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Objective: To investigate the neural connections between Shenmen (HT7)-heart and the brain by observing the tracing viruses co-labeled brain nuclear groups after injection of the pseudorabies viruses (PRV), the reverse transsynaptic virus tracer carrying different fluorescent protein genes, into the myocardium and Shenmen (HT7) point, respectively.Methods: Pseudorabies virus 531 (PRV531) carrying the green fluorescent protein gene and pseudorabies virus 724 (PRV724) carrying the red fluorescent protein gene were injected into the left ventricular wall and Shenmen (HT7) point area of the left forelimb of six C57BL/6 mice, respectively. After 120 h, whole brain tissue was extracted under 4％ paraformaldehyde perfusion to prepare brain sections. Neuronal co-labeling with the tracing viruses was observed under fluorescence microscopy. Results: Co-labeled signals from the mouse ventricular wall and Shenmen (HT7) point region were found at all levels of the mouse central nervous areas, such as the cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. The number of co-labeled neurons was higher in the primary motor area, the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, the subceruleus nucleus, and the paramedian reticular nucleus. Conclusion: There is a neural connection between Shenmen (HT7), the heart, and the brain, which may be most closely related to the autonomic nervous system.
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OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Shenmen (HT 7) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) on anxiety and depression in patients with insomnia, and to explore the mechanism of its compatibility effect.@*METHODS@#Ninety patients of insomnia were randomly divided into a combination group, a Shenmen group and a Sanyinjiao group, 30 cases in each group. In addition, 37 cases with anxiety (12 cases in the combination group, 13 cases in the Shenmen group and 12 cases in the Sanyinjiao group) and 42 cases with depression (14 cases in the combination group, 14 cases in the Shenmen group and 14 cases in the Sanyinjiao group) were identified. The patients in the combination group, Shenmen group and Sanyinjiao group were treated with EA (dilatational wave, frequency of 5 Hz/25 Hz) at Shenmen (HT 7)-Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Shenmen (HT 7) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), respectively, 30 min each treatment, once a day. The consecutive 5 days of treatments were taken as a course of treatment, and 2 courses of treatment were given. The insomnia severity index (ISI), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores were evaluated before and after treatment, and the serum contents of dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) were measured.@*RESULTS@#Compared before treatment, the ISI, SAS and SDS scores in the three groups were all decreased after treatment (P<0.05), and the ISI score in the combination group was lower than that in the Shenmen group (P<0.05). Among the patients with anxiety, compared before treatment, the ISI, SAS scores and serum contents of DA were all decreased after treatment in the three groups (P<0.05), and the serum contents of NE in the combination group and Shenmen group were decreased after treatment (P<0.05); the SAS score and serum contents of NE in the combination group and Shenmen group as well as the ISI score in the combination group were lower than those in the Sanyinjiao group (P<0.05). Among the patients with depression, compared before treatment, the ISI, SDS scores and serum contents of DA were all decreased after treatment in the three groups (P<0.05), and the serum contents of NE in the combination group and Shenmen group were decreased after treatment (P<0.05); the ISI, SDS scores and serum contents of NE in the combination group as well as SDS score in the Shenmen group were lower than those in the Sanyinjiao group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#EA at Shenmen (HT 7) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) has advantages over EA at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) on improving insomnia, anxiety and depression. Shenmen (HT 7) plays a major role in improving anxiety and depression. Shenmen (HT 7) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) may play a compatibility effect of regulating consciousness and sleeping by reducing the level of serum NE.
