Tutkimusta akupunktion vaikutusmekanismeista
Akupunktiolla on monissa tutkimuksissa havaittu olevan selviä vaikutuksia erilaisia sairaustiloja hoidettaessa. Akupunktion vaikutusten taustalla olevat mekanismit ovat kuitenkin vielä osittain huonosti tunnettuja. Nykyään tehdäänkin paljon uutta tutkimusta, jonka avulla yritetään paremmin ymmärtää tämän perinteisen hoitomuodon taustalla olevia vaikutusmekanismeja ja hoitomuodon mahdollisuuksia.
Pitkään suurin osa akupunktiota kohtaan esitetystä kritiikistä on perustunut sille, ettei sen vaikutusmekanismia ole tunnettu. Tilanne on kuitenkin muuttunut viimeisen vuosikymmenen aikana radikaalisti samalla kun erilaiset kuvannusmenetelmät ovat kehittyneet ja niiden hinta on laskenut sen verran, että niitä on voitu soveltaa paremmin myös akupunktiotutkimuksessa. Myös tehosta saatu näyttö on lisännyt kiinnostusta hoitomuodon tutkimista kohtaan ja hoitotuloksille on haluttu löytää perinteisiä selitysmalleja modernimpi ja tieteellisempi selitys.
Nykyinen ajatus akupunktion vaikutusmekanismeista liittyy tyypillisesti useiden erilaisten järjestelmien kuten immuniteetin, umpieritysrauhasten ja hermoston muodostamiin kokonaisuuksiin.
Selaa tutkimuksia tai valitse aiheaulue
Kipu Migreeni Naisten terveys Miesten terveys Metabolia & sydänterveys Ruuansulatuselimistö Syövän tukihoito Psyykkinen terveys ja uni Neurologiset ongelmat Vaikutusmekanismit Muut
Unlocking the potential: How acupuncture reshapes the liver-centered lipid metabolism pattern to fight obesity.
"Obesity, a widespread global health issue, is frequently linked to disrupted lipid metabolism, resulting in excessive accumulation of adipose tissue and associated health complications. Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medical modality, has exhibited potential as a viable intervention for addressing obesity. The underlying mechanism proposed involves the stimulation of specific acupoints to exert a regulatory ..."
Yang S., Chen L. et al. (2024) Unlocking the potential: How acupuncture reshapes the liver-centered lipid metabolism pattern to fight obesity. J Integr Med. 2024. 🔗
Research Progress of Vagal Nerve Regulation Mechanism in Acupuncture Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation.
"Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice. It has a high prevalence and poor prognosis. The application of antiarrhythmic drugs and even surgery cannot completely treat the disease, and there are many sequelae. AF can be classified into the category of "palpitation" in Chinese medicine according to its symptoms. Acupuncture ..."
Cao L., Liu H. et al. (2024) Research Progress of Vagal Nerve Regulation Mechanism in Acupuncture Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation. Chin J Integr Med. 2024. 🔗
Therapeutically Fine-Tuning Autonomic Nervous System to Treat Sepsis: A New Perspective on the Immunomodulatory Effects of Acupuncture
"AbstractRecent studies have highlighted the immunomodulatory effects of acupuncture on sepsis and proposed novel non-pharmacological or bioelectronic approaches to managing inflammatory illnesses. Establishing rules for selectively activating sympathetic or vagal nerve-mediated anti-inflammatory pathways using acupuncture has valuable clinical applications. Over the years, studies have revealed the segmental modulatory role of acupuncture in regulating visceral ..."
Zhang Z., Zhang D. et al. (2024) Therapeutically Fine-Tuning Autonomic Nervous System to Treat Sepsis: A New Perspective on the Immunomodulatory Effects of Acupuncture J Inflamm Res. 2024;17:4373-4387. 🔗
Proteomics and its application in the research of acupuncture: An updated review.
"As a complementary and alternative therapy, acupuncture is widely used in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. However, the understanding of the mechanism of acupuncture effects is still limited due to the lack of systematic biological validation. Notably, proteomics technologies in the field of acupuncture are rapidly evolving, and these advances are greatly ..."
Zhong Z., Sun M. et al. (2024) Proteomics and its application in the research of acupuncture: An updated review. Heliyon. 2024;10(12):e33233-e33233. 🔗
Advancements in the physiopathological study of acupuncture treatment for insomnia: A review.
"Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that significantly impacts an individual's psychological and physical health, characterized by persistent difficulties in falling asleep, decreased sleep quality, and impaired daytime functioning. Traditional treatment approaches primarily rely on pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapy, yet not all patients benefit from these methods, and they often come with certain side ..."
Zhao H., Liu C. et al. (2024) Advancements in the physiopathological study of acupuncture treatment for insomnia: A review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2024;103(26):e38476-e38476. 🔗
Effects of acupuncture on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: Current status and future perspectives.
"The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a critical component of the neuroendocrine system, playing a central role in regulating the body's stress response and modulating various physiological processes. Dysregulation of HPA axis function disrupts the neuroendocrine equilibrium, resulting in impaired physiological functions. Acupuncture is recognized as a non-pharmacological type of therapy which has been confirmed ..."
Zheng J., Zhu J. et al. (2024) Effects of acupuncture on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: Current status and future perspectives. J Integr Med. 2024. 🔗
Characterization of Skeletal Muscle Regeneration Revealed a Novel Growth Network Induced by Molecular Acupuncture-like Transfection.
"The low efficiency of in vivo transfection of a few fibres revealed a novel tissue network that temporally amplified growth stimulation in the entire regenerating rat soleus muscle. This acupuncture-like effect was demonstrated when the fibres began to grow after complete fibre degradation, synchronous inflammation, myoblast and myotube formation. Neonatal sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum ATPase (..."
Zádor Ernő.(2024) Characterization of Skeletal Muscle Regeneration Revealed a Novel Growth Network Induced by Molecular Acupuncture-like Transfection. Biomolecules. 2024;14(3). 🔗
Comprehensive landscape-style investigation of the molecular mechanism of acupuncture at ST36 single acupoint on different systemic diseases.
"The principle of acupoint stimulation efficacy is based on traditional meridian theory. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of acupoints in treating diseases remain unclear in modern scientific understanding. In this study, we selected the ST36 acupoint for investigation and summarized all relevant literature from the PubMed database over the past 10 years. ..."
Fan X., Liu Y. et al. (2024) Comprehensive landscape-style investigation of the molecular mechanism of acupuncture at ST36 single acupoint on different systemic diseases. Heliyon. 2024;10(4):e26270-e26270. 🔗
A review on traditional Chinese medicine natural products and acupuncture intervention for Alzheimer's disease based on the neuroinflammatory.
"Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with insidious onset and progressive development. It is clinically characterized by cognitive impairment, memory impairment and behavioral change. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture are important components of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and are commonly used in clinical treatment of AD. This paper systematically summarizes the research progress ..."
Chen Z., Wang X. et al. (2024) A review on traditional Chinese medicine natural products and acupuncture intervention for Alzheimer's disease based on the neuroinflammatory. Chin Med. 2024;19(1):35-35. 🔗
The role of purinergic signaling in acupuncture-mediated relief of neuropathic and inflammatory pain.
"Acupuncture is a traditional medicinal practice in China that has been increasingly recognized in other countries in recent decades. Notably, several reports have demonstrated that acupuncture can effectively aid in pain management. However, the analgesic mechanisms through which acupuncture provides such benefits remain poorly understood. Purinergic signaling, which is mediated by purine nucleotides and ..."
Huo M., Zhang Q. et al. (2024) The role of purinergic signaling in acupuncture-mediated relief of neuropathic and inflammatory pain. Purinergic Signal. 2024. 🔗
Identifying the effective combination of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for postmenopausal osteoporosis therapy through studies of their molecular regulation of bone homeostasis.
"Worldwide, as the population age, osteoporosis is becoming increasingly common, and osteoporotic fractures have a significant economic burden. Postmenopausal women are the most susceptible to developing osteoporosis and the most critical time to prevent it is during the perimenopausal and early menopausal years. In this regard, we hypothesize rational combination of acupuncture and Traditional ..."
