stimulus points, a finding compatible with previous studies of brain functional networks.Furthermore, the brain networks had increased local efficiency after ACUP stimulation, but there were no significant differences after SHAM, indicating a specificity of acupuncture point in coordinating local information flow over the whole brain.Moreover, significant(P0.05, corrected by false discovery rate approach) effects of only acupuncture point were detected on nodal degree of the left hippocampus(higher nodal degree at ACUP as compared to SHAM).Using an uncorrected P0.05, point-related effects were also observed in the anterior cingulate cortex, and the frontal and occipital regions, while stimulation-related effects were observed in various brain regions of frontal, parietal and occipital cortex regions.In addition, we found that several limbic and subcortical brain regions exhibitedpoint- and stimulation-related alterations in their regional homogeneity(P0.05, uncorrected).Conclusion: Our results suggest that acupuncture modulates topological organization of whole-brain functional brain networks and the modulation has point specificity.These findings provide new insights into neuronal mechanism of acupuncture from the perspective of functional integration.Further studies would be interesting to apply network analysis approaches to study the effects of acupuncture treatments on brain disorders.     

USE ACUPUNCTURE TO TREAT FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA:STUDY PROTOCOL OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Objective: The problem of whether acupuncture is efficacious for patients with functional dys pepsia is still controversial, so we designed a randomized controlled trial to settle the problem.Design: We designed a multicenter, two-arm, sham-controlled clinical trial.Two hundred participants with functional dyspepsia will be randomly assigned to true acupuncture(TA) group and sham acupuncture(SA) group in a 1:1 ratio.Participants in the TA group will receive acupuncture at points selected according to syndrome differentiation.Participants in the SA group will receive penetrations at sham points.Participants in both groups will receive 20 sessions of electroacupuncture for 4 weeks, 5 times continuously with a 2-day rest in a week.The primary outcome is the proportion of patients reporting absence of dyspeptic symptoms at 16 weeks after inclusion.The secondary outcomes include Short-Form Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire(SF-LDQ), Chinese version of 36-Item Short Form Survey(SF-36), Chinese version of Nepean dyspepsia index(NDI), etc.Discussion: The result of this trial is hopefully to be gained on August, 2014, which would possibly answer the question of whether acupuncture is efficacious for patients with functional dyspepsia.     

FUNCTIONAL MAPPING OF THE HUMAN BRAIN DURING ACUPUNCTURE WITH MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX ACTIVATION

1NTRODUCTIONHegu(Ll4)isoneofthemosteffectiveandmostfrequentlyusedacupointsintraditionalChineseacupuncture.ItisindicatedfOrpaininmanypartsofthebody,butisparticularlyeffec-tiveforheadache,migraine,toothache,sorethroatandotherd1sordersoftheheadandface.Manyanimalexperimentsindicatethathighercentersinthenervoussystemareinvolvedinacupunctureanalgesia["2]butdirectevidenceforhumansubjectsisdifficulttoobtainuntilthere-centadventofpowerfu1andn0n-invasivemeth-odsforneuroimaginginthe9O's.Werecentlya…     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVEMENT ON THE RESPONSE OF VACCINE IN AGING RATS

Objective: To observe the effects of Double-reinforcing and One-unblocking of acupuncture method on the immune response as the adjuvant in aging model rats induced by D-galactose injection.Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: model immune acupuncture group(A); model immune control group(B); normal immune acupuncture group(C); normal immune control group(D).Rats in group A and group B were injected with D-galactose for 6 weeks, and group C and group D were injected with the same amount of saline; all rats were injected with DTaP vaccine at the 7th week.Rats in groups A and B were treated with electroacupuncture and moxibustion for 3 weeks.At the 12 th week, the diphtheria antitoxin titer, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T cells of peripheral blood and the relative expression of spleen cells HSP70 mRNA were measured.Results: Compared with group D, CD4+/CD8+ T cells in group B was lower(P0.01), and the diphtheria antitoxin titer and HSP70 mRNA decreased significantly(P0.01).Compared with group B, the diphtheria antitoxin titer in group A increased significantly(P0.01), while CD4+/CD8+ T cells and HSP70 mRNA were higher(P0.05).The diphtheria antitoxin titer in group C was superior to that of group D, either.Conclusion: Acupuncture improved humoral and cellular immunity to the DTaP vaccine in aging rat probably by increasing the expression of endogenous adjuvant substances of HSP70.So our research probably suggests that acupuncture could be used as a novel adjuvant in vaccine research and even may provide a new field for the combination of Chinese and Western medicine research.     