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Humans , Acupuncture Points , Anxiety/therapy , Depression/therapy , Electroacupuncture , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/therapyABSTRACT
Objective:To observe the effect of acupuncture on blood oxygen concentration in the brain of rats with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS),thus to reveal the mechanisms of acupuncture in intervening the brain function of PTSD rats.Methods:Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank group,a model group,a grasping group,a paroxetine group and an acupuncture group,with 12 rats in each group.Except the blank group,rats in the other groups all received incarceration plus electric shock for 7 d to prepare the PTSD animal model.One hour before the stress model was established,rats in each group received the designated intervention:rats in the blank group and the model group did not receive any intervention;rats in the grasping group received grasping and fixation;rats in the paroxetine group received paroxetine hydrochloride solution by intragastric administration;and rats in the acupuncture group received acupuncture.Six-day treatment was a course,with 2 courses of treatment conducted for a total of 12 d.After the modeling,rats in each treatment group received intervention for 5 d,and the fNIRS system was used to collect and record the changes in the concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2),deoxygenated hemoglobin (d-Hb) and total hemoglobin (t-Hb) of the involved rat's brain regions,and also to assess the brain function.Results:Compared with the blank group,the concentration of HbO2 was significantly increased,the concentration of d-Hb was significantly decreased,and the concentration of t-Hb was significantly increased in the model group and the grasping group after the intervention,and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the concentrations of HbO2,d-Hb and t-Hb in the grasping group did not change significantly (all P＞0.05).Compared with the grasping group,the concentration of HbO2 was significantly decreased,the concentration of d-Hb was significantly increased,and the concentration of t-Hb was significantly decreased in the paroxetine group and the acupuncture group,and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the concentrations of HbO2,d-Hb and t-Hb between the paroxetine group and the acupuncture group (all P＞0.05).Conclusion:Acupuncture can regulate the blood oxygen concentration in the brain of PTSD model rats,which may be an important mechanism of acupuncture in intervening the brain function in PTSD rats.
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The therapeutic touch therapists would recognize the physical variability of themselves, mainly on the increase fever of their palms, and the continuous responses of the physical variability of the patients, such as the stable breath, the decreasing respiration, the fever of the touched parts, through their daily therapy processes. But there is actually little study that would evaluate the therapeutic touch therapy effect between the therapists and the subjects.Previous studies have reported that the effects on the subjects, but these authors did not discuss about the therapists and the interactions between the therapists and subjects. Therefore, we examined to measure the continuous physical variability both of the therapist and the subjects, the same time and parts, before and after the abdominal therapeutic touch. And we intended to clarify the relationship and the interaction between the therapist and the subjects.We enrolled the female and male therapists, and each of them performed the therapeutic touch to six subjects. Each of the test was separated to three parts, before therapy (30min), therapy (10min) and after therapy (10min) period. We designed that the therapeutic touch therapy part of the subjects was on the abdomen, there would be considered empirically the sensitive point. The subjects were asked to rest supine and the measurement were the electrocardiogram R-R interval and the epidermal temperatures of the four Meridian points (ST9, HT7, CV7, LR3). The therapist was sitting on chair beside the subject during the experiment and the measurements were carried out the same time and method as the subjects.The results showed that the abdominal therapeutic touch (1) decrease the R-R interval of the therapist, that would indicate to increase the sympathetic activity, (2) increase the R-R interval of the subject, that would indicate to increase the parasympathetic activity, (3) increase the epidermal temperature of therapeutic touch related parts of the therapist, HT7, CV7, and ST9, (4) increase the epidermal temperature of therapeutic touch related parts of the subject, CV7 and LR3. That is to say that the R-R interval variability of the therapist against the subject were inverse, and according to the abdominal therapeutic touch process, the epidermal temperature of the upper regions, above the abdomen, neck and wrist belong to the therapist would increase, while these of under regions, below the abdomen and the instep belong to subjects would increase. More detail, during the experiments, both of the therapist totally showed the similar therapeutic touch effects, but also suggested the characteristics of their performance to the subjects.Under these designed experiments, especially the same time continuous measurement of the variability, both of the therapist and the subjects, we could reveal that the rapid interaction and the dynamic relationship between the therapist and the subjects.
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OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Neiguan" (PC6) of the Pericardium Meridian, "Shenmen" (HT7) of the Heart Meridian，"Shuigou" (GV26) of the Governor Vessel and "Zhaohai" (KI6) of the Kidney Meridian on myocardial and cerebral cell apoptosis in cerebral ischemia (CI) rats, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of CI based on the theory of "Heart-brain Correlation". METHODS: Forty-eight SD rats (half male and half female) were randomly divided into normal control, model, PC6, HT7, GV26 and KI6 groups (n＝8 in each one). The CI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO). EA (4 Hz/20 Hz, 1.5 mA) was applied to the right PC6, HT7, GV26 or KI6 respectively for 30 min, once every 12 h for 5 times. The cell apoptosis of the ischemic myocardial and cerebral tissues was detected by TUNEL method, and the expression of cerebral and myocardial Bax and Bcl-2 was determined by using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Following modeling, the cell apoptosis percentages and Bax-positive cells of both myocardial and cerebral tissues were significantly increased in the model group in comparison with the control group (P0.05)．. CONCLUSION: EA stimulation of PC6 and HT7 can inhibit CI injury induced cell apoptosis of cerebral and myocardial tissues in CI rats, which is possibly associated with its effects in down-regulating Bax expression and up-regulating Bcl-2 expression of both myocardial and cerebral tissues.