Ping R., Quanwu W. et al. (2024) Identifying the effective combination of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for postmenopausal osteoporosis therapy through studies of their molecular regulation of bone homeostasis. J Tradit Chin Med. 2024;44(1):212-212. 🔗
Advances of research on mechanisms of acupuncture underlying improvement of ischemic stroke by regulating neuronal mitochondria.
"Acupuncture has a positive effect in the treatment of ischemic stroke (IS). A number of studies have confirmed that the role of acupuncture in the treatment of IS, which is closely related to its functions of regulating mitochondrial functions. In the present article, we review the mechanisms of acupuncture underlying improvement of mitochondria in ..."
Li Y., Zhang R. et al. (2024) Advances of research on mechanisms of acupuncture underlying improvement of ischemic stroke by regulating neuronal mitochondria. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2024;49(1):71-71. 🔗
Research progress on mechanism of acupuncture in treating functional constipation.
"Acupuncture treatment for functional constipation (FC) is characterized by precise efficacy, rapid onset of action in the early stages, long-term stable effects, and overall regulation. This paper reviews recent literatures on acupuncture treatment for FC, indicating that acupuncture acts from multiple perspectives and pathways, including promoting intestinal motility, regulating intestinal microbiota, modulating the brain-gut ..."
Li Y., Yao J. et al. (2024) Research progress on mechanism of acupuncture in treating functional constipation. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2024;49(1):79-79. 🔗
Neural circuit mechanisms of acupuncture effect: where are we now?
"Recently, there has been increasing attention on the impact of acupuncture on the dysregulated neural circuits in different disease. This has led to new understandings of how acupuncture works. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of research that have examined the impact of acupuncture on abnormal neural circuits associated with pain, anxiety, Parkinson's disease, ..."
Wang X., Wang J. et al. (2024) Neural circuit mechanisms of acupuncture effect: where are we now? Front Neurol. 2024;15:1399925-1399925. 🔗
Mobilizing endogenous neuroprotection: the mechanism of the protective effect of acupuncture on the brain after stroke.
"Given its high morbidity, disability, and mortality rates, ischemic stroke (IS) is a severe disease posing a substantial public health threat. Although early thrombolytic therapy is effective in IS treatment, the limited time frame for its administration presents a formidable challenge. Upon occurrence, IS triggers an ischemic cascade response, inducing the brain to generate ..."
Fu T., Wang G. et al. (2024) Mobilizing endogenous neuroprotection: the mechanism of the protective effect of acupuncture on the brain after stroke. Front Neurosci. 2024;18:1181670-1181670. 🔗
Acupuncture-Related Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Narrative Review of Neuroimaging Studies.
"Acupuncture has been widely applied for treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Numerous studies have found that acupuncture can effectively alleviate KOA symptoms. With the advancement of neuroimaging techniques, integrating neuroimaging with in-depth investigations of acupuncture mechanisms has emerged as a hot topic in traditional Chinese medical neuroscience research. This review aimed to analyze the study ..."
Qu Y., Peng Y. et al. (2024) Acupuncture-Related Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Narrative Review of Neuroimaging Studies. J Pain Res. 2024;17:773-773. 🔗
The mechanistic effects of acupuncture in rodent neurodegenerative disease models: a literature review.
"Neurodegenerative diseases refer to a battery of medical conditions that affect the survival and function of neurons in the brain, which are mainly presented with progressive loss of cognitive and/or motor function. Acupuncture showed benign effects in improving neurological deficits, especially on movement and cognitive function impairment. Here, we reviewed the therapeutic mechanisms ..."
Li B., Deng S. et al. (2024) The mechanistic effects of acupuncture in rodent neurodegenerative disease models: a literature review. Front Neurosci. 2024;18:1323555-1323555. 🔗
Acupuncture for radicular pain: a review of analgesic mechanism.
"Radicular pain, a common and complex form of neuropathic pain, presents significant challenges in treatment. Acupuncture, a therapy originating from ancient traditional Chinese medicine and widely utilized for various pain types, including radicular pain, has shown promising outcomes in the management of lumbar radicular pain, cervical radicular pain, and radicular pain due to spinal ..."
Li H., Zhang Y. et al. (2024) Acupuncture for radicular pain: a review of analgesic mechanism. Front Mol Neurosci. 2024;17:1332876-1332876. 🔗
Acupuncture modulates the gut microbiota in Alzheimer's disease: current evidence, challenges, and future opportunities.
"Alzheimer's disease, one of the most severe and common neurodegenerative diseases, has no effective cure. Therefore it is crucial to explore novel and effective therapeutic targets. The gut microbiota - brain axis has been found to play a role in Alzheimer's disease by regulating the neuro-immune and endocrine systems. At the same time, acupuncture ..."
Yan L., Li H. et al. (2024) Acupuncture modulates the gut microbiota in Alzheimer's disease: current evidence, challenges, and future opportunities. Front Neurosci. 2024;18:1334735-1334735. 🔗
Treatment of Depression with Acupuncture Based on Pathophysiological Mechanism.
"Depression is a prevalent mental disorder and has a profound impact on an individual's psychological and physical well-being. It is characterized by a persistently depressed mood, loss of interest, energy loss, and cognitive dysfunction. In recent years, more and more people have changed to mental diseases, such as depression, anxiety, mania and so on. ..."
Sun B., Cao X. et al. (2024) Treatment of Depression with Acupuncture Based on Pathophysiological Mechanism. Int J Gen Med. 2024;17:347-347. 🔗
Revealing the clinical effect and biological mechanism of acupuncture in COPD: A review.
"BACKGROUND: To provide new ideas for the clinical and mechanism research of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), this study systematically reviews clinical research and the progress of basic research of acupuncture in the treatment of COPD. METHODS: PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched using acupuncture and COPD ..."
Shi F., Cao J. et al. (2024) Revealing the clinical effect and biological mechanism of acupuncture in COPD: A review. Biomed Pharmacother. 2024;170:115926-115926. 🔗
Effects and mechanisms of acupuncture on women related health.
"Globally, public health interventions have resulted in a 30-year increase in women's life expectancy. However, women's health has not increased when socioeconomic status is ignored. Women's health has become a major public health concern, for those women from developing countries are still struggling with infectious and labor-related diseases, and their counterparts in developed countries ..."
Qin H., Feng J. et al. (2023) Effects and mechanisms of acupuncture on women related health. Front Med. 2023. 🔗
An overview of systematic reviews of acupuncture for neurodegenerative disease.
"...RESULTS: Finally, we identified 53 SRs (three were qualitative descriptions and fifty were meta-analyses). Under AMSTAR 2, only one SR was rated as moderate quality, six SRs as low quality and 46 SRs as very low quality. According to ROBIS, 33 SRs were rated as a high risk of bias and 20 as a low risk of bias. Cognitive functions in neurodegenerative diseases, activities of daily living and the motor and non-motor outcomes associated with PD were included to summary description. The pooled results show that acupuncture combined with conventional treatment may have an overall advantage over conventional treatment, but the quality of evidence is low. Specific adverse reactions/events were reported in 20 SRs. Common needle-related adverse events included pain, dizziness, bleeding, or subcutaneous hematoma. No severe adverse events were reported in any SRs. ..."
Zhu F., Yin S. et al. (2023) An overview of systematic reviews of acupuncture for neurodegenerative disease. Asian J Psychiatr. 2023;91:103882-103882. 🔗
Effect and mechanism of acupuncture on endogenous and exogenous stem cells in disease treatment: A therapeutic review.
"Acupuncture is effective intervention, particularly in nerve, endocrine diseases and immune diseases. The potential mechanisms mediating the effects of acupuncture include anti-inflammatory and oxidative stress, inhibition of cell apoptosis, and stimulation of the proliferation and differentiation of endogenous stem cells. Traditional Chinese medicine combined with stem cell transplantation have a synergistic effect in the ..."
