Skin Conductance at 24 Source (Yuan) Acupoints in 8637 Patients: Influence of Age, Gender and Time of Day

Noradrenergic Responsiveness Supports Selective Attention across the Adult Lifespan

Selectively attending to relevant information while blocking out distractors is crucial for goal-directed behavior, yet with advancing age, deficits emerge in attentional selectivity. Decrements in attention have been associated with altered noradrenergic activity in animals. However, research linking noradrenergic functioning to attention in aging humans is scarce, likely reflecting long-standing methodological challenges in noninvasive assessments. We studied whether age-related differences in the noradrenergic system predict differences in attention. We measured pupil dilation, a noninvasive marker of arousal-related norepinephrine (NE) release, while concurrently recording the EEG of male younger (N = 39; 25.2 ± 3.2 years) and older adults (N = 38; 70.6 ± 2.7 years). Arousal was modulated on a trial-by-trial basis using fear-conditioned (CS⁺) stimuli. During conditioning, pupil and EEG markers related to heightened arousal were identified. Afterward, in a dichotic listening task, participants were cued to direct attention to either the left or right ear while highly similar syllable pairs were presented simultaneously to both ears. During the dichotic listening task, presentation of fear-conditioned stimuli reinstated the acquired arousal response, as reflected in pupil and EEG α-β band responses. Critically, pupil dilation to CS⁺ was correlated with stronger EEG α-β desynchronization, suggesting a common dependence on NE release. On a behavioral level, stronger arousal reactions were associated with better attention. In particular, structural equation modeling revealed that the responsiveness of the NE system is associated with attention on a latent construct level, measured by several indicator tasks. Overall, our results suggest that the responsiveness of the NE system supports attention across the lifespan.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In old age, the ability to selectively process relevant aspects of the environment fades. Animal research suggests that the neuromodulator norepinephrine helps to maintain selective attention. We tested younger and older adults across a variety of attention tasks. In addition, we used arousing stimuli to experimentally activate participants' noradrenergic system while recording pupillometry and EEG to infer its functional capacity. Older adults showed compromised attention and reduced noradrenergic responsiveness as indicated by interrelated pupil and EEG markers. Crucially, in both age groups, a more responsive noradrenergic system was strongly associated with attention. Our findings link animal and human studies on the neural underpinning of attention in aging and underscore the importance of the noradrenergic system in late-life cognition.

The Development and Application Evaluation of Meridian Energy Detection System in Traditional Oriental Medicine: A Preliminary Study

As technology advances, more modern medical devices are developed to help the physicians in performing objective assessment and diagnosis. In this study, our main objective was to evaluate the clinical application of the low voltage Meridian Energy Detection System in assessing the electrodermal activity (EDA) of the specific acupoints in a specific age group of healthy individuals and to assess the difference in the energy overview between the genders and specific time of assessment. 43 young healthy adults were recruited in a single group, nonrandomized, evaluation study. Written informed consent of each participant was obtained prior to the assessments. Results on energy overview between genders and specific time of assessment as well as factors influencing EDA were discussed. It was concluded that the study using Meridian Energy Detection System in healthy individuals provided an understanding of the difference in energy level of the meridians between the genders. Male healthy individuals had significantly higher values for Physical Status as well as Yin and Yang energy while female healthy individuals had significantly higher values for Mental Health and Autonomic Nervous System. There was no significant difference when comparing the assessments at the specific time of assessment. Hence there was no specific time in using the device. However, due to the limitation of the sample size and the healthy subjects, future research can be designed to investigate whether the time of assessment can affect the results in individuals with specific disease conditions in larger scale. It may merit further studies on the application of such device as preliminary diagnosis of the overall conditions and investigate the treatment efficacy by observing the change in the meridian energy level.

Acupuncture Meridian Energies in Patients Who Are Mentally Disturbed

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Acupuncture medicine states that different pathologies exhibit different patterns of excitation in the 24 main acupuncture meridians. Previous exploratory work has shown that groups of patients with the same pathology exhibit such characteristic patterns when limited numbers of acupuncture points are measured with the AcuGraph meridian energy measuring device. This study reports patterns of meridian energies observed in an exploratory assessment of different classes of patient with mental disturbance.

METHODS

This study was a three-group cross-sectional design. Participants were patients who had been diagnosed by their GP with anxiety (n = 21) and depression (n = 26) and who were entering a treatment program, along with age- and sex-matched controls (n = 44). Patients diagnosed with mild mental disturbance who were aged 20-50 years were eligible to take part. Patients with any cut, wart, or mole on their fingertips or with excess sweating, which would interfere with conductance measurements, were excluded. The assessment comprised conductance values at Jing-Well acupuncture points by AcuGraph4 on entry into the treatment program.