USING ACUPUNCTURE TO RELIEVE PERIMENOPAUSAL SYNDROME:STUDY PROTOCOL OF A MULTICENTER RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

Objective: In this article, we report the protocol of a randomized controlled trial of using acupuncture to treat perimenopausal syndrome, aiming to answer the question whether acupuncture is effective for relieving perimenopausal syndrome.Methods: A multicenter randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms is undergoing in China.Two hundred and six women with perimenopausal syndrome will be randomly assigned to a treatment group using acupuncture plus auricular acupressure(AA) and a control group using Climen? in a 1:1 ratio.Participants in the AA treatment group will receive acupuncture 3 times per week in the first 4 weeks and 2 times per week in the following 8 weeks, for a total 28 sessions over 12 weeks.Auricular points will be plastered by Semen Vaccariae 2 times per week for 12 weeks.The Climen? control group, a 28-day sequential hormone replacement therapy, is prescribing a tablet containing estradiol valerate(E2V) 2 mg per day for the first 11 d, and a tablet containing E2 V 2 mgplus cyproterone acetate(CPA) 1 mg per day for the following 10 d.The total treatment period of control group is three cycles.Post-treatment follow-up period will last 24 weeks.The primary outcome is Menopause Rating Scale(MRS) that assessed at baseline and 4, 8, 16, 24 and 36 weeks after randomization.The secondary outcomes are Menopause-Specific Quality of Life(MENQOL), average hot flash score during 24 h, and the serum estradiol(E2), follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) and luteinizing hormone(LH) level.The first two secondary outcomes are measured at as the same point as MRS.And other second outcomes are measured at baseline and 12, and 24 weeks after randomization.Discussion: The result of this trial, which will be available in 2015, will clarify whether acupuncture is effective to relieve perimenopausal syndrome.     

针灸治疗方法研究概况

<正> 针灸治疗方法是针灸学的重要组成内容,针灸治疗方法的研究与发展,对扩大针灸治疗范围和提高针灸治疗效果、改善针灸条件、提高工作效率有重要作用。新中国成立三十多年来,在继承古代针灸治疗方法的基础上,通过临床实践,又创用了许多新方法,有了许多新进展。在针法中,主要有毫针、电针、水针(小剂量药物穴位注射)、火针、温针、鍉针、指针、芒针、巨针、皮肤针(包括梅花针)、皮内外(揿针)、挑针(针挑疗法)、声电波针、放血针(刺血疗法)、耳针、头针和腕踝针等。在灸法中,主     

针刺特定穴治疗功能性消化不良的研究现状与思考

Acupuncture plays a dominant role in treating functional dyspepsia （FD）. By reviewing and e- valuating clinical ROT and fundamental research with high quality in the past 17 years, it is found that specific acupoints are the chief in the treatment of FD; additionally, there are differences between specific acupoints and non-specific acupoints in therapeutic effect, explaining that the specificity of meridian points plays an im- portant role in treatment. However, because of inadequate high-quality researches in clinics, the specificity of acupoints can＇t be proved until the researches of clinical effect and mechanism of therapeutic difference are intensified.     

EVOKED PRESSURE PAIN FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING(fMRI) PREDICTS CLINICAL RESPONSE TO SHAM BUT NOT VERUM ACUPUNCTURE IN FIBROMYALGIA