Gao H. & Ding W. (2023) Effect and mechanism of acupuncture on endogenous and exogenous stem cells in disease treatment: A therapeutic review. Life Sci. 2023;331:122031-122031. 🔗
MicroRNAs as promising therapeutic agents: A perspective from acupuncture.
"MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are gaining recognition as potential therapeutic agents due to their small size, ability to target a wide range of genes, and significant role in disease progression. However, despite their promising potential, nearly half of the miRNA drugs developed for therapeutic purposes have been discontinued or put on hold, and none have advanced ..."
Li S., Huang Q. et al. (2023) MicroRNAs as promising therapeutic agents: A perspective from acupuncture. Pathol Res Pract. 2023;248:154652-154652. 🔗
Potential role of acupuncture in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: A narrative review.
"...RESULTS: Data suggests that acupuncture treatment is effective for PD symptoms by modulating inflammation and brain functional connectivity (BFC). These acupuncture effects have been shown to be similar to neuromodulation in controlling inflammation and BFC. Based on the shared mechanisms of action, potential acupuncture mechanisms that may ameliorate a wide range of PD symptoms include but are not limited to (1) vagal activation of the anti-inflammatory pathway and (2) BFC enhancement. ..."
Park J., Oh J. et al. (2023) Potential role of acupuncture in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: A narrative review. Integr Med Res. 2023;12(2):100954-100954. 🔗
Treatment of insomnia based on the mechanism of pathophysiology by acupuncture combined with herbal medicine: A review.
"Insomnia is a sleep disorder which severely affects patients mood, quality of life and social functioning, serves as a trigger or risk factor to a variety of diseases such as depression, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes, and even increases the risk of suicide, and has become an increasingly widespread concern worldwide. Considerable ..."
Wang J., Zhao H. et al. (2023) Treatment of insomnia based on the mechanism of pathophysiology by acupuncture combined with herbal medicine: A review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023;102(11):e33213-e33213. 🔗
Application of fMRI techniques in the study of acupuncture for gynecological diseases: A review.
"Acupuncture therapy, as a characteristic of Chinese medical therapy, has a long history and remarkable effect in the treatment of gynecological diseases, and so far, it has formed a complete treatment system, but its efficacy and mechanism of action remain unclear. Functional magnetic resonance imaging, a visual technique, provides an objective basis for the ..."
Liu R., He M. et al. (2023) Application of fMRI techniques in the study of acupuncture for gynecological diseases: A review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023;102(10):e33268-e33268. 🔗
Role of GRPR in Acupuncture Intervention in the "Itch-scratch Vicious Cycle" Spinal Circuit of Chronic Pruritus.
"Many previous studies have shown the potential antipruritic effect of acupuncture. This paper reviews the antipruritic mechanisms of acupuncture according to these aspects: sample characteristics, detail of intervention, and effects evaluation. The majority of research on acupuncture's antipruritic effect has focused on primary afferents of the peripheral mechanism. Relatively few studies, however, have addressed ..."
Liu J., Li X. et al. (2023) Role of GRPR in Acupuncture Intervention in the "Itch-scratch Vicious Cycle" Spinal Circuit of Chronic Pruritus. Chin Med. 2023;18(1):2-2. 🔗
Effects and mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia mediated by afferent nerves in acupoint microenvironments.
"In the past few decades, the use of acupuncture analgesia in clinical practice has increased worldwide. This is due to its various benefits, including natural alleviation of pain without causing various adverse effects associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and opioids. The acupoint represents the initial site of acupuncture stimulation, where diverse types of ..."
Fan Z., Dou B. et al. (2023) Effects and mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia mediated by afferent nerves in acupoint microenvironments. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1239839-1239839. 🔗
Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy for cognitive impairment: the microbiome-gut-brain axis and its role.
"Cognitive impairment poses a significant burden on individuals, families, and society worldwide. Despite the lack of effective treatment strategies, emerging evidence suggests that the microbiome-gut-brain (MGB) axis may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment. While targeted treatment is not yet comprehensive, recently, acupuncture and moxibustion therapy has participated increasingly in ..."
Shi J., Zhang X. et al. (2023) Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy for cognitive impairment: the microbiome-gut-brain axis and its role. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1275860-1275860. 🔗
Effect of Moxibustion on Inflammatory Cytokines for Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression.
"...RESULTS: Thirty RCTs measuring interleukin (IL-) 1, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17, IL-23, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-) α were included in this meta-analysis. Compared to controls: single moxibustion could effectively decrease levels IL-6 and IL-23 (SMD, -0.71, 95% CI: -1.25 to -0.17, = 0.01; SMD, -1.61, 95% CI: -2.20 to -1.03, < 0.01, respectively); combined moxibustion had significant effects on IL-1, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17, and TNF-α ( < 0.05). Overall, for LBP, single or combined moxibustion could effectively down-regulate levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines ( = 0.007 and < 0.00001, respectively). For safety of moxibustion, the incidence rate of side effects was similar to that of controls (RD, -0.01, 95% CI: -0.02 to 0.01, = 0.59). Sensitivity analysis showed that the pooled estimates were robust, and publication bias analysis showed there was a significant small study effect (Egger's test = 0.0000). High statistical heterogeneity existed between included RCTs, meta-regression showed there was no potential factor explaining the source of heterogeneity. ..."
Zhao Z., Li J. et al. (2023) Effect of Moxibustion on Inflammatory Cytokines for Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2023;19:811-811. 🔗
Moxibustion for the Treatment of Cancer and its Complications: Efficacies and Mechanisms.
"Cancer treatment remains a significant challenge for the medical community, and improved therapies are necessary to treat cancer and its associated complications. Current anticancer therapies often have significant side effects, underscoring the need for new treatment options. Moxibustion is a representative external therapy used in traditional Chinese medicine. This review examines clinical studies demonstrating ..."
Lu S., Wang B. et al. (2023) Moxibustion for the Treatment of Cancer and its Complications: Efficacies and Mechanisms. Integr Cancer Ther. 2023;22:15347354231198089-15347354231198089. 🔗
Modulation of visceral pain by brain nuclei and brain circuits and the role of acupuncture: a narrative review.
"Visceral pain is a complex and heterogeneous pain condition that is often associated with pain-related negative emotional states, including anxiety and depression, and can exert serious effects on a patient's physical and mental health. According to modeling stimulation protocols, the current animal models of visceral pain mainly include the mechanical dilatation model, the ischemic ..."
Dou Z., Su N. et al. (2023) Modulation of visceral pain by brain nuclei and brain circuits and the role of acupuncture: a narrative review. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1243232-1243232. 🔗
Mechanisms of acupuncture-electroacupuncture on inflammatory pain.
"Acupuncture, as a traditional treatment, has been extensively used in China for thousands of years. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), acupuncture is recommended for the treatment of 77 diseases. And 16 of these diseases are related to inflammatory pain. As a combination of traditional acupuncture and modern electrotherapy, electroacupuncture (EA) has satisfactory analgesic effects ..."
Zhang Q., Zhou M. et al. (2023) Mechanisms of acupuncture-electroacupuncture on inflammatory pain. Mol Pain. 2023;19:17448069231202882-17448069231202882. 🔗
The efficacy and neural mechanism of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome.
"Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a complex functional gastrointestinal disorder primarily characterized by chronic abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits. Chronic abdominal pain caused by visceral Hypersensitivity (VH) is the main reason why patients with IBS seek medication. Significant research effort has been devoted to the efficacy of acupuncture as a non-drug alternative ..."
Yang Y., Wang J. et al. (2023) The efficacy and neural mechanism of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1251470-1251470. 🔗
Application and underlying mechanism of acupuncture for the nerve repair after peripheral nerve injury: remodeling of nerve system.
"Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a structural event with harmful consequences worldwide. Due to the limited intrinsic regenerative capacity of the peripheral nerve in adults, neural restoration after PNI is difficult. Neurological remodeling has a crucial effect on the repair of the form and function during the regeneration of the peripheral nerve after the ..."
