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Li B, Deng S, Jiang H, Zhu W, Zhuo B, Du Y, Meng Z. The mechanistic effects of acupuncture in rodent neurodegenerative disease models: a literature review. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1323555. [PMID: 38500484 PMCID: PMC10944972 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1323555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases refer to a battery of medical conditions that affect the survival and function of neurons in the brain, which are mainly presented with progressive loss of cognitive and/or motor function. Acupuncture showed benign effects in improving neurological deficits, especially on movement and cognitive function impairment. Here, we reviewed the therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture at the neural circuit level in movement and cognition disorders, summarizing the influence of acupuncture in the dopaminergic system, glutamatergic system, γ-amino butyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) system, serotonergic system, cholinergic system, and glial cells at the circuit and synaptic levels. These findings can provide targets for clinical treatment and perspectives for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boxuan Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Shizhe Deng
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Hailun Jiang
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Weiming Zhu
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Bifang Zhuo
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuzheng Du
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhihong Meng
- National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
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Li M, Wang K, Su W, Jia J, Wang X. The modulatory effect of 100 Hz electroacupuncture on striatal synaptic plasticity in unilateral lesioned 6-OHDA rats. Brain Res Bull 2022; 186:123-135. [PMID: 35697152 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Recent studied have reported that impaired striatal synaptic plasticity played a crucial role in Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous studies have suggested that electroacupuncture (EA) alleviated the motor deficits in PD patients and animal models. However, the mechanisms underlying this protection need to be further elucidated. In this study, we found that EA-induced improvement of motor deficits in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat model doesn't act through dopaminergic system. EA rescued the decreased striatal long-term potentiation (LTP) in 6-OHDA rats. In addition, the declined expression of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor subunit 2B (NR2B) in the striatum was remarkably up-regulated by EA. The EA-induced improvement of LTP can be eliminated by NR2B-selective inhibitor. It is indicated that EA-induced recovery of striatal LTP was correlated with the up-regulation of NR2B subunit. EA was also found to rescue the decreased dendritic arborization and the spine density in the striatum of 6-OHDA rats. Meanwhile, EA suppressed striatal glutamate content and vesicular glutamate transporter 1 which is expressed in cortico-striatal glutamatergic projections. The decrease of striatal glutamate content induced by decortication, EA treatment or a combination of both reversed the loss of striatal spine density in 6-OHDA rats. It is indicated that EA-induced reduction of cortico-striatal glutamate transmission contributes to the recovery of striatal spine density. In conclusion, the therapeutic effect of EA on the motor deficits of 6-OHDA rats was mediated by rescuing cortico-striatal glutamate transmission and striatal synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China; Departments of Neurobiology and Physiology, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disorders of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory for Parkinson's Disease, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Wenting Su
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China; Departments of Neurobiology and Physiology, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disorders of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory for Parkinson's Disease, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Jun Jia
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China; Departments of Neurobiology and Physiology, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disorders of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory for Parkinson's Disease, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
| | - Xiaomin Wang
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China; Departments of Neurobiology and Physiology, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disorders of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory for Parkinson's Disease, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
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Chen J, Xu J, Huang P, Luo Y, Shi Y, Ma P. The potential applications of traditional Chinese medicine in Parkinson's disease: A new opportunity. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 149:112866. [PMID: 35367767 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) presents a common challenge for people all over the world and has become a major research hotspot due to the large population affected by the illness and the difficulty of clinical treatment. The prevalence of PD is increasing every year, the pathogenesis is complex, and the current treatment is ineffective. Therefore, it has become imperative to find effective drugs for PD. With the advantages of low cost, high safety and high biological activity, Chinese medicine has great advantages in the prevention and treatment of PD. This review systematically summarizes the potential of Chinese medicine for the treatment of PD, showing that Chinese medicine can exert anti-PD effects through various pathways, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pathways, reducing mitochondrial dysfunction, inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and iron death, and regulating intestinal flora. These mainly involve HMGB1/TLR4, PI3K/Akt, NLRP3/ caspase-1/IL-1β, Nrf2/HO-1, SIRT1/Akt1, PINK1/parkin, Bcl-2/Bax, BDNF-TrkB and other signaling pathways. In sum, based on modern phytochemistry, pharmacology and genomic proteomics, Chinese medicine is likely to be a potential candidate for PD treatment, which requires more clinical trials to further elucidate its importance in the treatment of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxue Chen
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Jingke Xu
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Ping Huang
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yining Luo
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Yuanshu Shi
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Ping Ma
- School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China.