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Objective:To observe the effects of acupuncture on the characteristics of neuro-electrophysiological activity in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 areas of rats with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Methods:Fifty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank group,a model group,a grasping group,a Western medicine group and an acupuncture group,with 10 rats in each group.Except for the blank group,rats in the other 4 groups all received the combined stress modeling method.Rats in the Western medicine group were intragastrically administrated with paroxetine hydrochloride,those in the acupuncture group received acupuncture intervention,those in the grasping group received grasping fixation,and those in the model group and the blank group did not receive any interventions.After 14 d of intervention,the interspike interval (ISI) and power spectral densities (PSD) were analyzed and mapped by in vivo multiple channels to record the neuron clusters discharge in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 areas.Results:Compared with the blank group,ISI was prolonged in the CA1 and CA3 areas of the model group and the grasping group,and the concentrated PSD distribution area moved down (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Compared with the grasping group,the ISI of the CA1 and CA3 areas in the Western medicine group and the acupuncture group was shortened,and the concentrated PSD distribution area moved up (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The ISI and PSD distributions in the CA1 and CA3 areas of the acupuncture group were not statistically different from those in the Western medicine group (both P＞0.05).Conclusion:Both acupuncture and paroxetine hydrochloride can significantly regulate the neuro-electrophysiology activity of hippocampal CA1 and CA3 areas in PTSD rats,which may be one of the mechanisms of acupuncture intervention to promote PTSD recovery.
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Objective:To observe the effect of liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method on the resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) in rats with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),and to provide evidence for the effect mechanism study and clinical application of acupuncture intervention for PTSD.Methods:Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank control group,a model group,a grasping group,a paroxetine group and an acupuncture group,with 12 rats in each group.Except for rats in the blank control group,rats in the other groups were subjected to preparing the PTSD models using 'incarceration plus electric shock' method.After interventions,changes in rat behavior of each group were observed;changes in resting-state EEG were collected and analyzed with multichannel EEG acquisition and analysis system,and image analysis and statistical processing were performed.Results:Compared with the blank control group,the average escape latency in the model group was significantly longer (P＜0.05),and the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas were all significantly reduced (P＜0.01).Compared with the grasping group,the average escape latencies in the paroxetine group and acupuncture group were significantly shortened (P＜0.05),and the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas were all significantly increased (P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the average escape latency,the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas between the acupuncture group and paroxetine group (all P＞0.05).Compared with the blank control group,the α-wave power spectrum value in the model group was significantly decreased,and the power spectrum values of β-wave,δ-wave and a-wave were significantly increased (all P＜0.01);compared with the grasping group,α-wave power spectrum values in the paroxetine group and acupuncture group were significantly increased (both P＜0.01),and the power spectrum values of β-wave,δ-wave and a-wave were decreased significantly (all P＜0.01).The power spectrum values of α-wave,β-wave,δ-wave and (e)-wave of rats in the acupuncture group were not significantly different from those in the paroxetine group (all P＞0.05).Conclusion:Liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method can significantly improve the abnormal EEG activity in PTSD rats,which may be one mechanism of liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method in effectively affecting the brain function in PTSD rats.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the clinical efficacy differences between acupuncture at back- points of five , Geshu (BL 17), Shenmen (HT 7) and regular medication for the treatment of menopausal insomnia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 128 female patients of menopausal insomnia were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 64 cases in each one. Four patients in the observation group and 2 patients in the control group dropped out during the treatment. The patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture at Feishu (BL 13), Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20), Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23), Geshu (BL 17) and Shenmen (HT 7), once a day, and there was an interval of 2 days between every 5 days of treatment. The patients in the control group were treated with oral administration of alprazolam (0.4 mg or 0.8 mg) before sleep. Three-week treatment was taken as one course, and totally three courses were given in the two groups. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), levels of estradiol (E), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were observed before treatment and 30 days after treatment; the efficacy was evaluated 30 days after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Each item score and total score of PSQI 30 days after treatment were lower than those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.05), the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (all <0.05). The levels of E 30 days after treatment were higher than those before treatment in the two groups (both <0.05), but the level of FSH and LH 30 days after treatment were lower than those before treatment in the two groups; the level in the observation group was superior to that in the control group (all <0.05). The total effective rate was 98.3% (59/60) in the observation group, which was better than 95.2% (59/62) in the control group (<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture at Feishu (BL 13), Xinshu (BL 15), Ganshu (BL 18), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Geshu (BL 17), and Shenmen (HT 7) has better efficacy for menopausal insomnia than alprazolam.</p>
