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van der Ploeg ES, Bitane RM, Schoones JW, Achterberg WP, Smaling HJA. Mind-body practices for people living with dementia and their family carers: a systematic review. JOURNAL OF COMPLEMENTARY & INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2024; 0:jcim-2024-0142. [PMID: 39005049 DOI: 10.1515/jcim-2024-0142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION People with dementia and their family carers may benefit from non-pharmacological interventions, including mind-body (MB-) practices, which can improve physical and mental health by inducing relaxation. This systematic review provides an overview of availability and effects of MB-practices. CONTENT The authors performed a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, Emcare, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Academic Search Premier on February 1, 2024. Research papers on MB-practices for people with dementia and/or their family carers in English, Chinese, Japanese, German, French and Dutch were included if a full text was available. Selection of included articles, data extraction and methodological quality assessments were conducted by two researchers. SUMMARY Of the 130 included studies, 100 (77 %) were of high quality. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and touch interventions for people with dementia, and meditations for family carers resulted in improvements in respectively cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms, and mental health. Lack of evidence for other MB-practices is related to small numbers of studies, fragmented use of outcome measures and mixed findings. OUTLOOK MB-practices showed promising results. We recommend implementation and further research of TCM- and touch interventions for people with dementia as well as meditations for family carers. We suggest a cross-over of the promising results of one group to be studied in the other group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva S van der Ploeg
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, 4501 Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rutger M Bitane
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, 4501 Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jan W Schoones
- Directorate of Research Policy, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wilco P Achterberg
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, 4501 Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden, The Netherlands
- University Network for the Care sector Zuid-Holland, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Hanneke J A Smaling
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, 4501 Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden, The Netherlands
- University Network for the Care sector Zuid-Holland, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Yin Z, Wang Z, Li Y, Zhou J, Chen Z, Xia M, Zhang X, Wu J, Zhao L, Liang F. Neuroimaging studies of acupuncture on Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review. BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:63. [PMID: 36823586 PMCID: PMC9948384 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-03888-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acupuncture effectively improves cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Many neuroimaging studies have found significant brain alterations after acupuncture treatment of AD, but the underlying central modulation mechanism is unclear. OBJECTIVE This review aims to provide neuroimaging evidence to understand the central mechanisms of acupuncture in patients with AD. METHODS Relevant neuroimaging studies about acupuncture for AD were retrieved from eight English and Chinese medicine databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, SinoMed, CNKI, WF, VIP) and other resources from inception of databases until June 1, 2022, and their methodological quality was assessed using RoB 2.0 and ROBINS - I. Brain neuroimaging information was extracted to investigate the potential neural mechanism of acupuncture for AD. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. RESULTS Thirteen neuroimaging studies involving 275 participants were included in this review, and the overall methodological quality of included studies was moderate. The approaches applied included task-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (ts-fMRI; n = 9 studies) and rest-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI; n = 4 studies). All studies focused on the instant effect of acupuncture on the brains of AD participants, including the cingulate gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, and cerebellum, indicating that acupuncture may regulate the default mode, central executive, and frontoparietal networks. CONCLUSION This study provides evidence of the neural mechanisms underlying the effect of acupuncture on AD involving cognitive- and motor-associated networks. However, this evidence is still in the preliminary investigation stage. Large-scale, well-designed, multimodal neuroimaging trials are still required to provide comprehensive insight into the central mechanism underlying the effect of acupuncture on AD. (Systematic review registration at PROSPERO, No. CRD42022331527).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihan Yin
- grid.411304.30000 0001 0376 205XSchool of Acu-Mox and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China ,Acupuncture Clinical Research Center of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Ziqi Wang
- grid.517561.1the Fourth People’s Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, China
| | - Yaqin Li
- grid.411304.30000 0001 0376 205XSchool of Acu-Mox and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- grid.411304.30000 0001 0376 205XSchool of Acu-Mox and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhenghong Chen
- grid.411304.30000 0001 0376 205XSchool of Acu-Mox and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China ,Acupuncture Clinical Research Center of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Manze Xia
- grid.411304.30000 0001 0376 205XSchool of Acu-Mox and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China ,Acupuncture Clinical Research Center of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- grid.411304.30000 0001 0376 205XSchool of Acu-Mox and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China ,Acupuncture Clinical Research Center of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiajing Wu
- grid.417409.f0000 0001 0240 6969School of Nursing, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Ling Zhao
- School of Acu-Mox and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China. .,Acupuncture Clinical Research Center of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China.
| | - Fanrong Liang
- School of Acu-Mox and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China. .,Acupuncture Clinical Research Center of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China.
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Zhang Z, Chen L, Guo Y, Li D, Zhang J, Liu L, Fan W, Guo T, Qin S, Zhao Y, Xu Z, Chen Z. The neuroprotective and neural circuit mechanisms of acupoint stimulation for cognitive impairment. Chin Med 2023; 18:8. [PMID: 36670425 PMCID: PMC9863122 DOI: 10.1186/s13020-023-00707-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is a prevalent neurological disorder that burdens families and the healthcare system. Current conventional therapies for cognitive impairment, such as cholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists, are unable to completely stop or reverse the progression of the disease. Also, these medicines may cause serious problems with the digestive system, cardiovascular system, and sleep. Clinically, stimulation of acupoints has the potential to ameliorate the common symptoms of a variety of cognitive disorders, such as memory deficit, language dysfunction, executive dysfunction, reduced ability to live independently, etc. There are common acupoint stimulation mechanisms for treating various types of cognitive impairment, but few systematic analyses of the underlying mechanisms in this domain have been performed. This study comprehensively reviewed the basic research from the last 20 years and found that acupoint stimulation can effectively improve the spatial learning and memory of animals. The common mechanism may be that acupoint stimulation protects hippocampal neurons by preventing apoptosis and scavenging toxic proteins. Additionally, acupoint stimulation has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, promoting neural regeneration, regulating synaptic plasticity, and normalizing neural circuits by restoring brain functional activity and connectivity. Acupoint stimulation also inhibits the production of amyloid β-peptide and the phosphorylation of Tau protein, suggesting that it may protect neurons by promoting correct protein folding and regulating the degradation of toxic proteins via the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. However, the benefits of acupoint stimulation still need to be further explored in more high-quality studies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zichen Zhang
- grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China
| | - Liuyi Chen
- grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China ,grid.257143.60000 0004 1772 1285First Clinical College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Guo
- grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China ,grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, 300381 People’s Republic of China
| | - Dan Li
- grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China ,grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China ,grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, 300381 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingyu Zhang
- grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China
| | - Ling Liu
- grid.257143.60000 0004 1772 1285First Clinical College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065 People’s Republic of China
| | - Wen Fan
- grid.412879.10000 0004 0374 1074Department of Rehabilitation Physical Therapy Course, Faculty of Health Science, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka City, 5100293 Japan
| | - Tao Guo
- grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China
| | - Siru Qin
- grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yadan Zhao
- grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhifang Xu
- grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China ,grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China ,grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, 300381 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zelin Chen
- grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218Research Center of Experimental Acupuncture Science, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China ,grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and Tuina, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617 People’s Republic of China ,grid.410648.f0000 0001 1816 6218National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, 300381 People’s Republic of China
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Warren A. An integrative approach to dementia care. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2023; 4:1143408. [PMID: 36873742 PMCID: PMC9978191 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2023.1143408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
As the aging population continues to increase, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are becoming a global health crisis. The burdens experienced by the person living with dementia, their caregivers, healthcare, and society persist unabated. Persons with dementia represent an important population in need of a tenable care plan. Caregivers need the tools with which to properly care for these persons and to mitigate their own stress response. A viable healthcare model utilizing integrated approaches to care for persons with dementia is in overwhelming demand. While much research is focused on a cure, it is equally important to address the difficulties faced by those currently affected. One approach is to incorporate interventions to increase quality of life within the caregiver-patient dyad via a comprehensive integrative model. Improving daily life of the persons with dementia, along with their caregivers and loved ones may aid in attenuating the pervasive psychological and physical impacts of this disease. A focus on interventions that provide neural and physical stimulation may facilitate quality of life in this regard. The subjective experience of this disease is challenging to capture. The relationship between neurocognitive stimulation and quality of life is at least, in part, therefore still uncertain. This narrative review aims to explore the efficacy and evidence-base of an integrative approach to dementia care in facilitating optimal cognition and quality of life outcomes. These approaches will be reviewed alongside person-centered care that is fundamental to integrative medicine, including exercise; music; art and creativity; nutrition; psychosocial engagement; memory training; and acupuncture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Warren
- DAOM, MSHS (Master of science in health sciences), Department of Clinical Research and Leadership, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
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Chen S, Huang L, Liu G, Kang J, Qian Q, Wang J, Wang R, Zheng L, Wang H, Ou P. Acupuncture Ameliorated Behavioral Abnormalities in the Autism Rat Model via Pathways for Hippocampal Serotonin. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2023; 19:951-972. [PMID: 37096024 PMCID: PMC10122481 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s398321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Acupuncture can improve symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the potential mechanisms remain undefined. So, we aimed to explore the behavioral improvement of autism rat model after acupuncture and to describe the potential molecular mechanism underlying these changes. Patients and Methods Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with VPA 12.5 days after conception, and their offspring were considered as good models of autism. Experimental rats were divided into three groups (wild-type (WT), n = 10; VPA, n = 10; and VPA_acupuncture, n = 10). VPA_acupuncture group rat received 4 weeks of acupuncture treatment (Shéntíng (GV24), and Bilateral Běnshén (GB13)) on the 23rd day after birth. All rats were subjected to behavioral tests, including social interaction, open field, and Morris water maze tests. Afterwards, hippocampal tissues (left side) were removed and subjected to RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis; ELISA was also used to detect the associated serotonin levels in the hippocampus. Results Behavioral tests showed that acupuncture treatment improved spontaneous activity, aberrant social interaction, and alleviated impaired learning and memory in the VPA-induced rat model. Differentially expressed genes (DGEs) analysis showed 142 significantly differentially expressed genes between WT and VPA groups, and 282 between VPA and VPA_acupuncture rats. Htr2c and Htr1a, 5-HT receptor genes, were up-regulated in the VPA group compared with WT group. Additionally, Tph1, a rate-limiting enzyme gene of 5-HT synthesis, was up-regulated after acupuncture. These genes were confirmed to have the same trend of expression obtained by RT-qPCR and RNA seq. Furthermore, the concentration of serotonin in the hippocampus in the VPA group was significantly lower than the WT and VPA_acupuncture groups. Conclusion Acupuncture improved abnormal behavioral symptoms in the VPA-induced rat model. Further experiments showed that the improvement of the serotonin system may be one of the main regulatory mechanisms of acupuncture for treating ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijie Chen
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350108, People’s Republic of China
| | - Longsheng Huang
- Child Health Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guihua Liu
- Child Health Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Kang
- Department of TCM Syndrome Research Base, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350122, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qinfang Qian
- Child Health Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350001, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingrong Wang
- Child Health Center, Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350011, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rong Wang
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350108, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lizhen Zheng
- College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350108, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haijun Wang
- School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100089, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ping Ou