Yang Y., Rao C. et al. (2023) Application and underlying mechanism of acupuncture for the nerve repair after peripheral nerve injury: remodeling of nerve system. Front Cell Neurosci. 2023;17:1253438-1253438. 🔗
Revealing the biological mechanism of acupuncture in alleviating excessive inflammatory responses and organ damage in sepsis: a systematic review.
"Sepsis is a systemic inflammation caused by a maladjusted host response to infection. In severe cases, it can cause multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and even endanger life. Acupuncture is widely accepted and applied in the treatment of sepsis, and breakthroughs have been made regarding its mechanism of action in recent years. In this ..."
Yang L., Zhou D. et al. (2023) Revealing the biological mechanism of acupuncture in alleviating excessive inflammatory responses and organ damage in sepsis: a systematic review. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1242640-1242640. 🔗
Effect of acupuncture on BDNF signaling pathways in several nervous system diseases.
"In recent years, the understanding of the mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of neurological disorders has deepened, and considerable progress has been made in basic and clinical research on acupuncture, but the relationship between acupuncture treatment mechanisms and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has not yet been elucidated. A wealth of evidence has shown ..."
Miao C., Li X. et al. (2023) Effect of acupuncture on BDNF signaling pathways in several nervous system diseases. Front Neurol. 2023;14:1248348-1248348. 🔗
Acupuncture as multi-targeted therapy for the multifactorial disease obesity: a complex neuro-endocrine-immune interplay.
"The prevalence of obesity has reached pandemic dimensions. It is associated with multiple comorbidities and is becoming a clinical and public health threat. Obesity is a multifactorial disease with a complex pathophysiology and interplay of various systems. A strong interplay exists between the neuro-endocrine system, the immune system with systemic chronic low-grade inflammation, and ..."
Landgraaf R., Bloem M. et al. (2023) Acupuncture as multi-targeted therapy for the multifactorial disease obesity: a complex neuro-endocrine-immune interplay. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023;14:1236370-1236370. 🔗
Neural control of cerebral blood flow: scientific basis of scalp acupuncture in treating brain diseases.
"Scalp acupuncture (SA), as a modern acupuncture therapy in the treatment of brain diseases, especially for acute ischemic strokes, has accumulated a wealth of experience and tons of success cases, but the current hypothesized mechanisms of SA therapy still seem to lack significant scientific validity, which may not be conducive to its ultimate integration ..."
Jin G., Jin L. et al. (2023) Neural control of cerebral blood flow: scientific basis of scalp acupuncture in treating brain diseases. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1210537-1210537. 🔗
Brain nuclei and neural circuits in neuropathic pain and brain modulation mechanisms of acupuncture: a review on animal-based experimental research.
"Neuropathic pain (NP) is known to be associated with abnormal changes in specific brain regions, but the complex neural network behind it is vast and complex and lacks a systematic summary. With the help of various animal models of NP, a literature search on NP brain regions and circuits revealed that the related brain ..."
Su N., Cai P. et al. (2023) Brain nuclei and neural circuits in neuropathic pain and brain modulation mechanisms of acupuncture: a review on animal-based experimental research. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1243231-1243231. 🔗
The Role of Acupuncture and Its Related Mechanism in Treating Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome.
"Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is one of the most common diseases in urology, and its prevalence has been increasing, causing serious urogenital problems in men. Several targeted oral drug therapies exist to treat the pelvic pain experienced in this disease. However, these therapies may have potential adverse effects, and due ..."
Wang H., Zhang J. et al. (2023) The Role of Acupuncture and Its Related Mechanism in Treating Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. Int J Gen Med. 2023;16:4039-4039. 🔗
The effects of acupuncture on sleep disorders and its underlying mechanism: a literature review of rodent studies.
"Sleep is a set of physiological processes mainly under neurobiological regulation that affect several physiological systems, and sleep disorders are a condition where normal sleep patterns are disturbed. Clinical studies have confirmed the effects of acupuncture on sleep duration and quality. Although many studies have explored the therapeutic effects of acupuncture on sleep disorders, ..."
Lee S. & Kim S. (2023) The effects of acupuncture on sleep disorders and its underlying mechanism: a literature review of rodent studies. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1243029-1243029. 🔗
The Analgesic Effect and Potential Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Migraine Rats: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
"...RESULTS: Twenty-one studies involving 489 animals were identified. The qualitative score ranged from 3 to 9 points. Facial mechanical withdrawal threshold (FMWT) and paw mechanical withdrawal threshold (PMWT) measured by Von Frey filaments were selected as major outcomes, and serum calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels measured by ELISA were selected as secondary outcome. Meta-analysis results revealed that true acupuncture (TA) group significantly increased FMWT, PMWT and CGRP compared to model group. TA group showed superior effect in FMWT, PMWT relative to sham acupuncture (SA) group. Subgroup analysis results showed that high risk of bias scores may be responsible for the high heterogeneity of FMWT; additionally, CGRP analysis suggests that acupoint selection and blood collection sites may be sources of heterogeneity. In the treatment of migraine pain symptoms, the underlying mechanism of acupuncture treatment is either the regulation of hyperalgesia and neurotransmitters, or the reduction of inflammatory factors. ..."
Sun S., Liu L. et al. (2023) The Analgesic Effect and Potential Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Migraine Rats: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Pain Res. 2023;16:2525-2525. 🔗
Targeting Mitochondrial Homeostasis: The Role of Acupuncture in Depression Treatment.
"...RESULTS: Acupuncture has been found to regulate mitochondrial homeostasis (by modulating mitochondrial autophagy, reducing mitochondrial oxidative stress, inhibiting mitochondrial fission, inducing mitochondrial biogenesis, and maintaining mitochondrial dynamics), alleviate depression-like behavior, and regulate signal pathways and key proteins. ..."
Chen H., Wu C. et al. (2023) Targeting Mitochondrial Homeostasis: The Role of Acupuncture in Depression Treatment. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2023;19:1741-1741. 🔗
Effects of acupuncture on gastrointestinal diseases and its underlying mechanism: a literature review of animal studies.
"Acupuncture is a non-pharmacological traditional Chinese medical technique that has been used for various types of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in Eastern medicine. However, the specific mechanisms underlying acupuncture treatment in the GI tract have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we searched the electronic databases PUBMED, EMBASE, and MEDLINE and identified 30 eligible studies ..."
Kim M., Lee S. et al. (2023) Effects of acupuncture on gastrointestinal diseases and its underlying mechanism: a literature review of animal studies. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;10:1167356-1167356. 🔗
Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of acupuncture at ST36: a coordinate-based meta-analysis.
"...RESULTS: A total of 27 studies (27 ST36) were included. This meta-analysis found that ST36 could activate the left cerebellum, the bilateral Rolandic operculum, the right supramarginal gyrus, and the right cerebellum. Functional characterizations showed that acupuncture at ST36 was mainly associated with action and perception. ..."
Zhang J., Liu Y. et al. (2023) Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of acupuncture at ST36: a coordinate-based meta-analysis. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1180434-1180434. 🔗
New insights into acupuncture techniques for poststroke spasticity.
"With the trend of aging population getting more obvious, stroke has already been a major public health problem worldwide. As a main disabling motor impairment after stroke, spasticity has unexpected negative impacts on the quality of life and social participation in patients. Moreover, it brings heavy economic burden to the family and society. Previous ..."
Wang J., Fidimanantsoa O. et al. (2023) New insights into acupuncture techniques for poststroke spasticity. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1155372-1155372. 🔗
Structural and functional improvement of amygdala sub-regions in postpartum depression after acupuncture.
"...RESULTS: The HAMD scores for Acu-PPD were reduced after acupuncture treatment ( < 0.05), suggesting the positive effects of acupuncture on depression symptoms. Structurally, the All-PPD group showed significantly decreased GMV in the left lateral part of the amygdala (lAMG.L) and the right lateral part of the amygdala (lAMG.R) compared to the HPW group ( < 0.05). In addition, the GMV of lAMG.R was marginally increased in the Acu-PPD group after acupuncture ( < 0.05). Functionally, the Acu-PPD group showed a significantly enhanced RSFC between the left medial part of the amygdala (mAMG.L) and the left vermis_6, an increased RSFC between the right medial part of the amygdala (mAMG.R) and left vermis_6, and an increased RSFC between the lAMG.R and left cerebelum_crus1 ( < 0.05). Moreover, correlation studies revealed that the GMV in the lAMG.R was significantly related to the EPDS scores in the All-PPD group ( < 0.05). ..."