RESULTS

Patients with anxiety had higher meridian energy levels (81.84 ± 38.63) and significant Upper-Lower imbalances (p < 0.05) favoring the upper meridians. Patients with depression had lower energy levels and lower standard deviations (53.36 ± 33.48) as a group. Controls exhibited intermediate energy levels but recorded the lowest scoring variances (62.61 ± 27.05) of the three groups. Kidney meridians had the lowest energy for both of the pathology groups. For the group suffering with anxiety, bladder meridians were also low.

CONCLUSION

Higher variances in AcuGraph4 measurements were observed in patients with either anxiety or depression compared with controls whose variances were the lowest. These results are in accordance with previous observations of greater variance in conductance values in pathology groups. With regard to meridian energies, the lowest were in those with depression, while those with anxiety were the highest. Controls exhibited intermediate energy levels.

Electrodermal Screening of Asthmatics with AcuGraph 4

Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that acupuncture meridian activity is correlated with quality of function of specific organs. This study sets out to determine acupuncture meridian characteristics of subjects with moderate asthma distinguishing them from healthy subjects. Fifty asthma patients (age 35.36 ± 8.68 years) and fifty similarly aged (34.11 ± 7.29 years) healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Electrodermal conductances at Jing Well points were measured with Acugraph 4 and also Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) for the asthma group. All mean meridian conductances were lower for the asthma group, significance differences were in Lung and right Bladder meridians. In contrast, all but two of the standard deviations of group meridian conductances for the Asthma group were higher than those for the Healthy group. Difference in mean PEFR values between Asthma and Healthy groups was significant. These suggest that group measures of electrical conductance at Jing Well points can distinguish asthma from healthy individuals. The study provides support for the usefulness of meridian energy measurements to assess organ related dysfunction and for the idea that pathology groups exhibit higher standard deviations i.e. lower quality of regulation.

Therapeutic efficacy of Traditional Chinese medicine, "Kuan-Sin-Yin", in patients undergoing chemotherapy for advanced colon cancer - A controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used increasingly as complementary medicine in cancer care. Kuan-Sin-Yin (KSY) is a TCM decoction containing seven herbs known to cause immunomodulation or anticancer activity, and which are associated with the TCM concept of Qi and energy supply. Kuan-Sin-Yin has cytostatic effects on cancer cells in animal models.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the level of improvement in meridian energy and heart-rate variability (HRV) and to assess whether these observations are compatible with TCM theory.

METHOD

A non-randomized controlled trial was designed with monitoring of the meridian electro-conductivity and heart-rate variability (HRV) to compare the efficacy of Kuan-Sin-Yin in the control and experimental groups. 52 patients were enrolled in this study. We also measured cancer-related symptoms and quality of life as secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

We found that colon cancer patients who received KSY as complementary therapy benefitted with enhancement of meridian energy (Yin meridian: 27.90:35.45μA; p=0.014; Yang meridian: 27.09:33.55μA; p=0.024) and increases in HRV activity (78.40:129.04ms; SDNN: p=0.001) and parasympathetic tone(HF:1644.80:3217.92 ms²; p=0.003; RMMSD:99.76:164.52ms; p=0.002). Cancer-related symptoms decreased (ECOG>1:46.2:7.7%; p=0.0001), and quality of life (KSY group: PCS 35.46:42.12, p=0.0001; MCS: 44.50:47.55, p=0.209) was improved with statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

The correlation of positive results reflected in meridian energy and HRV activity confirms the positive role of complementary medicine of Kuan-Sin-Yin in cancer care.

Can yoga practices benefit health by improving organism regulation? Evidence from electrodermal measures of acupuncture meridians

Objectives:

To document and explain Yoga's effects on acupuncture meridian energies. To understand mechanisms behind Yoga's efficacy by testing links between yoga and traditional Chinese medicine.

Materials and Methods:

The study compared two groups of yoga practitioners: Novice and experienced. Novices consisted of 33 volunteers from a Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) yoga instructor training module and the experienced practitioners were 20 resident SVYASA students. The intervention was 3 weeks of a yoga training program, new for the novices, but the lifestyle of the experienced group, who were therefore assessed only once. Novices were assessed on day 2 and 23 of their program at SVYASA's Yoga Medicine Hospital, making their data a pre-post, self-as-control, prospective study. Main outcome measures were mean acumeridian energy levels assessed by AcuGraph3 measures of electrodermal resistance at acupoints; additionally, gender differences, standard deviations (SDs) of all measures, and comparison of post and experienced group data.