- Child Health Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350001, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Ping Ou, Child Health Center, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 350001, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13905916211, Email
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Zhou K, He J, Quan L, Guo R. Clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with Western medicine in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer disease: A protocol of a randomized controlled trial. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e30705. [PMID: 36181104 PMCID: PMC9524917 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000030705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer disease (AD) is a common cause of dementia, and there are still a lack of treatment options to reverse or prevent disease progression. Existing evidence shows that acupuncture has advantages in the treatment of AD, but whether the efficacy of acupuncture belongs to the placebo effect remains controversial, and there is no strict placebo-controlled clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with Western medicine in the treatment of AD. METHODS This is a prospective randomized, a single-blind, sham-acupuncture controlled trial to study the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with Western medicine in the treatment of mild to moderate AD. Participants will be randomly divided into treatment and control groups. The treatment group using acupuncture combined with donepezil hydrochloride orally, and the control group using sham acupuncture combined with donepezil hydrochloride orally, followed up for 24 weeks after 24 weeks of continuous treatment. Outcome measures included: AD assessment scale-cognitive subscale, mini-mental state examination, activities of daily living, neuropsychiatric inventory questionnaire, serum superoxide dismutase, and homocysteine levels. Finally, SPASS 21.0 software was used for statistical analysis of the data. DISCUSSION This study will evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture combined with Western medicine in improving cognitive function and activities of daily living in AD patients. The results of this study will verify whether the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of AD belongs to the placebo effect, which will also provide a reference for the clinical use of acupuncture combined with Western medicine in the treatment of AD. TRIAL REGISTRATION The TCTR identification number is TCTR20220817004.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangmei Zhou
- Deyang Vocational College of Technology and Trade, Deyang, China
| | - Jierong He
- Deyang Vocational College of Technology and Trade, Deyang, China
| | - Lin Quan
- Deyang Vocational College of Technology and Trade, Deyang, China
| | - Rong Guo
- Deyang Vocational College of Technology and Trade, Deyang, China
- *Correspondence: Rong Guo, Deyang Vocational College of Technology and Trade, No. 122, West Section 4, Liuyang Road, Guanghan City, Deyang City, Sichuan Province 618300, China (e-mail:)
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Yue J, Li XL, Gao RX, Zhang Q, Li A, Zhao WW, Li Y, Li SL. Research status, hotspots and trends of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: A bibliometric analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e30858. [PMID: 36181105 PMCID: PMC9524865 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000030858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acupuncture and moxibustion (AM) are utilized to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, no bibliometric analysis has explored this issue. Thus, this study investigated the status, hotspots and trends of AM in the treatment of AD. METHODS CiteSpace and VOSviewer softwares were used to analyze the literature on the AM for AD in the Web of Science Core Collection database. We analyzed the data of countries/regions, institutions, journals, authors, keywords, and cited references. RESULTS After removing duplicates, 193 articles were retrieved. The number of publications on this topic has increased gradually. The most productive and collaborative country was China (143 documents), followed by South Korea (19). The top 3 active academic institutions were Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Capital Medicine University, and Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. The most productive journal was Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (13 documents), followed by the Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (10), Medicine (10), and Neural Regeneration Research (10). The top 3 co-cited journals were Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (156 citations), Acupuncture Electro-therapeutics Research (152), and Acupuncture in Medicine (146). The research hotspots in this domain are dementia, memory, hippocampus, mouse models, and Parkinson's disease. Major frontiers are comparing the therapeutic effects of acupuncture and donepezil and electroacupuncture at different frequencies in this field. CONCLUSION This bibliometric study identified relevant hotspots and trends in research on AM in the treatment of AD, which can provide researchers with key information in this domain and help further explore new research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhuan Yue
- Department of Tuina, Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shenzhen Jiuwei Chinese Medicine Clinic, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiao-Ling Li
- Division of CT and MRI, First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Rui-Xue Gao
- Graduate School of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Qinhong Zhang
- Department of Tuina, Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shenzhen Jiuwei Chinese Medicine Clinic, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ang Li
- Sanofi-Aventis China Investment Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | | | - Yan Li
- Department of Otolaryngology, First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Shu-Lin Li
- First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- *Correspondence: Shu-Lin Li, First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, No. 26 Heping Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150040, China (e-mail: )
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Lin B, Zhang L, Yin X, Chen X, Ruan C, Wu T, Liu Z, Huang J. Modulation of entorhinal cortex–hippocampus connectivity and recognition memory following electroacupuncture on 3×Tg-AD model: Evidence from multimodal MRI and electrophysiological recordings. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:968767. [PMID: 35968386 PMCID: PMC9372370 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.968767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory loss and aberrant neuronal network activity are part of the earliest hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Electroacupuncture (EA) has been recognized as a cognitive stimulation for its effects on memory disorder, but whether different brain regions or neural circuits contribute to memory recovery in AD remains unknown. Here, we found that memory deficit was ameliorated in 3×Tg-AD mice with EA-treatment, as shown by the increased number of exploring and time spent in the novel object. In addition, reduced locomotor activity was observed in 3×Tg-AD mice, but no significant alteration was seen in the EA-treated mice. Based on the functional magnetic resonance imaging, the regional spontaneous activity alterations of 3×Tg-AD were mainly concentrated in the accumbens nucleus, auditory cortex, caudate putamen, entorhinal cortex (EC), hippocampus, insular cortex, subiculum, temporal cortex, visual cortex, and so on. While EA-treatment prevented the chaos of brain activity in parts of the above regions, such as the auditory cortex, EC, hippocampus, subiculum, and temporal cortex. And then we used the whole-cell voltage-clamp recording to reveal the neurotransmission in the hippocampus, and found that EA-treatment reversed the synaptic spontaneous release. Since the hippocampus receives most of the projections of the EC, the hippocampus-EC circuit is one of the neural circuits related to memory impairment. We further applied diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tracking and functional connectivity, and found that hypo-connected between the hippocampus and EC with EA-treatment. These data indicate that the hippocampus–EC connectivity is responsible for the recognition memory deficit in the AD mice with EA-treatment, and provide novel insight into potential therapies for memory loss in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Lin
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lanlan Zhang
- TCM Rehabilitation Research Center of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM), Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaolong Yin
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaocheng Chen
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chendong Ruan
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Tiecheng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Orthopedics & Traumatology of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhizhen Liu
- TCM Rehabilitation Research Center of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM), Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jia Huang
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jia Huang,
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Zhan Y, Fu Q, Pei J, Fan M, Yu Q, Guo M, Zhou H, Wang T, Wang L, Chen Y. Modulation of Brain Activity and Functional Connectivity by Acupuncture Combined With Donepezil on Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease: A Neuroimaging Pilot Study. Front Neurol 2022; 13:912923. [PMID: 35899271 PMCID: PMC9309357 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.912923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Functional brain imaging changes have been proven as potential pathophysiological targets in early-stage AD. Current longitudinal neuroimaging studies of AD treated by acupuncture, which is one of the growingly acknowledged non-pharmacological interventions, have neither adopted comprehensive acupuncture protocols, nor explored the changes after a complete treatment duration. Thus, the mechanisms of acupuncture effects remain not fully investigated. Objective This study aimed to investigate the changes in spontaneous brain activity and functional connectivity and provide evidence for central mechanism of a 12-week acupuncture program on mild-to-moderate AD. Methods A total of forty-four patients with mild-to-moderate AD and twenty-two age- and education-level-matched healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. The forty-four patients with AD received a 12-week intervention of either acupuncture combined with Donepezil (the treatment group) or Donepezil alone (the control group). The two groups received two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans before and after treatment. The healthy subject group underwent no intervention, and only one fMRI scan was performed after enrollment. The fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and functional connectivity (FC) were applied to analyze the imaging data. The correlations between the imaging indicators and the changed score of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Section (ADAS-cog) were also explored. Results After the 12-week intervention, compared to those in the control group, patients with AD in the treatment group scored significantly lower on ADAS-cog value. Moreover, compared to healthy subjects, the areas where the fALFF value decreased in patients with AD were mainly located in the right inferior temporal gyrus, middle/inferior frontal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, left precuneus, and bilateral superior temporal gyrus. Compared with the control group, the right precuneus demonstrated the greatest changed value of fALFF after the intervention in the treatment group. The difference in ADAS-cog after interventions was positively correlated with the difference in fALFF value in the left temporal lobe. Right precuneus-based FC analysis showed that the altered FC by the treatment group compared to the control group was mainly located in the bilateral middle temporal gyrus. Conclusion The study revealed the key role of precuneus in the effect of the combination of acupuncture and Donepezil on mild-to-moderate AD for cognitive function, as well as its connection with middle temporal gyrus, which provided a potential treating target for AD. Trial Registration Number: NCT03810794 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Zhan
- Department of Acupuncture, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinhui Fu
- Department of Acupuncture, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Pei
- Department of Acupuncture, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Jian Pei
| | - Mingxia Fan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiurong Yu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Miao Guo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Houguang Zhou
- Department of Geriatrics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Center, Shanghai Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liaoyao Wang
- Department of Acupuncture, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaoxin Chen
- Department of Acupuncture, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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10
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Yang B, He M, Chen X, Sun M, Pan T, Xu X, Zhang X, Gong Q, Zhao Y, Jin Z, Cheng Z. Acupuncture Effect Assessment in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice: On Regulating Learning-Memory Abilities, Gut Microbiota, and Microbial Metabolites. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:1527159. [PMID: 35432583 PMCID: PMC9012623 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1527159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a brain illness that affects learning and memory capacities over time. In recent investigations, acupuncture has been shown to be an effective alternative treatment for AD. We investigated the effect of acupuncture on learning and memory abilities using a water maze in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. The amounts of Aβ and tau protein in mice's hippocampal tissue were determined using Western blot. The levels of IL-1β, IL-10, LPS and TNF-α in mice's serum were measured using ELISA. The variations of gut microbiota in mice's feces were determined using the 16SrDNA technique, and the metabolites were examined using a untargeted metabolomics methodology. The results showed that acupuncture treatment improved mice's learning and memory abilities substantially. Acupuncture therapy regulated the Aβ and tau protein concentration as well as the levels of IL-10 and LPS. Acupuncture treatment influenced the mouse microbiota and metabolites and had been linked to six biochemical pathways. This study adds to our understanding of the effect of acupuncture on AD and opens the door to further research into the alterations of intestinal bacteria in the presence of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Yang
- Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 79, Chongshan Eastern Rd, Huanggu District, 110847 Shenyang, China
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1035, Boshuo Rd, Jingyue Economic Development District, 130117 Changchun, China
| | - Min He
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1035, Boshuo Rd, Jingyue Economic Development District, 130117 Changchun, China
| | - Xinhua Chen
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1035, Boshuo Rd, Jingyue Economic Development District, 130117 Changchun, China
| | - Mengmeng Sun
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1035, Boshuo Rd, Jingyue Economic Development District, 130117 Changchun, China
| | - Ting Pan
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1035, Boshuo Rd, Jingyue Economic Development District, 130117 Changchun, China
| | - Xiaohong Xu
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1035, Boshuo Rd, Jingyue Economic Development District, 130117 Changchun, China
| | - Xuesong Zhang
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1035, Boshuo Rd, Jingyue Economic Development District, 130117 Changchun, China
| | - Qing Gong
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1035, Boshuo Rd, Jingyue Economic Development District, 130117 Changchun, China
| | - Ye Zhao
- Northwest University, No. 229, Taibai North Road, Xi' an 710069, China
| | - Ziqi Jin
- Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1035, Boshuo Rd, Jingyue Economic Development District, 130117 Changchun, China
| | - Zedong Cheng
- Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 79, Chongshan Eastern Rd, Huanggu District, 110847 Shenyang, China
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11