Objective: Previously, we showed that patients with fibromyalgia(FM) display enhanced sensitivity to experimental pressure-pain which predicts clinical response to sham acupuncture(SA) treatment.In this study, we investigated whether fMRI blood oxygen-leveldependent(BOLD) response to experimental pressure-pain predicts increased clinical pain reductions after SA as opposed to verum acupuncture(VA) treatment.Methods: Thirty-nine female patients satisfying American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for FM were randomized to receive either VA(n=18) or non-skin penetrating SA(n=21) with 9 treatments over the course of 4 weeks.Before treatment, patients underwent an fMRI evoked pressure-pain scan, during which 2 kg of pressure was presented to volunteers' left thumbs.Clinical pain was assessed both before and after treatment with the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire(SF-MPQ).Preprocessing and regression analyses of baseline BOLD signal(2 kg vs.touch) as a predictor for change in clinical pain were performed separately for each group in SPM8.The BOLD signal was extracted from significant clusters, and used in a General Linear Model(SPSS v21) for group*BOLD interactions.Significance was assigned at P0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons.Results: Baseline BOLD responses in the left posterior insula(r=-0.80, P=0.001), right posterior insula/putamen(r=-0.70, P=0.007), and the anterior cingulate cortex(r=-0.657, P=0.018) were all negatively correlated with change in clinical pain(SFMPQ affective scores; post-pre); posterior cingulated(r=-0.69, P=0.001) was correlated with change in clinical pain(SF-MPQ total scores; post-pre).No significant clusters were found for the VA group alone.However when the SA regions were used to extract BOLD signals from the VA group, significant group*BOLD interactions were obtained for the previously mentioned regions(P0.001, P=0.008, P=0.004, P=0.001, respectively).Conclusion: Results suggest that evoked pressure-pain fMRI BOLD response in pain responsive regions may be a factor in determining subsequent responsiveness to SA but not VA.     

ACUPUNCTURE EFFECT ON MOTOR FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY CHANGE IN FACIAL PALSY:AN fMRI STUDY

Background: Bell's palsy(BP) is common peripheral idiopathic disease that affects the facial nerve(CN VII) and causes an inability to control facial muscles on the affected side and it was known to be treated by acupuncture.We investigated acupuncture effects on the resting state brain connectivity due to neuroplasticity in patients with BP.We hypothesized that BP and acupuncture modulates motor cortex regions connectivity with other brain regions during resting state.Methods: According to disease duration and House-Brackmann score(grade the degree of nerve damage in BP), we enrolled59 BP patients(treated by acupuncture in Hegu(LI4)) in three groups: early(within two weeks after onset), later(after two weeks before recovery) and healed(after recovery).Some patients participated multiple times in different groups.We had35 healthy(normal) volunteers as control group.Two fMRI scans(pre- and post-acupuncture) using 1.5T MR scanner(Siemens Symphony, Siemens Medical, Erlanger, Germany)were applied(10 minutes resting state with 3 second TR).We used seed voxel analysis approach for investigating functional connectivity of M1 regions of mouth and forehead with other brain regions from normal to healed group.We took 4 regionsof interest(ROI), 2 right and 2 left based on our previous motor task research.Results: There were differences between later and healed in left S2, left superior and middle temporal gyrus with right forehead ROI and DLPFC and middle cingulate gyrus for left mouth ROI.And there were differences between normal and healed in left supramarginal gyrus, left S1 and M1 facial regions, left and right cuneus, and left and right lingual gyrus.Conclusion: We found functional neuroplasticity changes of brain regions connectivity with our ROIs due to the BP and acupuncture.The resulted regions are related to sensorymotor regions, motor association regions, attention and motor learning.     

脑内多巴胺能神经系统对电针镇痛的影响

<正> 多巴胺(DA)是重要的单胺类神经递质,脑内DA能神经系统与许多方面的脑机能状态密切相关,如情绪、精神病及锥体外运动等等。已有的实验资料证明针刺可激发脑内DA能系统,使DA及其代谢产物高香草酸在脑内含量明显升高。但脑内DA能系统机能对针刺镇痛的影响如何,有着不同的看法。无关、对抗和协同三种意见都有。本实验利用DA受体激动剂阿扑吗啡(Apomorphine)和DA受体拮抗剂     

