THE EFFECT OF ELECTROACUPUNCTURE ON NEURONS OF THE CAUDATE NUCLEUS

Previous investigations suggest, that the eaudate nucleus plays a part in acupunrture analgesia. The preseiit work studied the effect of electroacupuncture on the rabbit's caudate ucurons sensitive to acet.ylcholine (ACh), sero- lioniri (5-HT) and dopamine (DA), recorded by multimicropipettes and examined by mic- rolontOPhorcsis. In testing 110 units, 35 were activatetl by electric needliiig, 43 depressed and 32 not significantly affected. Most ACh, 5:HT and DA sensitive neurons responded to electric need- Iing exhibiting an increase or dccrease in the frequency of spontaneous etischarges. The re srilt dcmonatratcs that the affereut impulses arIsing from a needlcd aCUPuncture point can reach the caudate anft moduIate the neuronal activity;