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Huang CH, Lin MC, Chou IC, Hsieh CL. Acupuncture Treatment is Associated with Reduced Dementia Risk in Patients with Migraine: A Propensity-Score-Matched Cohort Study of Real-World Data. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2022; 18:1895-1906. [PMID: 36065385 PMCID: PMC9440707 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s372076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Migraine is a recurrent headache disease that has been identified as a risk factor for subsequent dementia. The present study collected data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) to investigate the incidence of dementia in patients with migraine who did or did not concurrently receive acupuncture treatment. METHODS A 1:1 propensity score method was used to match an equal number of patients (N = 4813) in the acupuncture and nonacupuncture cohorts based on sex, age, migraine diagnosis year, index year, insurance amount, urbanization level, baseline comorbidities, and medication usage. We employed Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate the risk of dementia. RESULTS Patients with migraine who received acupuncture treatment were found to have a lower risk of dementia (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.40-0.65) than those who did not undergo acupuncture treatment. The cumulative incidence of dementia was significantly lower in the acupuncture cohort than in the nonacupuncture cohort (Log rank test, p < 0.001). This propensity score-matched cohort study demonstrated an association between acupuncture treatment and dementia development in patients with migraine in Taiwan. CONCLUSION The results suggest that acupuncture treatment significantly reduced the development of dementia in patients with migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Hao Huang
- Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, 40402, Taiwan.,Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, 40447, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Chen Lin
- Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 40447, Taiwan.,College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan
| | - I-Ching Chou
- School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, 40402, Taiwan.,Division of Pediatric Neurology, China Medical University Children's Hospital, Taichung City, 40447, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Liang Hsieh
- Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, 40447, Taiwan.,Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung City, 40402, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung City, 40402, Taiwan
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12
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Weber CJ, Carrillo MC, Jagust W, Jack CR, Shaw LM, Trojanowski JQ, Saykin AJ, Beckett LA, Sur C, Rao NP, Mendez PC, Black SE, Li K, Iwatsubo T, Chang C, Sosa AL, Rowe CC, Perrin RJ, Morris JC, Healan AM, Hall SE, Weiner MW. The Worldwide Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative: ADNI-3 updates and global perspectives. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (NEW YORK, N. Y.) 2021; 7:e12226. [PMID: 35005206 PMCID: PMC8719344 DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The Worldwide Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (WW-ADNI) is a collaborative effort to investigate imaging and biofluid markers that can inform Alzheimer's disease treatment trials. It is a public-private partnership that spans North America, Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan. In 2004, ADNI researchers began a naturalistic, longitudinal study that continues today around the globe. Through several successive phases (ADNI-1, ADNI-GO, ADNI-2, and ADNI-3), the study has fueled amyloid and tau phenotyping and refined neuroimaging methodologies. WW-ADNI researchers have successfully standardized analyses and openly share data without embargo, providing a rich data set for other investigators. On August 26, 2020, the Alzheimer's Association convened WW-ADNI researchers who shared updates from ADNI-3 and their vision for ADNI-4.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - William Jagust
- School of Public Health and Helen Wills Neuroscience InstituteUniversity of California BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Leslie M. Shaw
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicinePerelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - John Q. Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicinePerelman School of MedicineInstitute on AgingPerelman School of MedicineAlzheimer's Disease Core Center, Perelman School of MedicineUdall Parkinson's Research CenterPerelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Andrew J. Saykin
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences and the Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research CenterDepartment of Medical and Molecular GeneticsIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Laurel A. Beckett
- Division of BiostatisticsDepartment of Public Health SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Cyrille Sur
- Merck Research LaboratoriesMerckKenilworthNew JerseyUSA
| | - Naren P. Rao
- Department of PsychiatryNational Institute of Mental Health and NeurosciencesBengaluruKarnatakaIndia
| | | | - Sandra E. Black
- Department of Medicine (Neurology)Hurvitz Brain Sciences ProgramCanadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery, and LC Campbell Cognitive Neurology Research UnitHurvitz Brain Sciences Research ProgramSunnybrook Research InstituteSunnybrook Health Sciences CentreUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Kuncheng Li
- Department of RadiologyXuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Takeshi Iwatsubo
- Department of NeuropathologyGraduate School of MedicineThe University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Chiung‐Chih Chang
- Department of General Neurology and Institute for Translational Research in BiomedicineKaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial HospitalChang Gung University College of MedicineKaohsiungTaiwan
| | - Ana Luisa Sosa
- National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery of MexicoMexico CityMexico
| | - Christopher C. Rowe
- Department of Molecular Imaging and TherapyAustin Health and Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental HealthUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Richard J. Perrin
- Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer Disease Research CenterDepartment of Pathology and ImmunologyDepartment of NeurologyWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - John C. Morris
- Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer Disease Research CenterDepartment of NeurologyWashington University School of MedicineSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | | | | | - Michael W. Weiner
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical CenterCenter for Imaging of Neurodegenerative DiseasesDepartment of RadiologyDepartment of MedicineDepartment of PsychiatryDepartment of NeurologyUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
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13
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Teja Y, Helianthi DR, Nareswari I. The Role of Medical Acupuncture Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease. Med Acupunct 2021; 33:396-402. [PMID: 34987697 PMCID: PMC8717884 DOI: 10.1089/acu.2021.0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory deficits and other cognitive disorders, which can be accompanied by personality changes. Long-term use of medications available to treat AD today have a variety of side-effects. Acupuncture, as a nonpharmacologic therapeutic modality providing stimulation at acupuncture points, using filiform needles, has been widely tested and used to manage of AD and can be a therapeutic option, considering its effectiveness and lack of side-effects. Methods: This literature review examines the role of acupuncture in AD treatment. Results: Acupuncture can ameliorate AD symptoms through decreasing amyloid-β protein, reducing neuroinflammation, enhancing the antioxidant system, improving neurogenesis, enhancing prosurvival protein, reducing proapoptotic protein, and regulating brain energy metabolism. Conclusions: According to various research findings, acupuncture may be a therapeutic choice for addressing AD that avoids the long-term side-effects caused by medical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Teja
- Department of Medical Acupuncture, RSUPN
Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, Central Jakarta, Indonesia
- Medical Acupuncture Specialist Program,
Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Dwi Rachma Helianthi
- Department of Medical Acupuncture, RSUPN
Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, Central Jakarta, Indonesia
- Medical Acupuncture Specialist Program,
Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Irma Nareswari
- Department of Medical Acupuncture, RSUPN
Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, Central Jakarta, Indonesia
- Medical Acupuncture Specialist Program,
Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
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14
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Si X, Xiang S, Zhang L, Li S, Zhang K, Ming D. Acupuncture With deqi Modulates the Hemodynamic Response and Functional Connectivity of the Prefrontal-Motor Cortical Network. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:693623. [PMID: 34483822 PMCID: PMC8415569 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.693623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
As a world intangible cultural heritage, acupuncture is considered an essential modality of complementary and alternative therapy to Western medicine. Despite acupuncture’s long history and public acceptance, how the cortical network is modulated by acupuncture remains largely unclear. Moreover, as the basic acupuncture unit for regulating the central nervous system, how the cortical network is modulated during acupuncture at the Hegu acupoint is mostly unclear. Here, multi-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data were recorded from twenty healthy subjects for acupuncture manipulation, pre- and post-manipulation tactile controls, and pre- and post-acupuncture rest controls. Results showed that: (1) acupuncture manipulation caused significantly increased acupuncture behavioral deqi performance compared with tactile controls. (2) The bilateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and motor cortex were significantly inhibited during acupuncture manipulation than controls, which was evidenced by the decreased power of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) concentration. (3) The bilateral PFC’s hemodynamic responses showed a positive correlation trend with acupuncture behavioral performance. (4) The network connections with bilateral PFC as nodes showed significantly increased functional connectivity during acupuncture manipulation compared with controls. (5) Meanwhile, the network’s efficiency was improved by acupuncture manipulation, evidenced by the increased global efficiency and decreased shortest path length. Taken together, these results reveal that a cooperative PFC-Motor functional network could be modulated by acupuncture manipulation at the Hegu acupoint. This study provides neuroimaging evidence that explains acupuncture’s neuromodulation effects on the cortical network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng Si
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neural Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin International Engineering Institute, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Institute of Applied Psychology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shaoxin Xiang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neural Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin International Engineering Institute, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ludan Zhang
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neural Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Sicheng Li
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neural Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Kuo Zhang
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neural Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Dong Ming
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neural Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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15
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Zhang J, Li Z, Li Z, Li J, Hu Q, Xu J, Yu H. Progress of Acupuncture Therapy in Diseases Based on Magnetic Resonance Image Studies: A Literature Review. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:694919. [PMID: 34489662 PMCID: PMC8417610 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.694919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural mechanisms of acupuncture are not well-understood. Over the past decades, an increasing number of studies have used MRI to investigate the response of the brain to acupuncture. The current review aims to provide an update on acupuncture therapy in disease. The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to January 31, 2021. Article selection and data extraction were conducted by two review authors. A total of 107 publications about MRI in acupuncture were included, the collective findings of which were as follows: (1) stroke and GB34 (Yanglingquan) are the most studied disease and acupoint. Related studies suggested that the mechanism of acupuncture treatment for stroke may associate with structural and functional plasticity, left and right hemispheres balance, and activation of brain areas related to movement and cognition. GB34 is mainly used in stroke and Parkinson's disease, which mainly activates brain response in the premotor cortex, the supplementary motor area, and the supramarginal gyrus; (2) resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and functional connectivity (FC) analysis are the most frequently used approaches; (3) estimates of efficacy and brain response to acupuncture depend on the type of sham acupuncture (SA) used for comparison. Brain processing after acupuncture differs between patients and health controls (HC) and occurs mainly in disorder-related areas. Factors that influence the effect of acupuncture include depth of needling, number and locations of acupoints, and deqi and expectation effect, each contributing to the brain response. While studies using MRI have increased understanding of the mechanism underlying the effects of acupuncture, there is scope for development in this field. Due to the small sample sizes, heterogeneous study designs, and analytical methods, the results were inconsistent. Further studies with larger sample sizes, careful experimental design, multimodal neuroimaging techniques, and standardized methods should be conducted to better explain the efficacy and specificity of acupuncture, and to prepare for accurate efficacy prediction in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhuan Zhang
- Department of Acupuncture, The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zihan Li
- Department of Acupuncture, The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhixian Li
- Department of Acupuncture, The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiaying Li
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qingmao Hu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Human-Machine Intelligence-Synergy Systems, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
- School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinping Xu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haibo Yu
- Department of Acupuncture, The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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16
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Resting-State fMRI in Studies of Acupuncture. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:6616060. [PMID: 33859708 PMCID: PMC8009717 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6616060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Research exploring the mechanism of acupuncture has been a hot topic in medicine. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) research is a noninvasive and extensive method, which is aimed at the research of the mechanism of acupuncture. Researchers use fMRI technologies to inspect the acupuncture process. The authors reviewed the application of rs-fMRI in acupuncture research in recent 10 years from the aspects of studying acupoints, subjects, acupuncture methods, and intensities. The results found that the application of rs-fMRI in acupuncture research mainly includes research on the onset mechanism of acupuncture treatment; visual evidence of diagnosis and treatment of dominant diseases; efficacy assessments; physiological mechanism of acupoint stimulation; and specific visualization of acupoints.