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Female , Humans , Acupuncture Points , Acupuncture Therapy , Alprazolam , Therapeutic Uses , Estradiol , Blood , Follicle Stimulating Hormone , Blood , Luteinizing Hormone , Blood , Menopause , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders , Therapeutics , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture at mind-tranquilizing points plus conventional shoulder points in treating scapulohumeral periarthritis (periarthritis of shoulder) at the early stage of adhesion. Method Sixty patients were randomly allocated to two groups. The treatment group received acupuncture at mind-tranquilizing points plus conventional shoulder points and the control group, at conventional points. In both groups, treatment was given three times a week, for two weeks. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score, the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score were recorded before and after treatment. Result The VAS score,the HAMA score, the HAMD score and the JOA score improved in both groups after treatment compared with before (P0.05). Conclusion Mind-tranquilizing acupuncture plus conventional acupuncture is more effective than conventional acupuncture in treating scapulohumeral periarthritis at the early stage of adhesion.
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OBJECTIVE: To explore the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture(EA)by modulating 5-hydroxytryptamine 7 (5-HT7) receptor in periaqueductal gray (PAG) and plasma calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). METHODS: Forty-two male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control，model and EA groups, 14 rat in each one. The neurogenic migraine model was established by repeated electrical stimulation on sagittal sinus duramater. Intracranial electrodes were used in the control group without stimuli. The rats in the EA group received EA (0.5－1 mA, 2 Hz/15 Hz) at "Fengchi" (GB 20) for 10 min after dural electrical stimulation, once a day for 6 days. The expression of 5-HT7 receptor in the PAG was assessed by immunofluorescence and Western blot, respectively; plasma CGRP was measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the positive neuron number and protein expression of 5-HT7 receptor in PAG and plasma CGRP increased after model establishment (all P<0.001). The above mentioned indexes were reversed in the EA group compared with those in the model group (the positive neuron number and protein expression of 5-HT7 receptor, P<0.01; plasma CGRP, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: EA at GB 20 can down-regulate the expression of 5-HT7 receptor in the PAG and reduce the content of plasma CGRP in the rats of migraine.
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OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of acupuncture at "Shenmen" (HT 7) on brainwaves and cognitive ability in rats with sleep deprivation. METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group, 15 rats in each group. Insomnia model rats were established by sleep deprivation for 72 hours. Acupuncture was applied to acupuncture group at bilateral "Shenmen" (HT 7) for 20 min, once daily for 7 days. Rats in the sham acupuncture group received superficial insertion of 1 mm and without retaining needle. The learning and memory abilities of rats were eva-luated by Hexagonal maze. The BL-420 F physiological recorder was used to record EEG for 30 min on the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th day respectively, and the frequency of each wave was analyzed. RESULTS: After sleep deprivation, the frequency of searching the exits of Hexagonal maze in the model group was obviously increased, the searching time was shortened, the number of searching errors was increased obviously, and the cognitive rate was decreased (P0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture at HT 7 can effectively improve the cognitive abilities and brainwaves in sleep deprived rats.
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Objective To investigate the influence of acupuncture on learning and memorial function and the expression of BDNF in prefrontal cortex of rats with sleep deprivation (SD), for providing theoretical evidence for treating sleep deprivation with acupuncture.Method Sixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, and an acupuncture group, 20 rats in each group. SD models were established by the modified multiple platform methods; the acupuncture group was intervened by acupuncture at Shenmen (HT 7); while the control group was left intact. Respectively after SD for 24 h and 72 h, the learning and memorial function was tested by using Morris water maze. Ten the rats were sacrificed to collect brain for detecting the expression of BDNF in prefrontal cortex via immunohistochemical method.Result The body weight, learning and memorial function, and the expression of BDNF in prefrontal cortex of the acupuncture group and model group were significantly different from those of the control group after SD for 24 h and 72 h (P<0.05). The learning and memorial function of the acupuncture group was significantly different from that of the model group after SD for 24 h and 72 h (P<0.05). The body weight and expression of BDNF in prefrontal cortex of the acupuncture group were significantly different from those of the model group after SD for 72 h (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture can obviously improve the decline of the function of learning and memory of the SD rats, and also up-regulate the declined expression of BDNF in prefrontal cortex caused by SD.