CLINICAL STUDY OF LASERNEEDLE ACUPUNCTURE

We are reporting over 500 acupuncture cases, a wide range of illnesses ranging from orthopedic, internal, neurological and psychological diseases, all of which were treated with a newly developed and therefore available Laserneedle system. This system was highly successful in treatment of a variety of illnesses including HWS, BWS and LWS Syndromes, gonarthritis, coxarthritis, rhizarthrosis, periarthritis of the shoulder, epicondylitis humeri radialis, tendinitis, fibromyalgia and PCP, Morbus Bechterew, paralysis after stroke, migraine and other headache syndrome, tinnitus, trigeminal neuralgia, gastropathy, bronchial asthma, AVK, mental depression and other psychovegatative burnout syndrome by using both body acupoints and otopoints. Treatment was made by simultaneously using 8 Laserneedles which were not pricked into, but stuck onto the skin. The Laserneedles emit red and infrared Laserrays with a high energy output, so that perceptible, vegetative stimulation can be detected at the acupunctrured sites. We found out, that especially in the therapy resistant, long standing cases and cases with chronic back and spine problems, considerable improvements in easing pain and increasing mobility could be made. Recognizable success was made by using Laserneedles in cases suffering from psychological illnesses, especially psychosomatic related Burnoutsyndrome and cases of exhaustion. Usually after 2～3 treatments, efficient success was made, without any side effects what so ever.     

A STUDY OF CHINESE ACUPUNCTURE IN PREVENTION OF METABOLIC SYNDROME

Objective: To investigate the effects of acupuncture in prevention of metabolic syndrome(MetS).Methods: Rats were divided into three groups: MetS group, control group and test group.The MetS and test groups were fed with high-lipid and high-glucose diet for 12 weeks.The test group was also treated with electroacupuncture since the start of the experimental diet.Food intake of the rats was noted daily.Body mass(BM), abdominal circumference and body length were measured weekly.After undergoing the experiment for 12 weeks, blood samples were taken from the orbital angular vein and tested for fasting plasma glucose(FPG), triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), high-density lipoprotein(HDL) and low-density lipoprotein(LDL).Results: Compared with the control group, food intake decreased from the 2nd week(P0.05) and abdominal circumference increased from the 4th week(P0.01) in the MetS group.At the end of the 12 th week, BM, TG, TC, LDL, and FPG were all higher than the control group(P0.05), while HDL was lower than the control group, but it was not statistically significant(P0.05).Food intake decreased from the 2nd week(P0.01) in the test group.At the end of the 12 th week, abdominal circumference, TC, LDL, and FPG were all higher than the control group(P0.05), while BM, TG, HDL, and FPG had no statistical difference(P0.05).Compared with the MetS group, food intake was lower and BM was smaller from the 8th week(P0.05) in the test group.At the end of the 12 th week, abdominal circumference, TG, TC, LDL, and FPG in the test group were lower than those in the MetS group, while HDL was higher than that in the MetS group, without any statistical significance(P0.05).Conclusion: Acupuncture interventions can reduce food intake in rats and delay the onset of MetS, thus havi ng a preventive effect.     

EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT ON RESTING-STATE BRAIN ACTIVITY IN MIGRAINE PATIENTS:A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON ACTIVE ACUPOINTS AND INACTIVE ACUPOINTS

Objective: Acupuncture has been commonly used for preventing attacks and relieving pain, although there is limited knowledgeon the physiological mechanism behind this method.The objectives of this study were to compare the differences in brain activities evoked by active acupoints and inactive acupoints and to investigate the possible correlation between clinical efficacy and brain responses.Methods: Eighty migraineurs without aura were enrolled to receive either active acupoint acupuncture or inactive acupoint acupuncture treatment for 8 weeks.Twenty patients in each group were randomly selected for a resting-state fMRI examination.The treatment schedule lasted for 8 weeks.VAS score, frequency of the migraine attack, number of days with migraine, and HIT-6 score were employed to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment, and ReHo value was used to detect brain activity.Results: The decrease in the VAS score in the active acupoint group was significantly greater than that in the control group after treatment(P0.05).However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in others(P0.05).The neuroimaging data indicated that long-term active acupoint therapy elicited a more extensive and remarkable cerebral response compared with acupuncture at inactive acupoints.The decrease in the VAS score was significantly related to the increased average ReHo values in the ACC in the two groups(P=0.0020, P=0.0015).Moreover, the decrease in the VAS score was associated with the increased average ReHo values in the insula(P=0.0003), and SMA(P=0.0130), which could be detected in the active acupoint group.Conclusion: Active acupoints were significantly superior to inactive acupoints in alleviating pain intensity for migraineurs.The efficacy of acupuncture at active acupoints might result partly from regulating some disease-affected key regions and the pain circuitry for migraine, promoting reintegration of several dimensions of the inner body, and establishing psychophysical pain homeostasis.     