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17
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Zhang J, Zhang Y, Hu L, Huang X, Liu Y, Li J, Hu Q, Xu J, Yu H. Global Trends and Performances of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies on Acupuncture: A Bibliometric Analysis. Front Neurosci 2021; 14:620555. [PMID: 33551731 PMCID: PMC7854454 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.620555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives: To summarize development processes and research hotspots of MRI research on acupuncture and to provide new insights for researchers in future studies. Methods: Publications regarding MRI on acupuncture from inception to 2020 were downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer 1.6.15 and CiteSpace V software were used for bibliometric analyses. The main analyses include collaboration analyses between countries/institutions/authors, co-occurrence analysis between keywords, as well as analyses on keyword bursts, citation references, and clusters of references. Results: A total of 829 papers were obtained with a continually increased trend over time. The most productive country and institution in this field were the People's Republic of China (475) and KyungHee University (70), respectively. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (83) was the most productive journal, and Neuroimage (454) was the most co-cited journal. Dhond's et al. (2008) article (co-citation counts: 58) and Napadow's et al. (2005) article (centrality: 0.21) were the most representative and symbolic references, with the highest co-citation number and centrality, respectively. Jie Tian had the highest number of publications (35) and Kathleen K S Hui was the most influential author (280 co-citations). The four hot topics in MRI on acupuncture were acupuncture, fMRI, pain, and stimulation. The three frontier topics were connectivity, modulation, and fMRI. Based on the clustering of co-cited documents, chronic low back pain, sham electro-acupuncture treatment, and clinical research were the main research directions. Conclusion: This study provides an in-depth perspective for MRI research on acupuncture and provides researchers with valuable information to determine the current status, hot spots, and frontier trends of MRI research on acupuncture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhuan Zhang
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China.,Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yangxin Zhang
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liyu Hu
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xingxian Huang
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiaying Li
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qingmao Hu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Human-Machine Intelligence-Synergy Systems, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.,School of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinping Xu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haibo Yu
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China.,Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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18
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Zhang T, Guan B, Tan S, Zhu H, Ren D, Li R, Xiao L. Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture Inhibits NLRP1 Inflammasome-Mediated Neuronal Pyroptosis in SAMP8 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2021; 17:339-346. [PMID: 33574670 PMCID: PMC7872899 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s279304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It was indicated that nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain‑like receptor protein 1 (NLRP1) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis is involveg in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study was designed to explore the effect of Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture on cognitive defect and NLRP1 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis in AD mouse. METHODS Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice were used as a model of AD. Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture was performed in four acupoints: "Baihui acupoint" (GV20), "Shenshu acupoint" (BL23), "Xuehai acupoint" (SP10), and "Geshu acupoint" (BL17). Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate the cognitive function of the mouse. The levels of Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42, IL-1β, and IL-18 were examined by ELISA assay. Neuronal apoptosis and damage in hippocampal tissues were measured using TUNEL and Nissl staining, respectively. The expression of NLRP1, ASC, cleaved caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 was examined using Western blot. RESULTS Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture improved the learning and memory deficits of AD mouse. Meanwhile, Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture decreased the production of Aβ in hippocampal tissues of SAMP8 mice and attenuated the neuronal apoptosis and damage. Furthermore, Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture inhibited NLRP1 inflammasome activation in SAMP8 mice. CONCLUSION Bushen Huoxue Acupuncture could notably attenuate the cognitive defect of mouse AD model and inhibit NLRP1 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Guan
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Sipin Tan
- Key Laboratory of Sepsis, Translational Medicine of Hunan, Department of Pathophysiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Zhu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Ren
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruomeng Li
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Lan Xiao
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, People's Republic of China
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Chen KY, Huang MC, Lin CL, Lee YC, Wu MY, Yen HR. Acupuncture Treatment is Associated with a Decreased Risk of Dementia in Patients with Depression: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2021; 17:3255-3266. [PMID: 34764650 PMCID: PMC8575370 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s331026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is one of the most disabling disorders, which causes long-term complications such as neurodegenerative disorder and cerebrovascular disease. Some patients with depression seek acupuncture treatment. We aimed to investigate the association between acupuncture treatment and the risk of dementia in patients with depression from the perspective of real-world evidence. METHODS Patients over 18 years old and newly diagnosed with depression between 1997 and 2010 were selected from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database and followed up until the end of 2013. Propensity score was used to match equal numbers of patients 1:1 (N = 16,609 per group) into acupuncture and non-acupuncture cohorts based on characteristics including sex, age, baseline comorbidity and drug use. The outcome measurement was the comparison of dementia incidence in the two cohorts. RESULTS Compared with the non-acupuncture cohort, patients who received acupuncture treatment had a decreased risk of dementia (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.50-0.58, P < 0.001) after adjustment for age, sex, comorbidities and drug use. Compared with depression patients who did not receive acupuncture, the aHR of vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease incidences for patients who had acupuncture therapy was 0.59 (95% CI 0.48-0.71) and 0.51 (95% CI 0.39-0.67), respectively. The cumulative incidence of dementia was significantly lower in the acupuncture cohort than in the non-acupuncture cohort (Log rank test, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The present study from real-world data revealed that acupuncture reduced the risk of dementia in depression patients, which supports healthcare decisions in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan-Yu Chen
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Taipei City Hospital, Yangming Branch, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Cheng Huang
- Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Li Lin
- Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chen Lee
- Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yao Wu
- Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Rong Yen
- Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
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20
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Heterogeneous Acupuncture Effects of Taixi (KI3) on Functional Connectivity in Healthy Youth and Elder: A Functional MRI Study Using Regional Homogeneity and Large-Scale Functional Connectivity Analysis. Neural Plast 2020; 2020:8884318. [PMID: 33376480 PMCID: PMC7744224 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8884318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterogeneous neurological responses of acupuncture between different groups have been proposed by previous studies but rarely studied. The study described here was designed to explore the divergence of acupuncture at Taixi (KI3) on spontaneous activity of brain regions and functional connectivity (FC) between healthy youth and elder with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). 20 healthy young volunteers and 20 healthy elders underwent 10-minute-resting-state fMRI before acupuncture, and then acupuncture at Taixi (KI3) for 3 minutes; after withdrawing the needles, volunteers underwent a second fMRI scan for 10 minutes. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and large-scale FC analysis using Power 264 atlas were utilized to analyze the changes of brain spontaneous activity. Compared with the resting state, the decreased ReHo after acupuncture at KI3 in both groups were concentrated in the left postcentral, right paracentral lobule, and right SMA. Moreover, the subjects in the HY group showed declined ReHo in brain regions involving the right lingual and precentral. However, those subjects in the HE group presented decreased ReHo in the right postcentral and precentral, left supramarginal gyrus and SMA, and both cingulum middle after needling in KI3. Compared with the resting state, the HY group in the postneedling state showed lower mean intranetwork FC in sensory/somatomotor and subcortical network. And the internetwork FC between sensory/somatomotor and dorsal attention had significantly decreased after acupuncture. Furthermore, the internetwork FC between subcortical and dorsal attention and between subcortical and cerebellar showed the most obvious elevations after needling in the HY group. In the elder group, both FCs of internetwork and intranetwork primarily involving sensory/somatomotor, cingulo-opercular, and dorsal attention were declined after acupuncture. These results indicated that acupuncture at KI3 had heterogeneous acupuncture effects in different age groups. Our study led to converging evidence supporting the acupuncture effect segregation of different condition subjects and supporting evidence for prevention and treatment with acupuncture in the future.
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21
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Chen J, Zhang F, Zhao L, Cheng C, Zhong R, Dong C, Le W. Hyperbaric oxygen ameliorates cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer's disease and amnestic mild cognitive impairment. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (NEW YORK, N. Y.) 2020; 6:e12030. [PMID: 32548235 PMCID: PMC7293997 DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It has been reported that environmental factors such as hypoxia could contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therapeutics like hyperbaric oxygen treatment, which improves tissue oxygen supply and ameliorates hypoxic conditions in the brain, may be an alternative therapy for AD and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). The present work aims to investigate the potential therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment for AD and aMCI. METHODS We recruited 42 AD, 11 aMCI, and 30 control AD patients in this study. AD and aMCI patients were treated with 40 minutes of hyperbaric oxygen once a day for 20 days and assessed by neuropsychiatric assessments including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale before and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up after treatment. Control AD patients who were not given hyperbaric oxygen treatment had similar clinical profile as hyperbaric oxygen treated AD. We examined 10 of the AD/aMCI patients with fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. RESULTS In self-comparison study, one course of hyperbaric oxygen treatment significantly improved the cognitive function assessed by MMSE and MoCA in AD patients after 1-month follow-up; such treatment also significantly improved MMSE score at 3-month follow-up and MoCA score at 1- and 3-month follow-up in aMCI patients. The ADL scale was significantly improved in AD patients after 1- and 3-month follow-up. Compared to the control AD patients, the MMSE and MoCA in hyperbaric oxygen treated AD patients were significantly improved after 1-month follow-up. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment also ameliorated the reduced brain glucose metabolism in some of the AD and aMCI patients. CONCLUSION Based on previous studies and our recent findings, we propose that hyperbaric oxygen treatment may be a promising alternative therapy for AD and aMCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianwen Chen
- Department of Neurologythe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
| | - Feng Zhang
- Center for Clinical Research on Neurological Diseasesthe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseasesthe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
| | - Li Zhao
- Department of Neurologythe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
| | - Cheng Cheng
- Center for Clinical Research on Neurological Diseasesthe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseasesthe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
| | - Rujia Zhong
- Center for Clinical Research on Neurological Diseasesthe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseasesthe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
| | - Chunbo Dong
- Department of Neurologythe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
| | - Weidong Le
- Center for Clinical Research on Neurological Diseasesthe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseasesthe First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityDalianChina
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22
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Fan DQ, Zhao HC, Sheng J, Liu YR, Yu J. Electroacupuncture Modulates Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Default Mode Network for Healthy Older Adults. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2020; 33:85-92. [PMID: 31409183 DOI: 10.1177/0891988719868304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Aging involves cognitive decline and prominent alterations in brain activity. Electroacupuncture (EA), a traditional Chinese medicine approach, is demonstrated to be effective in improving cognitive function of older adults. However, the specific neural mechanism underlying this modulation effect remains unclear. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate whether EA could improve cognitive performance of community-dwelling older adults and whether these potential improvements are associated with the EA-induced brain functional connectivity alterations. Thirty healthy older adults were recruited and randomly assigned to the EA group and the control group. Behaviorally, we observed an EA-induced improvement in cognitive performance of older adults in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. On a neural perspective, the EA intervention significantly increased the functional connectivity within the default mode network. Moreover, we found a positive association between the improvement in delayed memory performance and the alterations in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex-hippocampal formation connectivity in the EA group. This study extends previous findings by showing that healthy older adults exhibit neural plasticity manifested as increased functional connectivity after EA sessions, which could induce therapeutic effects in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Qiong Fan
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Hai-Chao Zhao
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Sheng
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yun-Rui Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Yu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
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23
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The Long-Term Effects of Acupuncture on Hippocampal Functional Connectivity in aMCI with Hippocampal Atrophy: A Randomized Longitudinal fMRI Study. Neural Plast 2020. [DOI: 10.1155/2020/6389368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background. Acupuncture has been used to treat amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) for many years in China. However, the long-term effects of continuous acupuncture treatment remained unclear. Objective. We aimed to explore the long-term effects of continuous acupuncture treatment on hippocampal functional connectivity (FC) in aMCI. Methods. Fifty healthy control (HC) participants and 28 aMCI patients were recruited for resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at baseline. The 28 aMCI patients were then divided into the aMCI acupuncture group, which received acupuncture treatment for 6 months, and the aMCI control group, which received no intervention. All aMCI patients completed the second resting-state fMRI scanning after 6 months of acupuncture treatment. Analysis based on the region of interest and two-way analysis of covariance were both used to explore the long-term effects of acupuncture on cognition change and hippocampal FC in aMCI. Results. Compared to HC, aMCI showed decreased right hippocampal FC with the right inferior/middle temporal gyrus (ITG/MTG), left amygdala, and the right fusiform and increased FC with bilateral caudates at baseline. After acupuncture treatment, the right hippocampal FC with right ITG/MTG enhanced significantly in the aMCI acupuncture group, but continued to decrease in the aMCI control group. Whole brain FC analysis showed enhanced right hippocampal FC with the right ITG and the left MTG in the aMCI acupuncture group relative to the aMCI control group. Furthermore, FC strength of the right hippocampus with right ITG at baseline was negatively correlated with the changes in memory scores of aMCI acupuncture patients. Conclusion. Acupuncture treatment could alleviate the progression of cognitive decline and could enhance hippocampal FC with ITG and MTG in aMCI that may be associated with resilience to resistant against neurodegeneration. The findings provided a better understanding of the long-term effects of acupuncture treatment and confirmed the therapeutic role of acupuncture in aMCI.
