Effects on cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type and the concentrations of plasma NPY and UII in the patients treated with the modified acupuncture at unilateral/bilateral Renying (ST 9) / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the differences in the clinical therapeutic effects on cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type (CSA) between the modified acupuncture and the routine acupuncture at unilateral/bilateral Renying (ST 9) as well as the impacts on the concentrations of plasma neuropeptide Y (NPY) and urotensinⅡ(UⅡ) in the patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 160 patients were divided into a modified bilateral acupuncture group, a modified unilateral acupuncture group, a routine bilateral acupuncture group and a routine unilateral acupuncture group, 40 cases in each one according to the random number table. In the modified bilateral acupuncture group, the modified acupuncture was applied bilaterally to Renying (ST 9). In the modified unilateral acupuncture group, the modified acupuncture was applied unilaterally to Renying (ST 9). In the routine bilateral acupuncture group, the routine acupuncture was applied bilaterally to Renying (ST 9). In the routine unilateral acupuncture group, the routine acupuncture was applied unilaterally to Renying (ST 9). The treatment was given once every day, continuously for 6 days as one course. Two courses of treatment were required at the interval of 1 day. In each group, before and after treatment, we observed the peak systolic blood flow velocity (Vs) of the vertebral artery (VA) and the basilar artery (BA), cervical vertigo symptoms and functional assessment scales (ESCV) and the concentration of plasma NPY and UⅡ. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared among the groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, the clinical therapeutic effect in the modified bilateral acupuncture group was 90.0% (36/40), which was better than 80.0% (32/40) in the modified unilateral acupuncture group, 77.5% (35/40) in the routine bilateral acupuncture group and 65.0% (26/40) in the routine unilateral acupuncture group (all <0.05). After treatment, Vs of VA and BA was improved remarkably in every group (all <0.01), and the result in the modified bilateral acupuncture group was higher than those in the other groups (all <0.01). After treatment, ESCV scores were all increased remarkably in every group (all <0.01). ESCV score and improvement index in the modified bilateral acupuncture group were all higher than those in the other groups (<0.05, <0.01). After treatment, the concentrations of plasma NPY and UⅡ were all reduced remarkably in every group (all <0.01) and the differences were significant among the groups (all <0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The modified bilateral acupuncture at Renying (ST 9) effectively regulates the blood supply of the vertebral basilar artery and improves the cerebral circulation. The effects are superior to those of the unilateral acupuncture at Renying (ST 9).</p>

Early acupuncture for traumatic intracerebral hematoma: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of early acupuncture intervention on brain edema in patients with traumatic intracerebral hematoma and explore its mechanism on the basis of conventional western medicine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>With stratified block randomization, sixty-four patients with glasgow coma scale (GCS) of 6 to 12 were divided into an acupuncture combined with medicine group (a combination group) and a western medication group, 32 cases in each one. In the western medication group, dehydration to reduce intracranial pressure and nutritional nerves were given as the basic treatment. In the combination group, on the basis of the treatment as the western medication group, acupuncture was applied at Xuehai (SP 10), Taixi (KI 3), Fenglong (ST 40), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Zusanli (ST 36), etc. The treatment was given once every day, for 6 times as one course; there was an interval of 1 day between two courses; a total of 4 courses were required. GCS score and recovery time were recored before treatment and on the 7 th, 14 th and 28 th days. 90 days follow-up after treatment, the GOS was observed, and the mortality and effective survival rate were calculated. The Barthel index (BI) score was evaluated before treatment and on the 14th, 21st, 28th days and 90 days follow-up after treatment. Before treatment and 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th days, cranial CT or MR scan was performed to calculate the brain edema index (BEI); Plasma interleukin-6 (6IL-6), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured before treatment and on the 3rd, 7th and 14th days after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The GCS scores increased gradually in the two groups during treatment, and there was significant difference between the 28th days and before treatment (both <0.05). There were no significant difference between the two groups about GCS score and average recovery time on the 28th days treatment (all >0.05). (2) The mortality rate of the combination group was 6.3% (2/32) on 90 days follow-up, 9.4% (3/32) in the western medication group (>0.05). The effective survival rate was 81.3% (26/32) in the combination group, which was higher than 59.4% (19/32) in the western medication group (<0.05). (3) The BI score was significantly higher than that before treatment on the 28th days and 90 days follow-up in the two groups (all <0.05), and the result in the combination group was superior to that in the western medication group (both <0.05). (4) The BEI decreased on the 14th, 21st and 28th days in the two groups (all <0.05), and on the 14th day, the BEI decreased more significantly in the combination group than that in the western medication group (<0.05). (5) The levels of IL-6, NPY and NO decreased on the 7th and 14th days in the two groups (all <0.05), and decreased more significantly in the combination group than that in the western medication group on the 7th day (<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>On the basis of conventional western medicine, early acupuncture can reduce cerebral edema and improve the prognosis of patients, and acupuncture combined with medicine are superior to western medicine alone. Acupuncture mechanism may be related to reducing the expression of inflammatory response.</p>

Effects of Estrogen on Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Neuropeptide Y Levels in Cerebellar Cortex of Ovariectomized Rats / 中国康复理论与实践

@#Objective To investigate the effects of estrogen on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels in cerebellar cortex of ovariectomized rats. Methods 24 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: intact (INT) group, ovariectomized (OVX) group, and OVX+estrogen 0.5 mg/kg every day group (E group). Radioimmunoassay (RIA) was used to measure the estrogen content in plasma, and the levels of BDNF and NPY were measured with Immunohistochemistry. Results Compared with the INT group, the plasma estrogen level significantly reduced in OVX group (P<0.001). However, the plasma estrogen level was higher in the E group than that in the OVX group (P<0.001). The BDNF and NPY presented in the Purkinje cell layer,and BDNF also distributed in the molecular layer and granular layer. Compared with that in the INT group, BDNF and NPY positive cells markedly decreased in OVX group, with slight cytosol staining in the cerebellar cortex (P<0.001). The BDNF and NPY positive neurons increased in E group compared with that in the OVX group (P<0.001). Conclusion Estrogen can increase the BDNF and NPY levels in cerebellar cortex of female rats, which may protect the structure and function of cerebellar neurons.

Effect of maternal thyroxine treatment on the offspring's brain development with fetal alcohol effects in the rats / 소아과

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether exogenous thyroxine(T4) treatment to alcohol-fed dams would ameliorate the detrimental effects of alcohol on the postnatal development of neuropeptide-Y(NPY)-containing neurons of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the offspring. METHODS: Time-pregnant rats were divided into three groups. An alcohol-fed group A received 35 calories of liquid alcohol diet daily from gestation day 6; control group B was fed a liquid diet in which dextrin replaced alcohol isocalorically; and alcohol+T4 group C received 35 calories of liquid alcohol diet and exogenous thyroxine subcutaneously. The features of the growth and maturation of rat brain tissue were observed at 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 postnatal days via immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Group C showed prominent NPY immunoreactivity in the cerebral cortex compared to group A and B at P7. In group C, NPY-containing neurons were widely distributed in the all layers of cerebral cortex after P14. Also, numerical decreases of NPY-containing neuron were not found according to increasing age in group C. A decrease of NPY-containing neurons, however, was clearly observed in group A compared to group C at P28. In the hippocampus, similar patterns appeared in groups B and C after P7. Especially, in groups B and C, NPY-containing fibers formed plexus in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus at P14. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the increase of NPY synthesis caused by maternal administration of exogenous thyroxine may convalesce fetal alcohol effects, one of the effects of the dysthyroid state following maternal alcohol abuse.