Huang X., Zhuo Y. et al. (2023) Structural and functional improvement of amygdala sub-regions in postpartum depression after acupuncture. Front Hum Neurosci. 2023;17:1163746-1163746. 🔗
Efficacy and underlying mechanisms of acupuncture therapy for PTSD: evidence from animal and clinical studies.
"As a major public health problem, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has a substantial impact on individuals and society. The total excess economic burden of PTSD in the US is estimated to be more than $232.2 billion a year. Acupuncture is widely used in patients with PTSD, and an increasing number of studies have been undertaken ..."
Tang X., Lin S. et al. (2023) Efficacy and underlying mechanisms of acupuncture therapy for PTSD: evidence from animal and clinical studies. Front Behav Neurosci. 2023;17:1163718-1163718. 🔗
The immunomodulatory mechanisms for acupuncture practice.
"The system physiology approaches that emerge in western countries in recent years echo the holistic view of ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practices that deal with the root, rather than only the symptoms of diseases. Particularly, TCM practices, including acupuncture, emphasize the mobilization of self-healing mechanisms to bring back body homeostasis. Acupuncture has been ..."
Wang M., Liu W. et al. (2023) The immunomodulatory mechanisms for acupuncture practice. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1147718-1147718. 🔗
Functional magnetic resonance imaging providing the brain effect mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for depression.
"The efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of depression has been fully recognized internationally. However, its central mechanism is still not developed into a unified standard, and it is generally believed that the central mechanism is regulation of the cortical striatum thalamic neural pathway of the limbic system. In recent years, some ..."
Wong K., Xu J. et al. (2023) Functional magnetic resonance imaging providing the brain effect mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for depression. Front Neurol. 2023;14:1151421-1151421. 🔗
Acupuncture treatment for post-stroke depression: Intestinal microbiota and its role.
"Stroke-induced depression is a common complication and an important risk factor for disability. Besides psychiatric symptoms, depressed patients may also exhibit a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, and even take gastrointestinal symptoms as the primary reason for medical treatment. It is well documented that stress may disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome in patients ..."
Jiang H., Deng S. et al. (2023) Acupuncture treatment for post-stroke depression: Intestinal microbiota and its role. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1146946-1146946. 🔗
Research progress on acupuncture treatment in central nervous system diseases based on NLRP3 inflammasome in animal models.
"Central nervous system (CNS) disorders exhibit complex neurophysiological and pathological mechanisms, which seriously affect the quality of life in patients. Acupuncture, widely accepted as complementary and alternative medicine, has been proven to exert significant therapeutic effects on CNS diseases. As a part of the innate immune system, NLRP3 inflammasome contributes to the pathogenesis of ..."
Zhang H., Luo D. et al. (2023) Research progress on acupuncture treatment in central nervous system diseases based on NLRP3 inflammasome in animal models. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1118508-1118508. 🔗
Effect and mechanism of acupuncture on Alzheimer's disease: A review.
"With the development trend of an aging society, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become an urgent problem in the field of medicine worldwide. Cognitive impairment in AD patients leads to a decline in the ability to perform daily living and abnormalities in behavior and personality, causing abnormal psychiatric symptoms, which seriously affect the daily life ..."
Wu L., Dong Y. et al. (2023) Effect and mechanism of acupuncture on Alzheimer's disease: A review. Front Aging Neurosci. 2023;15:1035376-1035376. 🔗
A review of neuroendocrine immune system abnormalities in IBS based on the brain-gut axis and research progress of acupuncture intervention.
"Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive disorder observed in clinics. Current studies suggest that the pathogenesis of the disease is closely related to abnormal brain-gut interactions, hypokinesia, visceral sensory hypersensitivity in the gastrointestinal tract, and alterations in the intestinal microenvironment. However, it is difficult for a single factor to explain the heterogeneity ..."
Sun Z., Wang X. et al. (2023) A review of neuroendocrine immune system abnormalities in IBS based on the brain-gut axis and research progress of acupuncture intervention. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:934341-934341. 🔗
Acupuncture for Women with Overactive Bladder: Perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Related Mechanism.
"...RESULTS: We analyzed five RCTs and one comparative study on acupuncture for OAB to review and discuss the acupoint location, treatment course, and retention time based on clinical evidence and treatment ideas in traditional Chinese medicine. Additionally, we used the available evidence to reveal and discuss the acupuncture mechanisms for OAB. Acupuncture may regulate bladder function by inhibiting C-fibers, modulating nerve growth factors and reducing spontaneous contractions of the detrusor muscle. ..."
Wang H. & Lei X. (2023) Acupuncture for Women with Overactive Bladder: Perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Related Mechanism. Int J Gen Med. 2023;16:1137-1137. 🔗
Revealing the Central Mechanism of Acupuncture for Primary Dysmenorrhea Based on Neuroimaging: A Narrative Review.
"...RESULTS: The literature review yielded 130 possibly qualified studies, and 23 articles fulfilled the criteria for inclusion. Regarding the type of acupuncture studies, 6 moxibustion studies and 17 manual acupuncture studies for primary dysmenorrhea were included. Based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI), and positron emission tomography-computer tomography techniques (PET-CT), one or more analysis methods such as amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), functional connectivity (FC), and independent components analysis (ICA) were used. The results are summarized. To summarize the high-frequency brain area alterations observed in patients with acupuncture-induced primary dysmenorrhea were the anterior cingulate gyrus, thalamus, insula, precentral gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, putamen, and cerebellum. ..."
Chen B., Guo Q. et al. (2023) Revealing the Central Mechanism of Acupuncture for Primary Dysmenorrhea Based on Neuroimaging: A Narrative Review. Pain Res Manag. 2023:8307249-8307249. 🔗
Manual acupuncture for neuromusculoskeletal disorders: The selection of stimulation parameters and corresponding effects.
"As a minimally invasive method of physical stimulation, manual acupuncture (MA) is used globally as a sort of therapy for neuromusculoskeletal disorders. In addition to selecting appropriate acupoints, acupuncturists should also determine the stimulation parameters of needling, such as the manipulation (lifting-thrusting or twirling), needling amplitude, velocity, and stimulation time. At present, most studies ..."
Wang B., Xu L. et al. (2023) Manual acupuncture for neuromusculoskeletal disorders: The selection of stimulation parameters and corresponding effects. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1096339-1096339. 🔗
The factors affecting neurogenesis after stroke and the role of acupuncture.
"Stroke induces a state of neuroplasticity in the central nervous system, which can lead to neurogenesis phenomena such as axonal growth and synapse formation, thus affecting stroke outcomes. The brain has a limited ability to repair ischemic damage and requires a favorable microenvironment. Acupuncture is considered a feasible and effective neural regulation strategy to ..."
Mu J., Ma L. et al. (2023) The factors affecting neurogenesis after stroke and the role of acupuncture. Front Neurol. 2023;14:1082625-1082625. 🔗
Role of nerve signal transduction and neuroimmune crosstalk in mediating the analgesic effects of acupuncture for neuropathic pain.
"Neurogenic pain rises because of nervous system damage or dysfunction and is the most difficult to treat among other pathological pains. Acupuncture has been reported as a great treatment option for neurogenic pain owing to its unlimited advantages. However, previous studies on the analgesic effects of acupuncture for NP were scattered and did not ..."
Chen Y., Li D. et al. (2023) Role of nerve signal transduction and neuroimmune crosstalk in mediating the analgesic effects of acupuncture for neuropathic pain. Front Neurol. 2023;14:1093849-1093849. 🔗
Research progress on the immunomodulatory mechanism of acupuncture in tumor immune microenvironment.