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de Brito FX, Luz-Santos C, Camatti JR, de Souza da Fonseca RJ, Suzarth G, Moraes LMC, da Silva ML, da Silva JRT, Vercelino R, Sá KN, Zana Y, Baptista AF. Electroacupuncture modulates cortical excitability in a manner dependent on the parameters used. Acupunct Med 2021; 40:178-185. [PMID: 34886714 DOI: 10.1177/09645284211057560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is evidence that electroacupuncture (EA) acts through the modulation of brain activity, but little is known about its influence on corticospinal excitability of the primary motor cortex (M1). OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of EA parameters on the excitability of M1 in healthy individuals. METHODS A parallel, double blind, randomized controlled trial in healthy subjects, evaluating the influence of an EA intervention on M1 excitability. Participants had a needle inserted at LI4 in the dominant hand and received electrical stimulation of different frequencies (10 or 100 Hz) and amplitude (sensory or motor threshold) for 20 min. In the control group, only a brief (30 s) electrical stimulation was applied. Single and paired pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation coupled with electromyography was applied before and immediately after the EA intervention. Resting motor threshold, motor evoked potential, short intracortical inhibition and intracortical facilitation were measured. RESULTS EA increased corticospinal excitability of M1 compared to the control group only when administered with a frequency of 100 Hz at the sensory threshold (p < 0.05). There were no significant changes in the other measures. CONCLUSION The results suggest that EA with an intensity level at the sensorial threshold and 100 Hz frequency increases the corticospinal excitability of M1. This effect may be associated with a decrease in the activity of inhibitory intracortical mechanisms. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER U1111-1173-1946 (Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos; http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/).
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Xavier de Brito
- Health and Function Study Nucleus, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Medicine and Human Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Cleber Luz-Santos
- Health and Function Study Nucleus, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Medicine and Human Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Janine Ribeiro Camatti
- Health and Function Study Nucleus, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil.,Center for Mathematics, Computation and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Giovana Suzarth
- Health and Function Study Nucleus, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Rafael Vercelino
- Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Katia Nunes Sá
- Research and Innovation, Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Yossi Zana
- Center for Mathematics, Computation and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil
| | - Abrahão Fontes Baptista
- Health and Function Study Nucleus, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Medicine and Human Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil.,Center for Mathematics, Computation and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil.,Laboratory of Medical Investigations 54 (LIM-54), São Paulo University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,CEPID BRAINN, FAPESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Ko JH, Lee H, Kim SN, Park HJ. Does Acupuncture Protect Dopamine Neurons in Parkinson's Disease Rodent Model?: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:102. [PMID: 31139074 PMCID: PMC6517785 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Acupuncture has been reported to have significant effects, not only in alleviating impaired motor function, but also rescuing dopaminergic neuron deficits in rodent models of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, a systemic analysis of these beneficial effects has yet to be performed. Objective: To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of acupuncture in animal models of PD. Methods: A literature search of the PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Research Information Service System, and Japan Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion databases was performed to retrieve studies that investigated the effects of acupuncture on PD. The quality of each included study was evaluated using the 10-item checklist modified from the Collaborative Approach to Meta-Analysis and Review of Animal Data from Experimental Studies. RevMan version 5.3 (Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria) was used for meta-analysis. Results: The 42 studies included scored between 2 and 7 points, with a mean score of 4.6. Outcome measures included tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) level and dopamine content. Meta-analysis results revealed statistically significant effects of acupuncture for increasing both TH levels (33.97 [95% CI 33.15-34.79]; p < 0.00001) and dopamine content (4.23 [95% CI 3.53-4.92]; p < 0.00001) compared with that observed in PD control groups. In addition, motor dysfunctions exhibited by model PD animals were also mitigated by acupuncture treatment. Conclusions: Although there were limitations in the number and quality of the included studies, results of this analysis suggest that acupuncture exerts a protective effect on dopaminergic neurons in rodent models of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade Heejae Ko
- College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Goyang, South Korea.,Graduate School, Dongguk University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyangsook Lee
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Seoul, South Korea.,College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seung-Nam Kim
- College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Goyang, South Korea
| | - Hi-Joon Park
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Seoul, South Korea.,College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
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Zhu H, Nan S, Suo C, Zhang Q, Hu M, Chen R, Wan J, Li M, Chen J, Ding M. Electro-Acupuncture Affects the Activity of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovary Axis in Female Rats. Front Physiol 2019; 10:466. [PMID: 31068836 PMCID: PMC6491808 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypothalamic-pituitary-ovary (HPO) axis is a dominant system controlling ovulation during puberty. Electro-acupuncture (EA) has been widely used to cure the reproductive diseases associated with endocrinological disorders. However, whether EA treatment affects HPO axis activity of physiological animals and induces alterations on the hormones in the HPO axis was also unclear. Here, we performed the EA stimuli on bilateral acupoints of Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Zusanli (ST36) on female virgin rats every 3 days and for a total of 5 times. The results showed that GnRH levels in hypothalamus were greatly upregulated in EA-treated rats than untreated animals at day 7 and 13. The serum levels for FSH and LH were severely reduced after EA treatment compared with EA-untreated animals at day 1, while they were greatly increased at day 7 and 13. The serum concentrations of 17β-estradiol were lower in EA-treated rats versus untreated animals at day 7, while they were higher in EA-treated rats than other groups at day 13. However, the progesterone concentrations were lower in EA-treated rats than Control and Sham-EA rats both at day 7 and 13. More importantly, we found that the prostaglandin E2 level in serum was reduced in EA-treated rats versus untreated rats at day 1, while they were upregulated at day 7 and 13. Conversely, the norepinephrine level in serum was increased at day 1, while they were decreased greatly in EA-treated rats versus untreated rats at day 7 and 13. The current results demonstrated that EA could modulate homeostasis of HPO axis in physiologic rats, which would be useful to clarify the mechanisms of EA application on pathological and physiological animals or human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmei Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Sha Nan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chuanguang Suo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiulin Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Manli Hu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Rong Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Juan Wan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianguo Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingxing Ding
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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