2Hz-Electroacupuncture Attenuates Heroin-Seeking Behaviors via Adjusts CB1-Rs and CB2-Rs Expression in Relapse-Relevant Brain Regions of Heroin Self-Administration Rats

Acupuncture in Addiction Medicine: Its History, Evidence, and Possibilities

Substance-use disorders (SUDs) and drug addiction are not only national, but also global health concerns that have worsened during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Acupuncture augments the endogenous opioid system and, therefore, has a theoretical basis as a treatment for opioid use disorders (OUDs). The basic science of acupuncture, its clinical research in addiction medicine, and decades of success of the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association protocol offer positive findings supporting this protocol's utility for treating SUDs. Considering the mounting opioid/substance-use concerns and deficiencies in SUD treatment availability in the United States, acupuncture can be a safe, feasible treatment option and adjunct in addiction medicine. Furthermore, large governmental agencies are lending support to acupuncture for treating acute and chronic pain, which, in turn, could translate to prevention of SUDs and addictions. This article is a narrative review of the background, the basic science and clinical research, and future direction of acupuncture in addiction medicine.

The Impact of Electroacupuncture Early Intervention on the Brain Lipidome in a Mouse Model of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

The neuroprotective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment has been well studied; growing evidence suggests that changes in lipid composition may be involved in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may be a target for treatment. However, the influence of early EA intervention on brain lipid composition in patients with PTSD has never been investigated. Using a modified single prolonged stress (mSPS) model in mice, we assessed the anti-PTSD-like effects of early intervention using EA and evaluated changes in lipid composition in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) using a mass spectrometry-based lipidomic approach. mSPS induced changes in lipid composition in the hippocampus, notably in the content of sphingolipids, glycerolipids, and fatty acyls. These lipid changes were more robust than those observed in the PFC. Early intervention with EA after mSPS ameliorated PTSD-like behaviors and partly normalized mSPS-induced lipid changes, notably in the hippocampus. Cumulatively, our data suggest that EA may reverse mSPS-induced PTSD-like behaviors due to region-specific regulation of the brain lipidome, providing new insights into the therapeutic mechanism of EA.

Electroacupuncture inhibits the interaction between peripheral TRPV1 and P2X3 in rats with different pathological pain

Chronic pain is regarded to be one of the common and refractory diseases to cure in the clinic. One hundred Hz electroacupuncture (EA) is commonly used for inflammatory pain and 2 Hz for neuropathic pain possibly by modulating the transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) or the purinergic P2X3 related pathways. To clarify the mechanism of EA under various conditions of pathological pain, rats received a subcutaneous administration of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) for inflammatory pain and spared nerve injury (SNI) for neuropathic pain. The EA was performed at the bilateral ST36 and BL60 1 d after CFA or SNI being successfully established for 3 consecutive days. The mechanical hyperalgesia test was measured at baseline, 1 d after model establishment, 1 d and 3 d after EA. The co-expression changes, co-immunoprecipitation of TRPV1 and P2X3, and spontaneous pain behaviors (SPB) test were performed 3 d after EA stimulation. One hundred Hz EA or 2Hz EA stimulation could effectively down-regulate the hyperalgesia of CFA or SNI rats. The increased co-expression ratio between TRPV1 and P2X3 at the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in two types of pain could be reduced by 100Hz or 2Hz EA intervention. While 100Hz or 2Hz EA was not able to eliminate the direct physical interaction between TRPV1 and P2X3. Moreover, EA could significantly inhibit the SPB induced by the co-activation of peripheral TRPV1 and P2X3. All results indicated that EA could significantly reduce the hyperalgesia and the SPB, which was partly related to inhibiting the co-expression and indirect interaction between peripheral TRPV1 and P2X3.

Bidirectional role of acupuncture in the treatment of drug addiction

Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder, affecting people from all walks of life. Studies of acupuncture effects on drug addiction are intriguing in light of the fact that acupuncture can be used as a convenient therapeutic intervention for treating drug addiction by direct activation of brain pathway. The current review aims to discuss the neurobiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture's effectiveness in the treatment of drug addiction, on the basis of two different theories (the incentive sensitization theory and the opponent process theory) that have seemingly opposite view on the role of the mesolimbic reward pathways in mediating compulsive drug-seeking behavior. This review provides evidence that acupuncture may reduce relapse to drug-seeking behavior by regulating neurotransmitters involved in drug craving modulation via somatosensory afferent mechanisms. Also, acupuncture normalizes hyper-reactivity or hypoactivity of the mesolimbic dopamine system in these opposed processes in drug addiction, suggesting bidirectional role of acupuncture in regulation of drug addiction. This proposes that acupuncture may reduce drug craving by correcting both dysfunctions of the mesolimbic dopamine pathway.