"With the constantly deeper understanding of individualized precision therapy, immunotherapy is increasingly developed and personalized. The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) mainly consists of infiltrating immune cells, neuroendocrine cells, extracellular matrix, lymphatic vessel network, etc. It is the internal environment basis for the survival and development of tumor cells. As a characteristic treatment of traditional ..."
Wang N., Zhao L. et al. (2023) Research progress on the immunomodulatory mechanism of acupuncture in tumor immune microenvironment. Front Immunol. 2023;14:1092402-1092402. 🔗
Exosomes may be the carrier of acupuncture treatment for major depressive disorder.
"The incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is increasing all over the world. There is a great need for complementary or alternative therapies with high safety, few side effects, and precise efficacy to care for MDD. In China, acupuncture has significant laboratory data and clinical trials to demonstrate its antidepressant efficacy. However, there is ..."
Lyu Q., Zhou X. et al. (2023) Exosomes may be the carrier of acupuncture treatment for major depressive disorder. Front Behav Neurosci. 2023;17:1107265-1107265. 🔗
Treatment of Alzheimer's disease by combination of acupuncture and Chinese medicine based on pathophysiological mechanism: A review.
"Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by neurodegeneration, nerve loss, neurofibrillary tangles, and Aβ plaques. In modern medical science, there has been a serious obstacle to the effective treatment of AD. At present, there is no clinically proven and effective western medicine treatment for AD. The reason is that the etiology of ..."
Liu Z., Guan R. et al. (2022) Treatment of Alzheimer's disease by combination of acupuncture and Chinese medicine based on pathophysiological mechanism: A review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2022;101(49):e32218-e32218. 🔗
Acupuncture increases parasympathetic tone, modulating HRV - Systematic review and meta-analysis.
"...RESULTS: The searches identified 1698 potentially relevant articles, 9 RCTs were included. The statistical analysis of the available data showed that the changes between pre and post treatment HF (high frequency) and LF/HF (high frequency/low frequency) values in Verum group were significant, while there were no significant changes in these parameters in Sham groups. ..."
Hamvas S., Hegyi P. et al. (2022) Acupuncture increases parasympathetic tone, modulating HRV - Systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med. 2022;72:102905-102905. 🔗
A Biophysical Model for Cardiovascular Effects of Acupuncture-Underlying Mechanisms Based on First Principles.
"According to recent translations by medical professionals of the foundational texts of Chinese Medicine, the acupuncture channel system can be reconciled with the neurovasculature. From there, the underlying mechanisms of the effects of acupuncture can be drawn from established physiology and known physical laws. A large body of research has been carried out using ..."
Foley C. & Litscher G. (2022) A Biophysical Model for Cardiovascular Effects of Acupuncture-Underlying Mechanisms Based on First Principles. Med Acupunct. 2022;34(6):353-353. 🔗
Relationship between acupuncture and transient receptor potential vanilloid: Current and future directions
"Acupuncture is a common complementary and alternative therapy around the world, but its mechanism remains still unclear. In the past decade, some studies indicated that transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels play a great role in the response of acupuncture stimulation. In this article, we discussed the relationship between acupuncture and TRPV channels. Different ..."
Luo D., Liu L. et al. (2022) Relationship between acupuncture and transient receptor potential vanilloid: Current and future directions Front Mol Neurosci. 2022;15. 🔗
Potential mechanisms of acupuncture in enhancing cerebral perfusion of ischemic stroke
"Ischemic stroke is the predominant cause of long-term disability and death worldwide. It is attributable to the sudden interruption of regional cerebral blood flow, resulting in brain cell death and neurological impairment. Acupuncture is a widely used adjuvant treatment for ischemic stroke in China and shows promising efficacy in clinical practice. This review mainly ..."
Wang L., Su X. et al. (2022) Potential mechanisms of acupuncture in enhancing cerebral perfusion of ischemic stroke Front Neurol. 2022;13. 🔗
Current status of neuroimaging research on the effects of acupuncture: a bibliometric and visual analyses.
"...RESULTS: Neuroimaging research on the effects of acupuncture began in the 1960 s and has since received the extensive attention of scholars. China, The United States and South Korea conduct more neuroimaging research on the effects of acupuncture than other countries. Academic journals such as Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Neural Regeneration Research and Acupuncture in Medicine have published the highest number of acupuncture-related neuroimaging articles. Moreover, cluster analysis differentiates high-frequency keywords into six clusters. Furthermore, the use of the keyword 'density atlas' reveals that neuroimaging research on the effects of acupuncture surrounding pain and neurofunctional rehabilitation is currently the research focus. ..."
Xiong J., Wang Z. et al. (2022) Current status of neuroimaging research on the effects of acupuncture: a bibliometric and visual analyses. Complement Ther Med. 2022;71:102877. 🔗
Acupuncture for Parkinson's disease: From theory to practice.
"Advances in molecular biology and biochemistry have improved the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). There has been extensive evidence on the benefit of standard treatment (e.g., deep brain stimulation, levodopa, and dopamine agonists) and acupuncture for PD. This article aims to distill the similarities and differences in the treatment concepts between Chinese and ..."
Fan J., Lu W. et al. (2022) Acupuncture for Parkinson's disease: From theory to practice. Biomed Pharmacother. 2022;149:112907. 🔗
Memory-directed acupuncture as a neuromodulatory treatment for PTSD: Theory, clinical model and case studies.
"Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) poses an ongoing challenge to society, to health systems, and to the trauma victims themselves. Today PTSD is often considered an incurable chronic problem that lacks effective treatment. While PTSD is closely related to memory, it also affects many physiological systems. PTSD is usually treated with medications and psychotherapy with ..."
Assouline A., Mendelsohn A. et al. (2022) Memory-directed acupuncture as a neuromodulatory treatment for PTSD: Theory, clinical model and case studies. Transl Psychiatry. 2022;12(1):110. 🔗
Revealing the magic of acupuncture based on biological mechanisms: A literature review.
"Acupuncture has been used to treat various disease for more than 3,000 years in China and other Asian countries. As a complementary and alternative therapy, it has gained increasing popularity and acceptance among public and healthcare professionals in the West. Over the past few decades, basic and clinical research on acupuncture has made considerable progress. ..."
Zhang B., Shi H. et al. (2022) Revealing the magic of acupuncture based on biological mechanisms: A literature review. Biosci Trends. 2022;16(1):73-90. 🔗
Combination of stem cell therapy and acupuncture to treat ischemic stroke: a prospective review.
"Stroke is the second leading cause globally that leads to severe disability and death. Stem cell therapy has been developed over the recent years to treat stroke and diminish the mortality and disability rate of brain injuries. Acupuncture, which can activate endogenous recovery via physical stimuli, has been applied to enhance the recovery and ..."
Jia H., He J. et al. (2022) Combination of stem cell therapy and acupuncture to treat ischemic stroke: a prospective review. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2022;13(1):87. 🔗
Mast Cells and Acupuncture Analgesia.
"Mast cells are widely distributed in various parts of the human body and play a vital role in the progression of many diseases. Recently, the close relationship between mast cells and acupoints was elucidated, and the role of mast cells in acupuncture analgesia has attracted the attention of researchers worldwide. Using mast cells, acupuncture ..."
Li Y., Yu Y. et al. (2022) Mast Cells and Acupuncture Analgesia. Cells. 2022;11(5). 🔗
Activation of Subcutaneous Mast Cells in Acupuncture Points Triggers Analgesia.
"This review summarizes experimental evidence indicating that subcutaneous mast cells are involved in the trigger mechanism of analgesia induced by acupuncture, a traditional oriental therapy, which has gradually become accepted worldwide. The results are essentially based on work from our laboratories. Skin mast cells are present at a high density in acupuncture points where ..."
Wang L., Wang X. et al. (2022) Activation of Subcutaneous Mast Cells in Acupuncture Points Triggers Analgesia. Cells. 2022;11(5). 🔗
Evidence-Based Application of Acupuncture in Theriogenology.