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24
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Ding N, Jiang J, Tian H, Wang S, Li Z. Benign Regulation of the Astrocytic Phospholipase A 2-Arachidonic Acid Pathway: The Underlying Mechanism of the Beneficial Effects of Manual Acupuncture on CBF. Front Neurosci 2020; 13:1354. [PMID: 32174802 PMCID: PMC7054756 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The astrocytic phospholipase A2 (PLA2)-arachidonic acid (AA) pathway is crucial in understanding the reduction of cerebral blood flow (CBF) prior to cognitive deterioration. In complementary and alternative medicine, manual acupuncture (MA) is used as one of the most important therapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The beneficial effects of MA on CBF were reported in our previous study. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely elusive. Objective To investigate the effect of MA on the astrocytic PLA2-AA pathway in SAMP8 mice hippocampi. Methods SAMP8 mice were divided into the SAMP8 control (Pc) group, the SAMP8 MA (Pm) group and the SAMP8 donepezil (Pd) group. SAMR1 mice were used as the SAMRl control (Rc) group. Mice in the Pd group were treated with donepezil hydrochloride at 0.65 μg/g. In the Pm group, MA was applied at Baihui (GV20) and Yintang (GV29) for 20 min. The above treatments were administered once a day for 26 consecutive days. The Morris water maze was applied to assess spatial learning and memory. Immunofluorescence staining, western blot and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were used to investigate the expression of related proteins and measure the contents of the metabolic intermediates of the PLA2-AA pathway. Results Compared with that in the Rc group, the escape latency in the Pc group significantly increased (p < 0.01); whereas, the platform crossover number and percentage of time and swimming distance in the platform quadrant decreased (p < 0.01). The hippocampal expression of PLA2, cyclooxygenase-1, cytochrome P450 proteins 2C23 and the levels of AA, prostaglandin E2 and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids of the Pc group was drastically higher than that in the Rc group (p < 0.01). These changes were reversed by MA and donepezil (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05). Conclusion MA can effectively improve the learning and memory abilities of SAMP8 mice and has a negative regulatory effect on the PLA2-AA pathway. We propose that the increase of the arterial tone, which is induced by the inhibition of vasodilatory pathway, may be a reason for the beneficial effect of MA on CBF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Ding
- Department of Acupuncture, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Jiang
- School of Nursing, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Huiling Tian
- School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Shun Wang
- School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhigang Li
- School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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25
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Abstract
As the worldwide population ages, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) increases. However, the results of promising medications have been unsatisfactory. Chinese acupuncture has a long history of treating dementia, but lack of evidence from well-designed randomized controlled trials that validate its efficacy and safety, as well as its lack of clear underlying mechanisms, contribute to its limited application in clinical practice. In recent years, brain imaging technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, have been used to assess brain responses to acupuncture in a dynamic, visual, and objective way. These techniques are frequently used to explore neurological mechanisms of responses to acupuncture in AD and provide neuroimaging evidence as well as starting points to elucidate the possible mechanisms. This review summarizes the existing brain imaging evidence that explains the effects of acupuncture for AD and analyzes brain responses to acupuncture at cognitive-related acupoints [Baihui (GV 20), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), and Taixi (KI 3)] from perspectives of acupoint specificity and acupoint combinations. Key issues and directions to consider in future studies are also put forward. This review should deepen our understanding of how brain imaging studies can be used to explore the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in AD.
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26
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Sun J, Ashley J, Kellawan JM. Can Acupuncture Treatment of Hypertension Improve Brain Health? A Mini Review. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:240. [PMID: 31572163 PMCID: PMC6753179 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
With age, cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., dementia and Alzheimer’s) are some of the leading causes of death in the United States. Related to these outcomes is the increased prevalence of hypertension, which independently increases the development of cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. While a direct mechanistic link between hypertension and poor brain health is unknown, many hypothesize that the etiology stems from poor blood pressure (BP) and cerebrovascular regulation. This dysfunction fosters hypoperfusion of the brain, causing stress to the tissue through a nutrient mismatch, subtly damaging the brain over many years. Current Western medical treatment relies on pharmacological treatment (mainly beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or a combination of the two). However, Western treatments have not been successful in mitigating brain health outcomes and are burdened with unwanted side effects and non-adherence issues. Alternatively, traditional East Asia medicine has used acupuncture as a treatment for hypertension and may offer a promising approach in response to the limitations of conventional therapy. While detailed clinical and mechanistic experimental evidence is lacking, acupuncture has been observed to reduce BP and improve endothelial function in hypertensive adults. Further, acupuncture has been shown to have specific cerebrovascular effects, increasing cerebrovascular reactivity in healthy adults, highlighting possible neuroprotective properties. Therefore, our review is aimed at evaluating acupuncture as a treatment for hypertension and the potential impact on brain health. We will interrogate the current literature as well as discuss the proposed neural and vascular mechanisms by which acupuncture acts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jongjoo Sun
- Human Circulation Research Laboratory, Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - John Ashley
- Human Circulation Research Laboratory, Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - J Mikhail Kellawan
- Human Circulation Research Laboratory, Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
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27
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Wang Z, Qiao K, Chen G, Sui D, Dong HM, Wang YS, Li HJ, Lu J, Zuo XN, Han Y. Functional Connectivity Changes Across the Spectrum of Subjective Cognitive Decline, Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neuroinform 2019; 13:26. [PMID: 31105548 PMCID: PMC6491896 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2019.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The abnormality occurs at molecular, cellular as well as network levels in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) prior to diagnosis. Most previous connectivity studies were conducted at 1 out of 3 (local, meso and global) scales in subjects covering only part of the entire AD spectrum (subjective cognitive decline, SCD; amnestic mild cognitive impairment, aMCI; and then fully manifest AD). Data interpretation within the framework of disease progression is therefore difficult. The current study included 3 age- and sex-matched cohorts: SCD (n = 32), aMCI (n = 37) and fully-established AD (n = 30). A group of healthy elderly subjects (n = 40) were included as a normal control (NC). Network connectivity was examined at the local (degree centrality), meso [subgraph centrality (SC)], and global (eigenvector and page-rank centralities) levels. As compared to NC, SCD subjects had isolated decrease of SC in primary (somatomotor and visual) networks. aMCI subjects had decreased centralities at all three scales in associative (frontoparietal control, dorsal attention, limbic and default) networks. AD subjects had increased centrality at the global scale in all seven networks. There was a positive association between Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores and DC in the frontoparietal control network in SCD, a negative relationship between Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores and EC in the somatomotor network in AD. These findings suggest that the primary network is impaired as early as in SCD. Impairment in the associative network also starts at the local level at this stage and may contribute to the cognitive decline. As associative network impairment extends from local to meso and global scales in aMCI, compensatory mechanisms in the primary network are activated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurology, Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Kaini Qiao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Research Center for Lifespan Development of Mind and Brain (CLIMB), Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Guanqun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Danyang Sui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Research Center for Lifespan Development of Mind and Brain (CLIMB), Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Hao-Ming Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Research Center for Lifespan Development of Mind and Brain (CLIMB), Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Yin-Shan Wang
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Hui-Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Research Center for Lifespan Development of Mind and Brain (CLIMB), Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Jie Lu
- Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Xi-Nian Zuo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Research Center for Lifespan Development of Mind and Brain (CLIMB), Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Ying Han
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Beijing, China
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28
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Ding N, Jiang J, Xu A, Tang Y, Li Z. Manual Acupuncture Regulates Behavior and Cerebral Blood Flow in the SAMP8 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:37. [PMID: 30766475 PMCID: PMC6365452 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: A growing body of evidence has demonstrated that cerebrovascular function abnormality plays a key role in occurrence and worsening of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Reduction of cerebral blood flow (CBF) is a sensitive marker to early perfusion deficiencies in AD. As one of the most important therapies in complementary and alternative medicine, manual acupuncture (MA) has been used in the treatment of AD. However, the moderating effect of MA on CBF remains largely unknown. Objective: To investigate the effect of MA on the behavior and CBF of SAMP8 mice. Methods: SAMP8 mice were randomly divided into the AD, MA, and medicine (M) groups, with SAMR1 mice used as the normal control (N) group. Mice in the M group were treated with donepezil hydrochloride at 0.65 μg/g. In the MA group, MA was applied at Baihui (GV20) and Yintang (GV29) for 20 min. The above treatments were administered once a day for 15 consecutive days. The Morris water maze and arterial spin labeling MRI were used to assess spatial learning and memory in behavior and CBF respectively. Results: Compared with the AD group, both MA and donepezil significantly decreased the escape latency (p < 0.01), while also elevating platform crossover number and the percentage of time and swimming distance in the platform quadrant (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05). The remarkable improvement in escape latency in the MA group appeared earlier than the M group, and no significant statistical significance was observed between the N and MA group with the exception of days 5 and 10. The CBF in the prefrontal lobe and hippocampus in the MA group was substantially higher than in the AD group (p < 0.05) with the exception of the right prefrontal lobe, with similar effects of donepezil. Conclusion: Manual acupuncture can effectively improve the spatial learning, relearning and memory abilities of SAMP8 mice. The increase in CBF in the prefrontal lobe and hippocampus could be an important mechanism for the beneficial cognitive effects of MA in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Ding
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Jiang
- School of Nursing, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Anping Xu
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yinshan Tang
- Department of Rehabilitation in Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhigang Li
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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Neuronal Specificity of Acupuncture in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients: A Functional MRI Study. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2018; 2018:7619197. [PMID: 30105065 PMCID: PMC6076908 DOI: 10.1155/2018/7619197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Although acupuncture is considered to be effective and safe for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the mechanism underlying its therapeutic effect is still unknown. Most studies clarifying the neuronal pathway produced by acupuncture were still applied to healthy subjects with limited single acupuncture point stimulation, which was inconsistency with clinical practice. Thus, in our present study, we investigate the differences between brain activity changes in AD and MCI patients caused by multi-acupuncture point Siguan (four gates), in order to provide visualized evidence for neuronal specificity of clinical acupuncture. Forty-nine subjects were recruited, including 21 AD patients, 14 MCI patients, and 14 healthy controls (HC). AD and MCI patients were randomly divided into two groups, respectively: real acupuncture point group (14 AD and 8 MCI) and sham acupuncture point group (7 AD and 6 MCI). We adopted a 16-minute, single-block, experimental design for acquiring functional MRI images. We found, in AD and MCI patients, Siguan (four gates) elicited extensive activations and deactivations in cognitive-related areas, visual-related areas, the sensorimotor-related area, basal ganglia, and cerebellum. Compared with HC, AD and MCI patients showed similar activations in cognitive-related brain areas (inferior frontal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, and rolandic operculum) as well as deactivations in cognitive-related areas, visual-related areas, basal ganglia, and cerebellum, which were not found in HC. Compared with sham acupuncture points, real acupuncture points produced more specific brain changes with both activated and deactivated brain activities in AD and MCI. The preliminary results in our study verified the objective evidence for neuronal specificity of acupuncture in AD and MCI patients.