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Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at the six mind-calming points plus the four gate points in treating migraine.Method Totally 128 eligible migraine patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 64 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture at the six mind-calming points plus the four gate points, while the control group was by ordinary acupuncture. The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), headache attack frequency, headache duration, headache intensity, complicated symptoms, Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were observed before and after treatment and in the follow-up study.Result The NRS scores and the headache symptoms and functions scores were significantly changed respectively after 2-week and 4-week treatment in both groups (P<0.01,P<0.05). The NRS score, headache duration, and headache intensity in the treatment group were significantly different from that in the control group after 4-week treatment and in the follow-up study (P<0.05,P<0.01). The SDS and SAS scores were significantly changed after 2-week and 4-week treatments as well as in the follow-up study in the treatment group (P<0.01). The SDS and SAS scores were significantly changed after 4-week treatment in the control group (P<0.01). There were significant differences in comparing the SDS and SAS scores between the two groups after 2-week and 4-week treatment as well as in the follow-up study (P<0.05,P<0.01). In the treatment group, the SDS and SAS scores in the follow-up study were significantly different from that after 2-week treatment (P<0.01).Conclusion Acupuncture at the six mind-calming points plus the four gate points is an effective method in treating migraine, and it can reduce headache intensity, and improve the anxiety and depression state.
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Objective To summarize the theoretic evidence of Shenmen (HT7) Point in the treatment of insomnia and its action mechanism, for guiding clinical application. Method The reasons and evidences for using acupuncture at Shenmen to treat insomnia were summarized from the following 3 aspects: records in the ancient literatures, clinical application, and modern medical studies. Result Acupuncture at Shenmen can produce a calming and sedative effect, and it should be one of the optimal choices for treating insomnia due to its significant efficacy; it calms the mind and improves sleep quality via activating the nervous center for regulating sleep and promoting the secretion of neurotransmitters such as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in brain. Conclusion Acupuncture at Shenmen is an effective method is treating insomnia.
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ObjectiveTo observe the effect of electroacupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) and Shenmen (HT7) on heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with post-cerebral-infarction sequelae.MethodEighty patients were randomized into two groups, 40 cases in each group. The control group was intervened by anti-platelet aggregation and other ordinary symptomatic treatment based on Western medicine, while the treatment group was by electroacupuncture at Neiguan and Shenmen in addition to the treatments given to the control group.ResultThere were no significant differences in comparing the HRV indexes between the two groups before intervention (P>0.05); while the HRV indexes in the treatment group were superior to that in the control group after intervention (P0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at Neiguan and Shenmen can significantly reduce HRV in patients with post-cerebral infarction sequelae.
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Objective To investigate changes in the firing activities of nucleus accumbens (NAc)neurons and their response to 5-HT7 receptor stimulation in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease (PD).Methods The firing activities and response of NAc neurons to 5-HT7 receptor agonist in PD rats were recorded by in vivo electroneurophysiology and neuropharmacology and then were compared with those in the sham group.Results The mean firing rate of NAc neurons was (5.46 ±0.88)Hz in the sham rats and (3.77 ±0.48)Hz in the PD rats. The firing rate of NAc neurons increased significantly compared with that in the sham rats (P 0.05 ).Systemic administration of 5-HT7 receptor agonist AS1 9 increased the firing rate of NAc neurons in the sham and PD rats.This excitation was significant at a high dose of 1 60 μg/kg for NAc neurons in the sham rats (P <0.05).However,the excitation produced by AS1 9 was significant at a high dose of 80 μg/kg in PD rats (P <0.05).The cumulative dose-produced excitation in the PD rats was lower than that in the sham rats.The effects induced by AS1 9 were reversed by the 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB269970 in both groups.Conclusion The reinforced firing activity of NAc neurons might be mediated by 5-HT7 receptor in the neurons of PD rats.