电针“足三里”穴对体感皮层慢痛反应的影响

<正> 过去,在痛觉和针刺镇痛的研究中,多以强电脉冲刺激传入神经模拟伤害性刺激,并以此引起的反应作为疼痛的指标。但强电刺激常引起多种神经纤维包括与痛觉无关的Aαβ纤维、传导“快痛”的 Aδ纤维以及传导慢痛的 C 类纤维同时兴奋。当多种神经纤维的传入冲动同时进入神经中枢时,又常常发生相互影响,往往是传导速度快的 A 类纤维传入抑制了传导较慢的 C 类纤维传入。因此,以前所用的痛反应指标不反映慢痛。     

针刺对小鼠高压氧惊厥的影响及与脑内GABA含量的关系

<正> 早在一百多年前,人们就已经认识高压氧(0HP)对中枢神经系统具有毒性作用,可引起惊厥反应。然而,关于OHP惊厥的发病机理以及有效地防治OHP惊厥等问题,至今     

A CLINICAL STUDY OF ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT FOR FACIAL PARALYSIS

Peripheral facial paralysis is a common disease with manifestation of facial paralysis. The author's clinical observation on 50 cases of facial paralysis treated mainly with acupuncture showed an effeclive rate of 98%, and the remarkable effectiveness was reported as follow.     

DIFFERENTIAL CEREBRAL RESPONSE TO SOMATOSENSORY STIMULATION OF AN ACUPUNCTURE POINT VERSUS TWO NONACUPUNCTURE POINTS MEASURED WITH fMRI

Objective: To evaluate whether different point locations chosen for a somatosensory stimulation with acupuncture needles differently change the brain activity in healthy volunteers.Methods: We used event-related fMRI, and resting-state functional connectivity fMRI to assess neural responses to standardized manual needle stimulation of the acupuncture point ST36(lower leg) and two control point locations(CP1 same dermatome, and CP2 different dermatome) that are not acupoints.Cerebral responses were expected to differ for stimulation in two different dermatomes(CP2 different from ST36 CP1), or stimulation at the acupuncture point versus the control points.During scans all healthy subjects(n=22) received manual needle stimulation at all 3 points in a randomized order.Each needle stimulation consisted of 6-minute intermittent penetrating needle manipulation on one point.Needle sensation was measured by the Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Scale(MASS) and correlated with fMRI results.Results: The fMRI analysis found that insula and S2 activation was more pronounced with ST36 stimulation, and there was increased S2 connectivity to thalamus and brainstem following ST36 stimulation.Differences in needle sensation between ST36 vs.CP1 and ST36 vs.CP2 were statistically significant(pairwise t-test, P=0.009 and P=0.005, respectively).No correlation was found when exploring the relationship between the MASS index and the β values of the fMRI BOLD response.Conclusion: Our results suggest that stimulation at acupoints may modulate somatosensory and saliency processing regions more readily.     

激光针灸新途径的研究——附326的临床总结

<正> 氦氖激光照射具消炎、镇痛、扩张血管,调节机体免疫功能,促进溃疡愈合等作用,已被医学家所公认。氦氖激光由于对皮肤有一定的穿透力。从1973年法国学者 Plog首先提出“光针”之后,有关激光针的研究及临床应用的报道,相继出现,激光照射穴     

大鼠电针镇痛效果与脑和垂体中β-内啡肽含量的关系:放射免疫分析

<正> 内源性鸦片样物质(OLS)在针刺镇痛过程中起着十分重要的作用。我们实验室曾用放射受体分析法(RRA)测定大鼠电针镇痛时脑和垂体OLS的含量变化,发现电针镇痛效果与脑内OLS的含量呈正相关。但是体内的OLS系由脑啡肽、β-内啡