Results:

Averaged energy levels significantly improved in all 24 meridians (maximum P = 0.032, 4-P < 0.01, and 19-P < 0.001). Females improved more than males (P < 0.05), both ending at similar levels to experienced practitioners, whose SDs were lower than novices on 19/24 meridians (mean F = 3.715, P = 0.0022), and 4/5 average variables.

Conclusions:

AcuGraph3 electrodermal measures contain substantial information, P << 0.00001. Yoga-lifestyle practice can increase and balance acumeridian energies; long-term practice decreases group SD's. These three suggest reasons why yoga practice impacts health: One, increased prana levels are important; two and three, improved physiological regulation is the key. Further studies relating traditional Indian and Chinese medical systems are needed.

Electrical properties of human skin as aging biomarkers

A non-invasive bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) and Cole-Cole impedance model parameters (R0, R∞, τ and α) were used to analyze electrical properties of intact and stripped human skin for both gender subjects divided into younger and older age groups. R0, R∞ and τ significantly increased while α significantly decreased with age in stripped skin for both genders (p<0.031). Using pooled data with respect to age, gender and skin stripping, R0, R∞ and τ values were shown to increase with age (p<0.0034), R0, τ and α were different between genders (p<0.024) and R0, R∞ and τ decreased with skin stripping (p<0.000008). All of four Cole-Cole parameters were age dependent with specific differences observed for genders and intact and stripped skin layers. Therefore, Cole-Cole parameters, obtained by non-invasive BIS measurements, are a new type of age dependent biomarkers.

System for simultaneous measurements of bilaterally symmetrical acupoints multifrequency impedances

Devices which can obtain comparable bilaterally symmetrical acupoints (BSA) multifrequency impedances (MFI) are often needed in the detection of the energy balance states of acupoints in traditional Chinese medicine. To satisfy these needs, a two-channel impedance measurement system has been introduced which is capable of accurately and simultaneously measuring BSA MFI. The system includes a set of five electrodes, two of which are injected with exciting current signal to synchronously and equally excite BSA; the other three electrodes are used as sensors to simultaneously sense the response signal from both sides. The system also includes a PC-based time-domain signal testing platform with arbitrary current waveform generation and three channels (one exciting current and two response voltages) simultaneously sampling, and a set of MFI simultaneously unbiased computing algorithms based on special odd multisine current signal input. Preliminary validating experiments suggest that the system allows accurate and synchronous measurement of BSA MFI at least in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 60 kHz, and the obtained BSA MFI are well comparable.

Direct moxibustion to treat spleen qi and yang deficiency fatigue: a pilot study

Limited research suggests that indirect moxibustion may be beneficial for treating fatigue, but no studies to evaluate direct moxibustion have been conducted in the United States. Thus, we explored the usefulness of four outcome measures for evaluating the effectiveness of direct moxibustion for patients with spleen qi and yang deficiency fatigue (SQYDF). Eleven female volunteers, ages 25-60 years, were enrolled. Three to five rice grains in thread-sized moxa cones were burned on 11 acupuncture points once per week for 8 weeks. Eight participants completed the study. The most common adverse events (AEs) were temporary worsening of fatigue, lightheadedness, and headache. Symptomatic improvement was seen on the SF-36 energy/fatigue scale (p=0.003), SF-36 social function scale (p=0.008) and Flinders fatigue scale (p=0.014). The skin conductance at acupoints showed no consistent diagnostic baseline meridian patterns. Heart rate variability data showed an improved low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio in three of four participants. Direct moxibustion is safe in patients with SQYDF. The Flinders Fatigue Scale (FFS) and the SF-36 are useful outcome measures for evaluating the effects of direct moxibustion, and the heart rate variability (HRV) may be, but the skin conductance did not correlate with SQYDF diagnosis or with symptomatic improvement.

Complementary and alternative medicine in children: an analysis of the recent literature

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Although many publications have documented the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in children and adolescents, most have lacked the scientific rigor to establish clear benefits over so-called conventional medicine. We reviewed the literature published in the past year to identify the types of CAM most often studied in children, the variety of conditions to which these modalities are applied, and the methodologies used in the articles exploring the most prevalent CAM modalities.

RECENT FINDINGS

We identified 111 published articles on CAM use in children in 2011. The most common modalities were herbal/dietary supplements, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, and homeopathy. The most commonly studied conditions were pain, headache, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), asthma, and colic. Although a majority of the articles consisted of reviews, case reports, and other nonhypothesis-driven methodologies, we did find that several were randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, or systematic reviews. These methodologies, however, rarely accounted for the majority of publications on a particular therapy or condition.

SUMMARY

The use of CAM in children continues to occupy a niche area of interest for many providers and families, but only a minority of articles published in the past year utilized methods of sufficient rigor to provide a useful comparison to more conventional therapies.