ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the difference in the clinical efficacy on oculomotor impairment between electroacupuncture and acupuncture and explore the best therapeutic method in the treatment of this disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty cases of oculomotor impairment were randomized into an electroacupuncture group and an acupuncture group, 30 cases in each one. In the electroacupuncture group, the points were selected on extraocular muscles, the internal needling technique in the eye was used in combination of electroacupuncture therapy. In the acupuncture group, the points and needling technique were same as the electroacupuncture group, but without electric stimulation applied. The treatment was given 5 times a week, 15 treatments made one session. After 3 sessions of treatment, the clinical efficacy, palpebral fissure size, pupil size, oculomotor range and the recovery in diplopia were compared before and after treatment in the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the electroacupuncture group, the palpebral fissure size was (9.79+/-2.65)mm and the eyeball shifting distance was (18.12+/-1. 30)mm, which were hig-her than (8.23+/-2.74)mm and (16.71+/-1. 44)mm respectively in the acupuncture group. In the electroacupuncture group, the pupil diameter was (0. 44 +/-0. 42)mm, which was less than (0. 72 +/- 0. 53)mm in the acupuncture group, indicating the significant difference (all P<0. 05). The cured rate was 63. 33% (19/30) and the total effective rate was 93.33% (28/30) in the electroacupuncture group, which was better than 36.67% (11/30) and 83. 333 (25/30) in the acupuncture group separately, indicating the significant difference (all P<0. 05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Electroacupuncture presents the obvious advantages in the treatment of oculomotor impairment, characterized as quick and high effect, short duration of treatment and remarkable improvements in clinical symptoms, there are important significance for the improvement of survival quality of patients.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Acupuncture Points , Electroacupuncture , Oculomotor Nerve Diseases , Therapeutics , Ophthalmic Nerve , Wounds and Injuries , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Wallerian degeneration is a self-destructive process of axonal degeneration that occurs after an axonal injury or during neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies have found that the activity of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) synthase enzyme, nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 1 (NMNAT1) can affect the rate of Wallerian degeneration in mice and drosophila. NMNAT1 protects neurons and axons from degeneration. However, the role of NMNAT1 in neurons of central nervous system is still not well understood.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We set up the culture of primary mouse neurons in vitro and manipulated the expression level of NMNAT1 by RNA interference and gene overexpression methods. Using electroporation transfection we can up-regulate or down-regulate NMNAT1 in cultured mouse dendrites and axons and study the neuronal morphogenesis by immunocytochemistry. In all functional assays, FK-866 (CAS 658084-64-1), a highly specific non-competitive inhibitor of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase was used as a pharmacological and positive control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Our results showed that knocking down NMNAT1 by RNA interference led to a marked decrease in dendrite outgrowth and branching and a significant decrease in axon growth and branching in developing cortical neurons in vitro.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These findings reveal a novel role for NMNAT1 in the morphogenesis of developing cortical neurons, which indicate that the loss of function of NMNAT1 may contribute to different neurodegenerative disorders in central nervous system.</p>