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BACKGROUND: Although the inhibitory role of the 5-hydroxytrypatmine receptor 7(5-HT7R) on nociceptive processing is generally recognized, an excitatory effect associated with a reduced 5-HT7R expression has also been observed in the nerve injury model. In the carrageenan model, no significant effect is produced by the 5-HT7R activation, but the change in 5-HT7R expression has not been examined. Lesioning of the spinal serotonergic pathway enhances allodynia in the carrageenan model, but it also relieves several other pain states, including in the formalin model. While lesioning suppresses the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) of the spinal cord in the formalin model, its role in the carrageenan model has not been reported. METHODS: Following intraplantar injections of carrageenan, the spinal 5-HT7R expression was examined using Western blotting in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The effect of serotonergic pathway lesioning with intrathecal 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) on the expression of the phospho-ERK was measured. RESULTS: The expression of the 5-HT7R in the carrageenan model was not significantly different from that of naive animals. The expression of the spinal p-ERK in the carrageenan model was significantly increased, but returned to the level of a naive rat 1 hour after the carrageenan injection. However, it remained significantly higher 1 hour after the injection in the animals treated with 5,7-DHT than in the naive and control rats. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of the spinal 5-HT7R is not altered by peripheral inflammation with carrageenan, suggesting that the lack of antinociceptive effect of the 5-HT7R activation is partly attributable to the absence of changes in the expression of the 5-HT7R in the spinal cord. The extended increase of the spinal p-ERK might be related to the enhanced pain behavior in the animals with lesions of the spinal serotonergic pathway in the carrageenan model.
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Animals , Humans , Male , Rats , 5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine , Blotting, Western , Carrageenan , Formaldehyde , Hyperalgesia , Inflammation , Phosphotransferases , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Spinal CordABSTRACT
Objective: To observe the conditions of the activating areas in the brain evoked by needling Shenmen (HT 7) acupoint. Methods: Twelve healthy young volunteers were needled at Shenmen (HT 7) acupoint with rotating and twisting techniques. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was adopted to detect the brain activating areas, TR/TE/FA=3560 ms/50 ms/90°. After scanning, the images were dealt with SPM2. Results: Needling Shenmen (HT 7) primarily activated BA2 and BA1 of the gyms postcentralis in right-sided frontal lobe, BA47 of left-sided inferior frontal gyms and BA43 of left-sided gyms postcentralis, and also activated BA40 of inferior parietal lobule in right-sided parietal lobe, BA22 of gyrus temporalis superior in left-sided lobus temporalis, and BA40 of right-sided insula; however, the sham acupoints could not activate these nucleus. Conclusion: Needling Shenmen (HT 7) can activate the relevant functional areas in the brain.
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Objective: To observe the effects of needling Baihui (GV 20), Shuigou (GV 26) and Shenmen (HT 7) on cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with vascular dementia (VD) by cerebral functional imaging technique. Methods: Twenty-five patients with VD were divided into 5 groups (Group A, B, C, D and E) randomly. Patients in the Group A were treated by needling routine acupoints for hemiplegia (Acupoints of the three yang meridians of hand and foot), and besides the routine acupoints, patients in the Group B were treated by needling Baihui(GV 20), the Group C by Shuigou(GV 26), the Group D by Shenmen(HT 7), and the Group E by Baihui(GV 20), Shuigou(GV 26), and Shenmen(HT 7). All the patients were examined by Positron Emission Tomography (PET) to detect the cerebral glucose metabolism in the bilateral frontal lobes(orbital gyri), parietal lobes, temporal lobes(hippocampus and hippocampal gyrus), occipital lobes, thalamus, lentiform nucleus, caudate nuclei, cingulate gyms and cerebellum before treatments and after treatments. Results: After needling the routine acupoints for hemiplegia, glucose metabolism increased in lentiform nucleus and temporal lobe;needling Baihui(GV 20), increased in frontal lobe, temporal lobe and lentiform nucleus;needling Shuigou(GV 26), increased in frontal lobe, thalamus and lentiform nucleus; needling Shenmen(HT 7), increased in parietal lobe and lentiform nucleus; and needling these three acupoints, increased in frontal lobe, temporal lobe, thalamus and lentiform nucleus. Conclusion:Needling Baihui(GV 20), Shuigou(GV 26) and Shenmen(HT 7) affect glucose metabolism in different functional regions of the brain, and Baihui(GV 20), Shuigou(GV26) and Shenmen(HT 7) relate to different functional regions of the brain.
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0.05),but the efficacy index was higher in groups B and C than that in group A(P