Comprehensive review on sexual dimorphism to improve scalp acupuncture in nervous system disease

Study on the comprehensive treatment of migraine with traditional Chinese medicine based on the new pathophysiological mechanism: A review

Migraine is a ubiquitous neurological disorder that affects approximately 1 billion people worldwide. Migraine is the second leading cause of illness in people of all ages worldwide. Uncertainty in migraine diagnosis leads to unnecessary testing and increases the treatment costs. To date, the pathogenesis of migraine is not fully understood, but it is generally believed that migraine involves the trigeminal nerve and its axonal projections to intracranial blood vessels. Pain signals from the trigeminal neurovascular system are transmitted to the brain, resulting in migraines. As an important component of complementary and alternative medicine, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown significant efficacy in the treatment of migraine, and has attracted increasing attention worldwide. This review is based on the pathophysiology of migraines in modern medicine. To explore the comprehensive treatment of migraine using TCM, acupuncture, and various other TCM treatments.

Does acupuncture treatment modulate inflammatory cytokines in rodent models of depression? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Despite the increasing global prevalence of depression, existing treatment methods have limitations. Acupuncture has been recognized for its potential to alleviate various diseases by regulating inflammatory cytokines. However, a comprehensive systematic analysis of the effects of acupuncture on depression through inflammatory cytokines is currently lacking. This review aims to evaluate the impact of acupuncture on inflammatory cytokines in animal models of depression.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Research Information Service System to identify studies that met predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of each included study was assessed using a 10-item checklist adapted from the Cochrane Collaboration methods and animal data review. Meta-analysis was performed using STATA 17.0 software for literature that met the inclusion criteria.

Results

The meta-analysis included a total of 21 studies involving 376 rodents. The overall quality of the included reports was rated as moderate or higher. The results demonstrated that acupuncture had a significant effect on the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including: IL-1β [SMD = 3.36, 95% CI (2.73, 4.00), I2 = 73.3%, p < 0.05], IL-6 [SMD = 3.05, 95% CI (2.45, 3.64), I2 = 68%, p < 0.05], and TNF-α [SMD = 3.30, 95% CI (2.53, 4.06), I2 = 74.5%, p < 0.05]. Conversely, acupuncture was associated with an increased expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, notably: IL-4 [SMD = -1.64, 95% CI (-2.46, -0.82), I2 = 4.1%, p = 0.307] and IL-10 [SMD = -1.45, 95% CI (-2.24, -0.66), I2 = 0, p = 0.678]. These results suggest that acupuncture modulates cytokine levels in depressed rodents, including reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increasing the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, thereby regulating the immune-related antidepressant pathway.

Conclusion

While this study is limited by the number of included studies, the results suggest that acupuncture may be a viable option for the treatment of depression, and this effect is achieved through the regulation of various inflammatory cytokines.

Systematic review registration

This research endeavor was duly registered with PROSPERO (ID: CRD42023420919, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=420919).