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Modulation of functional activity and connectivity by acupuncture in patients with Alzheimer disease as measured by resting-state fMRI. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0196933. [PMID: 29763448 PMCID: PMC5953467 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Acupuncture has been used in the therapy of Alzheimer disease (AD); however, its neural mechanisms are still unclear. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of acupuncture on the functional connectivity in AD by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Twenty-eight subjects (14 AD and 14 normal controls) participated in this study. The rs-fMRI data were acquired before and after acupuncture stimulation at the acupoints of Tai chong (Liv3) and Hegu (LI4). During the baseline resting state, by using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), we found a significantly decreased or increased ALFF in the AD patients relative to the controls. These regions were located in the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG), left postcentral gyrus, subgenual cingulate cortex (SCC), right middle cingulate cortex (MCC), right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), right hippocampus and the right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG). Then, we selected these brain regions as seeds to investigate whether regional activity and functional connectivity could be modulated by acupuncture in the AD patients. When compared to the pre-acupuncture stage, several of the above regions showed an increased or decreased ALFF after acupuncture in the AD patients. In addition, the functional connectivity between the hippocampus and the precentral gyrus showed enhancement after acupuncture in the AD patients. Finally, there were close correlations between the functional activity, connectivity and clinical performance in the AD patients. The current study confirmed that acupuncture at Tai chong (Liv3) and He gu (LI4) can modulate functional activity and connectivity of specific cognition-related regions in AD patients.
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31
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Tong T, Pei C, Chen J, Lv Q, Zhang F, Cheng Z. Efficacy of Acupuncture Therapy for Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairment in Breast Cancer Patients. Med Sci Monit 2018; 24:2919-2927. [PMID: 29735975 PMCID: PMC5963738 DOI: 10.12659/msm.909712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chemotherapy can cause adverse effects such as chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). In this prospective study, the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture therapy in relieving CRCI and its impact on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are evaluated. Material/Methods Eighty patients were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group with 40 patients in each group. The treatment group was treated at the following acupuncture points: Baihui (DU20), Sishencong (EX-HN1), Shenting (DU24), Zusanli (ST36), Taixi (K13), Dazhong (K14), and Juegu (GB39). Cognitive function was assessed using the functional assessment of cancer treatment cognition test (FACT-COG, version 3), the auditory-verbal learning test (AVLT), the verbal fluency test (VFT), the symbol digit modality test (SDMT), the clock-drawing test (CDT), and the trail-making test part B (TMT-B). In addition, blood serum levels of BDNF were measured before and after treatment. Correlations between change in BDNF levels and cognitive function were also analyzed. Results CRCI was ameliorated in the acupuncture treatment group, with scores on FACT-COG, AVLT-recognition and CDT assessments all significantly increased (P<0.05 in all cases). In addition, serum BDNF levels after acupuncture treatment were significantly higher than before treatment (t=3.242, P<0.01). Moreover, the level of BDNF was positively correlated with the total score of FACT-COG, AVLT-recognition, and CDT (r=0.694, 0.628, and 0.532, respectively; all P<0.05). The control group showed no statistically significant difference in any measures over the same period. Conclusions Acupuncture therapy is effective in the treatment of CRCI in breast cancer patients through a mechanism that may be related to an increase of BDNF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taishan Tong
- Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China (mainland)
| | - Chunqin Pei
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China (mainland)
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China (mainland)
| | - Qing Lv
- Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China (mainland)
| | - Fuquan Zhang
- Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China (mainland)
| | - Zaohuo Cheng
- Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, The Affiliated Wuxi Mental Health Center of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China (mainland)
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Cerebral Responses to Acupuncture at GV24 and Bilateral GB13 in Rat Models of Alzheimer's Disease. Behav Neurol 2018; 2018:8740284. [PMID: 29854022 PMCID: PMC5952587 DOI: 10.1155/2018/8740284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Acupuncture has been widely used in China to treat neurological diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, its mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, eighty healthy Wistar rats were divided into a normal control group (n = 15) and premodel group (n = 65). Forty-five rats that met the criteria for the AD model were then randomly divided into the model group (MG), the nonacupoint group (NG), and the acupoint group (AG). All rats received positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, and the images were analyzed with Statistical Parametric Mapping 8.0. MG exhibited hypometabolism in the olfactory bulb, insular cortex, orbital cortex, prelimbic cortex, striatum, parietal association cortex, visual cortex, cingulate gyrus, and retrosplenial cortex. AG exhibited prominent and extensive hypermetabolism in the thalamus, hypothalamus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, cerebral peduncle, midbrain tegmentum, and pontine tegmentum compared to NG. These results demonstrated that acupuncturing at GV24 and bilateral GB13 acupoints may improve the learning and memory abilities of the AD rats, probably via altering cerebral glucose metabolism (CGM) in the hypothalamus, thalamus, and brain stem. The observed effects of acupuncture may be caused by regulating the distribution of certain kinds of neurotransmitters and enhancing synaptic plasticity.
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Hohenfeld C, Werner CJ, Reetz K. Resting-state connectivity in neurodegenerative disorders: Is there potential for an imaging biomarker? Neuroimage Clin 2018; 18:849-870. [PMID: 29876270 PMCID: PMC5988031 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biomarkers in whichever modality are tremendously important in diagnosing of disease, tracking disease progression and clinical trials. This applies in particular for disorders with a long disease course including pre-symptomatic stages, in which only subtle signs of clinical progression can be observed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers hold particular promise due to their relative ease of use, cost-effectiveness and non-invasivity. Studies measuring resting-state functional MR connectivity have become increasingly common during recent years and are well established in neuroscience and related fields. Its increasing application does of course also include clinical settings and therein neurodegenerative diseases. In the present review, we critically summarise the state of the literature on resting-state functional connectivity as measured with functional MRI in neurodegenerative disorders. In addition to an overview of the results, we briefly outline the methods applied to the concept of resting-state functional connectivity. While there are many different neurodegenerative disorders cumulatively affecting a substantial number of patients, for most of them studies on resting-state fMRI are lacking. Plentiful amounts of papers are available for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), but only few works being available for the less common neurodegenerative diseases. This allows some conclusions on the potential of resting-state fMRI acting as a biomarker for the aforementioned two diseases, but only tentative statements for the others. For AD, the literature contains a relatively strong consensus regarding an impairment of the connectivity of the default mode network compared to healthy individuals. However, for AD there is no considerable documentation on how that alteration develops longitudinally with the progression of the disease. For PD, the available research points towards alterations of connectivity mainly in limbic and motor related regions and networks, but drawing conclusions for PD has to be done with caution due to a relative heterogeneity of the disease. For rare neurodegenerative diseases, no clear conclusions can be drawn due to the few published results. Nevertheless, summarising available data points towards characteristic connectivity alterations in Huntington's disease, frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple systems atrophy and the spinocerebellar ataxias. Overall at this point in time, the data on AD are most promising towards the eventual use of resting-state fMRI as an imaging biomarker, although there remain issues such as reproducibility of results and a lack of data demonstrating longitudinal changes. Improved methods providing more precise classifications as well as resting-state network changes that are sensitive to disease progression or therapeutic intervention are highly desirable, before routine clinical use could eventually become a reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Hohenfeld
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Neurology, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Cornelius J Werner
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Neurology, Aachen, Germany; RWTH Aachen University, Section Interdisciplinary Geriatrics, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Neurology, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
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Jia Y, Zhang X, Yu J, Han J, Yu T, Shi J, Zhao L, Nie K. Acupuncture for patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: a randomized controlled trial. Altern Ther Health Med 2017; 17:556. [PMID: 29284465 PMCID: PMC5747102 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-2064-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. However, none of medical treatment can stop or reverse the underlying neurodegenerative of AD at present. Acupuncture has attracted more and more attention in recent years due to its efficacy and very few side effects. Lately, a systematic review has thought that the evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture in improving the cognitive function of AD patients was not powerful enough. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in patients with mild to moderate AD. METHODS This was a randomized, controlled, parallel-group, exploratory study with 4-week baseline (T0), 12-week treatment phase (T1) and 12-week follow-up period (T2). Patients with mild to moderate AD meeting the included criteria were randomly allocated into either acupuncture or donepezil hydrochloride groups. The acupuncture group(AG) was given acupuncture treatment three times per week and the donepezil hydrochloride group(DG) group was administered donepezil hydrochloride once daily (5 mg/day for the first 4 weeks and 10 mg/day thereafter). Primary efficacy was measured using Alzheimer's disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-cog) and Clinician's Interview-Based Impression of Change-Plus (CIBIC-Plus). The second outcomes were measured with 23-Item Alzheimer's disease Cooperative Study Activities of Daily Living Scales (ADAS-ADL23) and Neuropsychiatric Index (NPI). RESULTS Of 87 participants enrolled in the study, 79 patients finished their treatment and follow-up processes. The ADAS-cog scores for AG group showed obvious decreases at T2 and ∆(T2-T0)when compared with DG group, and significant between-group differences were detected (all p < 0.05). The mean CIBIC-Plus values for the AG group at T1 and T2 were much lower than that for the DG group, and there were significant differences between the two groups (푃<0.05). There were no significant between-group differences in the scores of ADAS-ADL23 and NPI during the study period. Treatment discontinuations due to adverse events were 0 (0%) and 4 (9.09%) for the AG and DG groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Acupuncture is safe, well tolerated and effective in improving the cognitive function, global clinical status of AD. TRIAL REGISTRATION ChiCTR-IOR-17010465 (Retroactively registered on 18 JAN 2017).