"Historical evidence of acupuncture predates written history. It has been a component of Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine for many generations and is officially recognized in recorded history for treating equine disease in the Zhou Dynasty, circa 1050 BC. Drawing from a range of searchable databases, we present the use of veterinary acupuncture related to theriogenology. ..."
Holyoak G. & Ma A. (2022) Evidence-Based Application of Acupuncture in Theriogenology. Vet Sci. 2022;9(2). 🔗
Mechanisms underlying acupuncture therapy in chronic kidney disease: A narrative overview of preclinical studies and clinical trials.
"Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with high incidence, low awareness, and high disability rates among the population. Moreover, the disease significantly affects the physical and mental health of patients. Approximately 25% of patients with CKD develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD) within 20 years of diagnosis and have to rely on renal replacement therapy, which is ..."
Liu X., Wang X. et al. (2022) Mechanisms underlying acupuncture therapy in chronic kidney disease: A narrative overview of preclinical studies and clinical trials. Front Nephrol. 2022;2:1006506-1006506. 🔗
Changes of local microenvironment and systemic immunity after acupuncture stimulation during inflammation: A literature review of animal studies.
"An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the underlying mechanisms by which acupuncture therapy mediates both local and systemic immunomodulation. However, the connection between alterations in the local microenvironment and the resulting change in systemic immunity remains unclear. In this review, we focus on cell-specific changes in local immune responses following acupuncture stimulation and ..."
Yu W., Park J. et al. (2022) Changes of local microenvironment and systemic immunity after acupuncture stimulation during inflammation: A literature review of animal studies. Front Neurol. 2022;13:1086195-1086195. 🔗
The effects of acupuncture therapy in migraine: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis.
"...RESULTS: 14 articles were finally included according to the eligible criteria. Regarding the immediate effect of acupuncture on migraine, the ALE meta-analysis demonstrated that the deactivation regions were mainly located in the superior frontal gyrus, and middle frontal gyrus (uncorrected < 0.001). The ALE meta-analysis of the cumulative effect showed that the activation regions were the thalamus, superior frontal gyrus, posterior lobe of the cerebellum, insula, middle frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, anterior cingulate, and the deactivation brain regions were located in the transverse temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, anterior cingulate, parahippocampal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and inferior occipital gyrus (uncorrected < 0.001). ..."
Zhao J., Guo L. et al. (2022) The effects of acupuncture therapy in migraine: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Front Neurosci. 2022;16:1097450-1097450. 🔗
Clinical Efficacy of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.
"...RESULTS: A total of eleven RCTs involving 796 patients with RA met the established inclusion criteria. This systematic review indicated the efficacy of acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment for patients with RA. Invasive acupuncture could reduce significantly in pain (MD = -1.00, 95% CI: -1.96 to -0.05, =0.040), health assessment questionnaire (HAQ, MD = -0.20, 95% CI: -0.30 to -0.11, < 0.001), physician global assessment (PhGA, MD = -0.98, 95% CI: -1.23 to -0.72, < 0.001), tender joint count (TJC, MD = -1.24, 95% CI: -2.11 to -0.37, =0.005), C-reactive protein (CRP, MD = -1.81, 95% CI: -3.32 to -0.29, =0.019), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, MD = -3.03, 95% CI: -5.80 to -0.26, =0.032), while compared to control group. Laser acupuncture could reduce HAQ (MD = -0.15, 95% CI: -0.28 to -0.01, =0.034), the RA quality of life questionnaire (RAQoL, MD = -2.32, 95% CI: -4.40 to -0.25, =0.028), CRP (MD = -35.24, 95% CI: -36.49 to -33.99, < 0.001), and interleukin-6 (IL-6, MD = -29.63, 95% CI: -49.34 to -9.92, =0.003), while compared to control group. No adverse events associated with acupuncture were reported. ..."
Li H., Man S. et al. (2022) Clinical Efficacy of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022:5264977-5264977. 🔗
Comparison of Efficacy of Acupuncture-Related Therapy in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
"...RESULTS: A total of 32 RCTs were included, including 2,115 RA patients. The results of network meta-analysis were as follows: in terms of improving DAS28 score, Electro-acupuncture + DMARDs has the best efficacy. In terms of improving VAS score, Fire Needle + DMARDs showed the best efficacy. In terms of improving morning stiffness time, acupuncture-related therapies combined with DMARDs were not better than DMARDs alone in improving morning stiffness time in RA patients. In terms of reducing CRP and ESR, Fire Needle + DMARDs showed the best efficacy. In terms of reducing RF, Moxibustion + DMARDs has the best efficacy. ..."
Wan R., Fan Y. et al. (2022) Comparison of Efficacy of Acupuncture-Related Therapy in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Front Immunol. 2022;13:829409-829409. 🔗
The efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of male infertility: A literature review.
"Fertility, a social, cultural, and medical issue, has aroused public attention because of its potential to predict future health. In recent years, the incidence of male infertility has increased significantly, and various risk factors, such as congenital factors, acquired factors, and idiopathic factors, have led to this situation. Male infertility causes substantial psychological and ..."
Feng J., He H. et al. (2022) The efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of male infertility: A literature review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022;13:1009537-1009537. 🔗
The impact of acupuncture on neuroplasticity after ischemic stroke: a literature review and perspectives.
"Ischemic stroke is common in the elderly, and is one of the main causes of long-term disability worldwide. After ischemic stroke, spontaneous recovery and functional reconstruction take place. These processes are possible thanks to neuroplasticity, which involves neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, and angiogenesis. However, the repair of ischemic damage is not complete, and neurological deficits develop ..."
Qin S., Zhang Z. et al. (2022) The impact of acupuncture on neuroplasticity after ischemic stroke: a literature review and perspectives. Front Cell Neurosci. 2022;16:817732-817732. 🔗
The autonomic nervous system: A potential link to the efficacy of acupuncture.
"The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a diffuse network that regulates physiological systems to maintain body homeostasis by integrating inputs from the internal and external environment, including the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric nervous systems (ENS). Recent evidence suggests that ANS is one of the key neural pathways for acupuncture signal transduction, which has attracted ..."
Li Y., Li W. et al. (2022) The autonomic nervous system: A potential link to the efficacy of acupuncture. Front Neurosci. 2022;16:1038945-1038945. 🔗
Multidimensional Pain Modulation by Acupuncture Analgesia: The Reward Effect of Acupuncture on Pain Relief
"Pain is an intrinsically unpleasant experience with features that protect an organism by promoting motivation and learning. Pain relief, a negative reinforcement of pain, is considered a reward and activates the brain's reward system. The reward circuit in the brain involves reward and pain. Acupuncture has a multidimensional and comprehensive regulating effect on chronic ..."
Pan S., Wang S. et al. (2022) Multidimensional Pain Modulation by Acupuncture Analgesia: The Reward Effect of Acupuncture on Pain Relief Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022. 🔗
Therapeutic applications and potential mechanisms of acupuncture in migraine: A literature review and perspectives.
"Acupuncture is commonly used as a treatment for migraines. Animal studies have suggested that acupuncture can decrease neuropeptides, immune cells, and proinflammatory and excitatory neurotransmitters, which are associated with the pathogenesis of neuroinflammation. In addition, acupuncture participates in the development of peripheral and central sensitization through modulation of the release of neuronal-sensitization-related mediators (brain-derived ..."
Chen Y., Liu Y. et al. (2022) Therapeutic applications and potential mechanisms of acupuncture in migraine: A literature review and perspectives. Front Neurosci. 2022;16:1022455. 🔗
Potential mechanisms of acupuncture for neuropathic pain based on somatosensory system.
"Neuropathic pain, caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory system, is common and distressing. In view of the high human and economic burden, more effective treatment strategies were urgently needed. Acupuncture has been increasingly used as an adjuvant or complementary therapy for neuropathic pain. Although the therapeutic effects of acupuncture have been ..."