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Cai RL, Shen GM, Wang H, Guan YY. Brain functional connectivity network studies of acupuncture: a systematic review on resting-state fMRI. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE-JIM 2017; 16:26-33. [PMID: 29397089 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a novel method for studying the changes of brain networks due to acupuncture treatment. In recent years, more and more studies have focused on the brain functional connectivity network of acupuncture stimulation. OBJECTIVE To offer an overview of the different influences of acupuncture on the brain functional connectivity network from studies using resting-state fMRI. SEARCH STRATEGY The authors performed a systematic search according to PRISMA guidelines. The database PubMed was searched from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2016 with restriction to human studies in English language. INCLUSION CRITERIA Electronic searches were conducted in PubMed using the keywords "acupuncture" and "neuroimaging" or "resting-state fMRI" or "functional connectivity". DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS Selection of included articles, data extraction and methodological quality assessments were respectively conducted by two review authors. RESULTS Forty-four resting-state fMRI studies were included in this systematic review according to inclusion criteria. Thirteen studies applied manual acupuncture vs. sham, four studies applied electro-acupuncture vs. sham, two studies also compared transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation vs. sham, and nine applied sham acupoint as control. Nineteen studies with a total number of 574 healthy subjects selected to perform fMRI only considered healthy adult volunteers. The brain functional connectivity of the patients had varying degrees of change. Compared with sham acupuncture, verum acupuncture could increase default mode network and sensorimotor network connectivity with pain-, affective- and memory-related brain areas. It has significantly greater connectivity of genuine acupuncture between the periaqueductal gray, anterior cingulate cortex, left posterior cingulate cortex, right anterior insula, limbic/paralimbic and precuneus compared with sham acupuncture. Some research had also shown that acupuncture could adjust the limbic-paralimbic-neocortical network, brainstem, cerebellum, subcortical and hippocampus brain areas. CONCLUSION It can be presumed that the functional connectivity network is closely related to the mechanism of acupuncture, and central integration plays a critical role in the acupuncture mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong-Lin Cai
- Graduate School of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, Anhui Province, China
| | - Guo-Ming Shen
- Graduate School of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, Anhui Province, China.
| | - Hao Wang
- School of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, Anhui Province, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Guan
- Graduate School of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, Anhui Province, China
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Zhang S, Li CSR. Functional Connectivity Parcellation of the Human Thalamus by Independent Component Analysis. Brain Connect 2017; 7:602-616. [PMID: 28954523 PMCID: PMC5695755 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2017.0500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As a key structure to relay and integrate information, the thalamus supports multiple cognitive and affective functions through the connectivity between its subnuclei and cortical and subcortical regions. Although extant studies have largely described thalamic regional functions in anatomical terms, evidence accumulates to suggest a more complex picture of subareal activities and connectivities of the thalamus. In this study, we aimed to parcellate the thalamus and examine whole-brain connectivity of its functional clusters. With resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 96 adults, we used independent component analysis (ICA) to parcellate the thalamus into 10 components. On the basis of the independence assumption, ICA helps to identify how subclusters overlap spatially. Whole brain functional connectivity of each subdivision was computed for independent component's time course (ICtc), which is a unique time series to represent an IC. For comparison, we computed seed-region-based functional connectivity using the averaged time course across all voxels within a thalamic subdivision. The results showed that, at p < 10-6, corrected, 49% of voxels on average overlapped among subdivisions. Compared with seed-region analysis, ICtc analysis revealed patterns of connectivity that were more distinguished between thalamic clusters. ICtc analysis demonstrated thalamic connectivity to the primary motor cortex, which has eluded the analysis as well as previous studies based on averaged time series, and clarified thalamic connectivity to the hippocampus, caudate nucleus, and precuneus. The new findings elucidate functional organization of the thalamus and suggest that ICA clustering in combination with ICtc rather than seed-region analysis better distinguishes whole-brain connectivities among functional clusters of a brain region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Chiang-Shan R. Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
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Ding N, Jiang J, Lu M, Hu J, Xu Y, Liu X, Li Z. Manual Acupuncture Suppresses the Expression of Proinflammatory Proteins Associated with the NLRP3 Inflammasome in the Hippocampus of SAMP8 Mice. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2017; 2017:3435891. [PMID: 28904553 PMCID: PMC5585617 DOI: 10.1155/2017/3435891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of manual acupuncture (MA) on NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins. METHODS SAMP8 mice were randomly divided into Alzheimer's disease (AD) group, the MA group, and the medicine (M) group. Mice in the M group were treated with donepezil hydrochloride at 0.65 μg/g. In the MA group, MA was applied on Baihui (GV20) and Yintang (GV29) for 20 min and then pricked at Shuigou (GV26). The Morris water maze was applied to assess spatial learning and memory. Immunohistochemical staining and western blot analysis were used to observe the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins. RESULTS Compared with the normal (N) control group, spatial learning and the memory capabilities of the AD group significantly decreased (p < 0.01). The number of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, and IL-1β positively stained cells in the AD group was higher than the N group, and the relative expression levels of the above proteins were significantly higher than those in the N group (p < 0.01). These changes were reversed by both MA and donepezil (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION MA can improve the learning and memory capabilities of SAMP8 mice. The negative regulation of the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway in the hippocampus may be a possible mechanism of MA in the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Ding
- Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jing Jiang
- Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Menghan Lu
- Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jiatong Hu
- Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yiyuan Xu
- Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Liu
- Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Zhigang Li
- Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
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Feng PP, Deng P, Liu LH, Ai Q, Yin J, Liu Z, Wang GM. Electroacupuncture Alleviates Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Aged Rats by Inhibiting Hippocampal Neuroinflammation Activated via Microglia/TLRs Pathway. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2017; 2017:6421260. [PMID: 28684969 PMCID: PMC5480055 DOI: 10.1155/2017/6421260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Neuroinflammation has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Electroacupuncture (EA) is an irreplaceable method in traditional Chinese medicine that is used for treating neurodegenerative diseases in clinical and experimental studies. The aim of this study was to examine whether EA improves cognitive dysfunction caused by surgery and to investigate the pathological mechanism of TLR2 and TLR4 in the hippocampus of aged rats. A rat model of POCD was established and treated with EA or minocycline. Both EA- and minocycline-treated rats performed significantly better than untreated operated rats in spatial memory tasks of the Morris water maze (MWM) test, spending comparatively greater amounts of time in the target zone during the probe test. Additionally, decreased levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and HMGB1) and decreased TLR2 and TLR4 protein expression in the hippocampus of EA- and minocycline-treated rats were detected. Our data suggested that EA treatment alleviated the cognition performance deficit and neuroinflammation in aged rats following surgery, which may be mediated by inhibiting the expression of hippocampal neuroinflammatory cytokines through the microglia/TLR2/4 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-pei Feng
- Department of Neurobiology & Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Pu Deng
- Department of Neurobiology & Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Li-hua Liu
- Department of Neurobiology & Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Qi Ai
- Department of Neurobiology & Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Jie Yin
- Department of Neurobiology & Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Zhe Liu
- Department of Neurobiology & Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Gai-mei Wang
- Medical Department for Senior Cadres, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310005, China
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Wang Z, Wang X, Liu J, Chen J, Liu X, Nie G, Jorgenson K, Sohn KC, Huang R, Liu M, Liu B, Kong J. Acupuncture treatment modulates the corticostriatal reward circuitry in major depressive disorder. J Psychiatr Res 2017; 84:18-26. [PMID: 27693978 PMCID: PMC5125902 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common disorder with a high prevalence and significant social and economic impacts. Nevertheless, the treatment of MDD is far from satisfactory. Acupuncture treatment has emerged as a promising method for treating MDD. However, the neural mechanism by which acupuncture reduces depressive symptoms is not fully understood. Studies have shown that the corticostriatal reward circuitry is associated with the pathophysiology of MDD; thus, we investigated the corticostriatal resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) before and after real and sham acupuncture treatments combined with the antidepressant fluoxetine. Forty-six female major depressive patients were assigned to either verum acupuncture plus fluoxetine (n = 22) or sham acupuncture plus fluoxetine (n = 24) treatment for 8 weeks, and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected before the first and after the last treatment sessions. The results showed that compared with sham acupuncture, the verum acupuncture group showed: (1) significantly increased rsFC between inferior ventral striatum and medial prefrontal cortex, ventral rostral putamen and amygdala/parahippocampus, as well as dorsal caudate and middle temporal gyrus; (2) significantly decreased rsFC between right ventral rostral putamen and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and right dorsal caudate and bilateral cerebellar tonsil. The increased rsFC between the inferior ventral striatum and medial prefrontal cortex, ventral rostral putamen and amygdala/parahippocampus were significantly positively associated with decreased clinical scores (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale scores) at the end of the eight-week treatment. Our findings suggest that acupuncture may achieve treatment effects by modulating the corticostriatal reward/motivation circuitry in MDD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengjian Wang
- Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Jian Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Jun Chen
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Xian Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Guangning Nie
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Kristen Jorgenson
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Ki Cheul Sohn
- Hospital of Catholic University of Daegu, 3056-6 Daemyeong 4 Nam-gu, Daegu 705-718, South Korea
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Ming Liu
- Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Bo Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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Park JY, Kim SN, Yoo J, Jang J, Lee A, Oh JY, Kim H, Oh ST, Park SU, Kim J, Park HJ, Jeon S. Novel Neuroprotective Effects of Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Parkinson’s Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:7706-7721. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-0258-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Electroacupuncture Ameliorates Learning and Memory and Improves Synaptic Plasticity via Activation of the PKA/CREB Signaling Pathway in Cerebral Hypoperfusion. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2016; 2016:7893710. [PMID: 27829866 PMCID: PMC5088321 DOI: 10.1155/2016/7893710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Electroacupuncture (EA) has shown protective effects on cognitive decline. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are ill-understood. The present study was undertaken to determine whether the cognitive function was ameliorated in cerebral hypoperfusion rats following EA and to investigate the role of PKA/CREB pathway. We used a rat 2-vessel occlusion (2VO) model and delivered EA at Baihui (GV20) and Dazhui (GV14) acupoints. Morris water maze (MWM) task, electrophysiological recording, Golgi silver stain, Nissl stain, Western blot, and real-time PCR were employed. EA significantly (1) ameliorated the spatial learning and memory deficits, (2) alleviated long-term potentiation (LTP) impairment and the reduction of dendritic spine density, (3) suppressed the decline of phospho-CREB (pCREB) protein, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein, and microRNA132 (miR132), and (4) reduced the increase of p250GAP protein of 2VO rats. These changes were partially blocked by a selective protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinoline-sulfonamide (H89), suggesting that the PKA/CREB pathway is potentially involved in the effects of EA. Moreover, any significant damage to the pyramidal cell layer of CA1 subregion was absent. These results demonstrated that EA could ameliorate learning and memory deficits and alleviate hippocampal synaptic plasticity impairment of cerebral hypoperfusion rats, potentially mediated by PKA/CREB signaling pathway.
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Zhang N, Liu H, Qin W, Liu B, Jiang T, Yu C. APOEandKIBRAInteractions on Brain Functional Connectivity in Healthy Young Adults. Cereb Cortex 2016; 27:4797-4805. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
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Wang X, Wang Z, Liu J, Chen J, Liu X, Nie G, Byun JS, Liang Y, Park J, Huang R, Liu M, Liu B, Kong J. Repeated acupuncture treatments modulate amygdala resting state functional connectivity of depressive patients. Neuroimage Clin 2016; 12:746-752. [PMID: 27812501 PMCID: PMC5079358 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2016.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Revised: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
As a widely-applied alternative therapy, acupuncture is gaining popularity in Western society. One challenge that remains, however, is incorporating it into mainstream medicine. One solution is to combine acupuncture with other conventional, mainstream treatments. In this study, we investigated the combination effect of acupuncture and the antidepressant fluoxetine, as well as its underlying mechanism using resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) in patients with major depressive disorders. Forty-six female depressed patients were randomized into a verum acupuncture plus fluoxetine or a sham acupuncture plus fluoxetine group for eight weeks. Resting-state fMRI data was collected before the first and last treatments. Results showed that compared with those in the sham acupuncture treatment, verum acupuncture treatment patients showed 1) greater clinical improvement as indicated by Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores; 2) increased rsFC between the left amygdala and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC)/preguenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC); 3) increased rsFC between the right amygdala and left parahippocampus (Para)/putamen (Pu). The strength of the amygdala-sgACC/pgACC rsFC was positively associated with corresponding clinical improvement (as indicated by a negative correlation with MADRS and SDS scores). Our findings demonstrate the additive effect of acupuncture to antidepressant treatment and suggest that this effect may be achieved through the limbic system, especially the amygdala and the ACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Wang
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong province, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Zengjian Wang
- Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Psychiatry Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jian Liu
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong province, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong province, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Xian Liu
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong province, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Guangning Nie
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong province, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Joon-Seok Byun
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, 165 Sang-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu 706-828, Republic of Korea
| | - Yilin Liang
- Psychiatry Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA
| | - Joel Park
- Psychiatry Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Ming Liu
- Center for the Study of Applied Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong Province, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong province, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Jian Kong
- Psychiatry Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
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Deng D, Duan G, Liao H, Liu Y, Wang G, Liu H, Tang L, Pang Y, Tao J, He X, Yuan W, Liu P. Changes in Regional Brain Homogeneity Induced by Electro-Acupuncture Stimulation at the Baihui Acupoint in Healthy Subjects: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. J Altern Complement Med 2016; 22:794-799. [PMID: 27438091 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2015.0286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION According to the Traditional Chinese Medicine theory of acupuncture, Baihui (GV20) is applied to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, the relationships between neural responses and GV20 remain unknown. Thus, the main aim of this study was to examine the brain responses induced by electro-acupuncture stimulation (EAS) at GV20. MATERIALS AND METHODS Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed in 33 healthy subjects. Based on the non-repeated event-related (NRER) paradigm, group differences were examined between GV20 and a sham acupoint using the regional homogeneity (ReHo) method. RESULTS Compared with the sham acupoint, EAS at GV20 induced increased ReHo in regions including the orbital frontal cortex (OFC), middle cingulate cortex (MCC), precentral cortex, and precuneus (preCUN). Decreased ReHo was found in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), supplementary motor area (SMA), thalamus, putamen, and cerebellum. CONCLUSIONS The current findings provide preliminary neuroimaging evidence to indicate that EAS at GV20 could induce a specific pattern of neural responses by analysis of ReHo of brain activity. These findings might improve the understanding of mechanisms of acupuncture stimulation at GV20.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demao Deng
- 1 Department of Radiology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine , Nanning, China
| | - Gaoxiong Duan
- 1 Department of Radiology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine , Nanning, China
| | - Hai Liao
- 1 Department of Radiology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine , Nanning, China
| | - Yanfei Liu
- 2 Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University , Xi'an, China
| | - Geliang Wang
- 2 Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University , Xi'an, China
| | - Huimei Liu
- 3 Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine , Nanning, China
| | - Lijun Tang
- 3 Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine , Nanning, China
| | - Yong Pang
- 3 Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine , Nanning, China
| | - Jien Tao
- 3 Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine , Nanning, China
| | - Xin He
- 1 Department of Radiology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine , Nanning, China
| | - Wenzhao Yuan
- 1 Department of Radiology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine , Nanning, China
| | - Peng Liu
- 2 Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University , Xi'an, China
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Deng D, Liao H, Duan G, Liu Y, He Q, Liu H, Tang L, Pang Y, Tao J. Modulation of the Default Mode Network in First-Episode, Drug-Naïve Major Depressive Disorder via Acupuncture at Baihui (GV20) Acupoint. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:230. [PMID: 27242492 PMCID: PMC4869560 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous neuroimaging studies have revealed that acupuncture modulates the default mode network (DMN) in healthy subjects and patients with certain disorder. However, few studies have been performed to investigate whether or not acupuncture might modulate the DMN in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Thereby, the aim of the present study was to assess alterations of the DMN induced by acupuncture stimulation in patients with first-episode, drug-naïve MDD. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty nine patients with first-episode, drug-naïve MDD and 29 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. All the healthy subjects underwent 6-min resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) scan. While patients underwent acupuncture stimulation for 20-min electro-acupuncture stimulation (EAS) at Baihui acupoint (GV20) and two 6-min R-fMRI scans before and after EAS. Based on the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex (PC/PCC) as the seed region, functional connectivity (FC) method was adopted to examine abnormal DMN in patients by comparing with healthy subjects and to evaluate the influence of EAS on intrinsic connectivity within the DMN in patients with MDD. RESULTS Compared to healthy subjects, MDD patients had abnormal DMN. Moreover, results showed that EAS at GV20 induced increased FC between the PC/PCC and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and decreased FC between the PC/PCC and left middle prefrontal cortex, left angualr gyrus and bilateral hippocampus/parahippocampus (HIPP/paraHIPP) in patients with MDD, which were the main brain regions showing significant differences between the patients and healthy subjects. CONCLUSION Our findings provide imaging evidence to support that GV20-related acupuncture stimulation may modulate the DMN in patients with first-episode, drug-naïve MDD. This study may partly interpret the neural mechanisms of acupuncture at GV20 which is used to treat patients with MDD in clinical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demao Deng
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanning, China
| | - Hai Liao
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanning, China
| | - Gaoxiong Duan
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanning, China
| | - Yanfei Liu
- Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University Xi'an, China
| | - Qianchao He
- Department of Internal Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanning, China
| | - Huimei Liu
- Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanning, China
| | - Lijun Tang
- Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanning, China
| | - Yong Pang
- Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanning, China
| | - Jien Tao
- Department of Acupuncture, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanning, China
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Functional Connectivity Modulation by Acupuncture in Patients with Bell's Palsy. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2016; 2016:5928758. [PMID: 27293461 PMCID: PMC4880700 DOI: 10.1155/2016/5928758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Bell's palsy (BP), an acute unilateral facial paralysis, is frequently treated with acupuncture in many countries. However, the mechanism of treatment is not clear so far. In order to explore the potential mechanism, 22 healthy volunteers and 17 BP patients with different clinical duration were recruited. The resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were conducted before and after acupuncture at LI4 (Hegu), respectively. By comparing BP-induced functional connectivity (FC) changes with acupuncture-induced FC changes in the patients, the abnormal increased FC that could be reduced by acupuncture was selected. The FC strength of the selected FC at various stages was analyzed subsequently. Our results show that FC modulation of acupuncture is specific and consistent with the tendency of recovery. Therefore, we propose that FC modulation by acupuncture may be beneficial to recovery from the disease.
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The Status of the Quality Control in Acupuncture-Neuroimaging Studies. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2016; 2016:3685785. [PMID: 27242911 PMCID: PMC4875991 DOI: 10.1155/2016/3685785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Using neuroimaging techniques to explore the central mechanism of acupuncture gains increasing attention, but the quality control of acupuncture-neuroimaging study remains to be improved. We searched the PubMed Database during 1995 to 2014. The original English articles with neuroimaging scan performed on human beings were included. The data involved quality control including the author, sample size, characteristics of the participant, neuroimaging technology, and acupuncture intervention were extracted and analyzed. The rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria are important guaranty for the participants' homogeneity. The standard operation process of acupuncture and the stricter requirement for acupuncturist play significant role in quality control. More attention should be paid to the quality control in future studies to improve the reproducibility and reliability of the acupuncture-neuroimaging studies.
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Guo T, Guo Z, Zhang W, Ma W, Yang X, Yang X, Hwang J, He X, Chen X, Ya T. Electroacupuncture and cognitive behavioural therapy for sub-syndromal depression among undergraduates: a controlled clinical trial. Acupunct Med 2016; 34:356-363. [PMID: 27083200 PMCID: PMC5099174 DOI: 10.1136/acupmed-2015-010981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Background Individuals with sub-syndromal depression (SSD) are at increased risk of incident depressive disorders; however, the ideal therapeutic approach to SSD remains unknown. Objective To evaluate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), alone or in combination, on depressive symptoms. Methods Undergraduate students with SSD were recruited and allocated to one of four groups based on their preferences: EA (n=6), CBT (n=10), EA+CBT (n=6), and untreated control (n=11) groups. Six weeks of treatment were provided in the first three groups. Clinical outcomes were measured using the 17-item Hamilton Depression (HAMD-17) rating scale, Center for Epidemiologic Depression (CES-D) scale, WHO Quality of Life-Brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire, and clinical remission rate. Results All 33 subjects were included in an intent-to-treat analysis. Statistically significant improvements in HAMD-17, CES-D, and WHOQOL-BREF scores and a higher remission rate were found in the EA, CBT, and EA+CBT intervention groups compared with the control group (all p<0.05). No significant differences were found between the three intervention groups. HAMD-17 factor score analysis revealed that EA reduced sleep disturbance scores more than CBT or EA+CBT (p<0.05), and CBT reduced retardation scores more than EA (p<0.01). EA+CBT reduced anxiety/somatisation scores more than EA or CBT (p<0.05) and retardation scores more than EA (p<0.05). Conclusions Early intervention may alleviate depressive symptoms in SSD. EA and CBT may have differential effects on certain symptoms. Combination therapy targeting both physical and psychological symptoms may represent an ideal strategy for SSD intervention. However, randomised trials with larger sample sizes are needed. Trial registration number ChiCTR-TRC-10000889; Results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianwei Guo
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Dongzhimen Hospital affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China School of Acupuncture Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhuo Guo
- School of Acupuncture Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Wenyue Zhang
- School of Acupuncture Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhao Ma
- Department of Human Resources, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xinjing Yang
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xueqin Yang
- School of Basic Medical Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jiwon Hwang
- School of Acupuncture Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaotian He
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Sanlitun Community Health Service Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyi Chen
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Dongzhimen Hospital affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Tu Ya
- School of Acupuncture Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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Guo HD, Zhu J, Tian JX, Shao SJ, Xu YW, Mou FF, Han XJ, Yu ZH, Chen JL, Zhang DY, Zhang LS, Cui GH. Electroacupuncture improves memory and protects neurons by regulation of the autophagy pathway in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Acupunct Med 2016; 34:449-456. [PMID: 26895770 DOI: 10.1136/acupmed-2015-010894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acupuncture is a potential therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its clinical effects and underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Emerging evidence suggests autophagy is involved in β-amyloid (Aβ) clearance. We hypothesised that electroacupuncture (EA) treatment of AD involves the autophagy pathway in rats. METHODS We injected 2μl Aβ1-40 bilaterally into the hippocampi of 42 rats to establish AD. Rats remained untreated (AD group, n=14) or received 24 EA treatments at GV20+BL23 over 28 days from day 7 post-injection with/without co-treatment with 3-methyladenine (3-MA), an autophagy inhibitor (AD+EA+3-MA and AD+EA groups, respectively, n=14 each). Cognitive function was evaluated by Morris water maze (MWM) testing. Hippocampi were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and stained with haematoxylin and eosin/transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) to assess neuronal morphology/apoptosis, respectively. Protein expression of Beclin-1, LC3 and Aβ1-40 was examined. RESULTS In the MWM test, the AD+EA group showed an improvement in parameters consistent with improved learning/memory compared to untreated AD rats, and 3-MA attenuated these effects. EA mitigated cellular apoptosis resulting from Aβ infusion in the CA1 region and enhanced LC3II/LC3I ratios and Beclin-1 expression. Numerous autophagosome precursors and enlarged autophagosomes were observed by TEM in the hippocampi of EA-treated rats. Reduced Aβ levels, and co-localisation of Aβ and LC3II, were observed following EA treatment by immunofluorescence staining. EA+3-MA treated rats had much higher TUNEL-positive neurons, lower LC3II/LC3I ratios and Beclin-1 expression, and elevated Aβ levels compared with EA alone. CONCLUSIONS EA reduces neuronal apoptosis, enhances degradation of Aβ, and improves learning/memory in AD rats by upregulating the autophagy pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Dong Guo
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zhu
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin-Xin Tian
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shui-Jin Shao
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan-Wu Xu
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang-Fang Mou
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Han
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Hua Yu
- Central Laboratory, Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiu-Lin Chen
- Central Laboratory, Shanghai Geriatric Institute of Chinese Medicine, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Da-Yong Zhang
- Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Li-Sheng Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Guo-Hong Cui
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai No. 9 People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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fMRI in Neurodegenerative Diseases: From Scientific Insights to Clinical Applications. NEUROMETHODS 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-5611-1_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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