Ma X., Chen W. et al. (2022) Potential mechanisms of acupuncture for neuropathic pain based on somatosensory system. Front Neurosci. 2022;16:940343. 🔗
Acupuncture Interventions for Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Cognitive Disorders: A Review of Mechanisms.
"Cognitive impairment (CI) related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular cognitive disorders (VCDs) has become a key problem worldwide. Importantly, CI is a neuropsychiatric abnormality mainly characterized by learning and memory impairments. The hippocampus is an important brain region controlling learning and memory. Recent studies have highlighted the effects of acupuncture on memory deficits ..."
Du K., Yang S. et al. (2022) Acupuncture Interventions for Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Cognitive Disorders: A Review of Mechanisms. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2022:6080282. 🔗
Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity Modulation and Clinical Efficacy of Acupuncture for Posterior Circulation Infarction Vertigo: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
"...Results: A total of 20 eligible RCTs (1541 participants) were included in this review, which compared acupuncture therapy (1 RCT) or acupuncture combined with pharmaceutical therapy (19 RCTs) to pharmaceutical therapy in patients with posterior circulation infarction vertigo. 7 studies assessed the blood flow velocities of the basilar artery examined by Transcranial Doppler (TCD), 8 studies assessed the bilateral vertebral arteries, and 13 studies evaluated the Clinical Effective Rate of posterior circulation infarction vertigo. Meta-analysis results showed that blood flow velocities of the basilar artery (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.40-0.76; < 0.05), left vertebral artery (SMD = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.22-0.73; < 0.05), and right vertebral artery (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.19-0.69; < 0.05) were significantly higher in the acupuncture group compared with the control group. Clinical Effective Rate (RR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.15-1.29; = 0.792) was significantly better in the acupuncture group compared with the control group. ..."
Li B., Zhao Q. et al. (2022) Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity Modulation and Clinical Efficacy of Acupuncture for Posterior Circulation Infarction Vertigo: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022:3740856. 🔗
Acupuncture for Female Infertility: Discussion on Action Mechanism and Application.
"A higher incidence of female infertility has been reported with an unexpectedly early appearance in recent years. The female infertility treatment and application of assisted reproductive technology have recently gained immense interest from scientists. Many studies have discussed the beneficial effects of acupuncture on female infertility. With advancements in science and medical technology, acupuncture-related ..."
Xu J., Zhao A. et al. (2022) Acupuncture for Female Infertility: Discussion on Action Mechanism and Application. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022:3854117. 🔗
Role of Bile Acids and Nuclear Receptors in Acupuncture in Improving Crohn's Disease.
"Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-dependent transcription factors that regulate the transcription of target genes. Bile acids (BAs) can be used as effector molecules to regulate physiological processes in the gut, and NRs are important receptors for bile acid signaling. Relevant studies have shown that NRs are closely related to the occurrence of Crohn's disease (..."
Shen J., Qi Q. et al. (2022) Role of Bile Acids and Nuclear Receptors in Acupuncture in Improving Crohn's Disease. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022:5814048. 🔗
Clinical Efficacy and Potential Mechanisms of Acupoint Stimulation Combined With Chemotherapy in Combating Cancer: A Review and Prospects.
"Although chemotherapy is the first-line treatment strategy for a variety of tumors, its side effects have limited its efficacy. This review summarizes the progress on the use of acupoint stimulation to combat chemotherapy-associated side effects, including chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), cognitive impairment (CICI), and gastrointestinal toxicity (GI), as well as myelosuppression and immunosuppression. It ..."
Li S., Zhao S. et al. (2022) Clinical Efficacy and Potential Mechanisms of Acupoint Stimulation Combined With Chemotherapy in Combating Cancer: A Review and Prospects. Front Oncol. 2022;12:864046. 🔗
Revealing the Neuroimaging Mechanism of Acupuncture for Poststroke Aphasia: A Systematic Review.
"... Result: After searching, 885 articles were retrieved. After removing the literature studies, animal studies, and case reports, 16 studies were included in the final analysis. For the acupuncture type, 10 studies used manual acupuncture and 5 studies used electroacupuncture, while body acupuncture (10 studies), scalp acupuncture (7 studies), and tongue acupuncture (8 studies) were applied for poststroke aphasia patients. Based on blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technologies, 4 neuroimaging analysis methods were used including amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), seed-based analysis, and independent component analysis (ICA). Two studies reported the instant acupuncture effect, and 14 studies reported the constant acupuncture's effect on poststroke aphasia patients. 5 studies analyzed the correlation between the neuroimaging outcomes and the clinical language scales. ..."
Li B., Deng S. et al. (2022) Revealing the Neuroimaging Mechanism of Acupuncture for Poststroke Aphasia: A Systematic Review. Neural Plast. 2022:5635596. 🔗
Visualization and Analysis of the Mapping Knowledge Domain of Acupuncture and Central Nervous System Cell Apoptosis.
"Chinese acupuncture therapy has demonstrated good clinical effects on neurological diseases and is widely used internationally. In the past 20 years, an increasing number of researchers around the world have devoted themselves to the study of the effect and mechanism of acupuncture for the treatment of central nervous system cell apoptosis. To discover the current ..."
Qi R., Xue Z. et al. (2022) Visualization and Analysis of the Mapping Knowledge Domain of Acupuncture and Central Nervous System Cell Apoptosis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022:1751702. 🔗
A Review on the Immunomodulatory Mechanism of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
"Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease with a high prevalence and canceration rate. The immune disorder is one of the recognized mechanisms. Acupuncture is widely used to treat patients with IBD. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have proven the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of IBD, and ..."
Liu Z., Jiao Y. et al. (2022) A Review on the Immunomodulatory Mechanism of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022:8528938. 🔗
High-frequency electroacupuncture improves endometrial receptivity via regulating cell adhesion molecules and leukemia inhibitory factor / signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathway.
"Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) impairs the endometrium receptivity during the implantation window, resulting in a lower clinical pregnancy rate and a higher abortion rate. Our study explored the effect of electroacupuncture on the endometrial receptivity of COH rats. Female rats were randomly divided into normal treatment (Normal), model treatment (Model), low-frequency electroacupuncture treatment (LF-EA) ..."
You F., Du X. et al. (2021) High-frequency electroacupuncture improves endometrial receptivity via regulating cell adhesion molecules and leukemia inhibitory factor / signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathway. Bioengineered. 2021;12(2):10470-10479. 🔗
Neural Activation Acupuncture in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study
"...Results: A single session of acupuncture significantly tended to enhance the activation level of the left frontopolar cortex in patients with severe depression during VFT, but a null effect was found in those with mild to moderate depression. Among patients with severe depression, a strong correlation was observed between HAMD scores and the change in VFT-related activation after acupuncture in the left dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC). ..."
Zhang T., Zhang J. et al. (2021) Neural Activation Acupuncture in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study Front Psychiatry. 2021;12. 🔗
A neuroanatomical basis for electroacupuncture to drive the vagal-adrenal axis.
"Somatosensory autonomic reflexes allow electroacupuncture stimulation (ES) to modulate body physiology at distant sites (for example, suppressing severe systemic inflammation). Since the 1970s, an emerging organizational rule about these reflexes has been the presence of body-region specificity. For example, ES at the hindlimb ST36 acupoint but not the abdominal ST25 acupoint can drive the ..."
Liu S., Wang Z. et al. (2021) A neuroanatomical basis for electroacupuncture to drive the vagal-adrenal axis. Nature. 2021;598(7882):641-645. 🔗
Research Progress on the Mechanism of the Acupuncture Regulating Neuro-Endocrine-Immune Network System
"As one of the conventional treatment methods, acupuncture is an indispensable component of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Currently, acupuncture has been partly accepted throughout the world, but the mechanism of acupuncture is still unclear. Since the theory of the neuro-endocrine-immune network was put forward, new insights have been brought into the understanding of the mechanism ..."
Cui J., Song W. et al. (2021) Research Progress on the Mechanism of the Acupuncture Regulating Neuro-Endocrine-Immune Network System Vet Sci. 2021;8(8). 🔗
Roles of central orexinergic system on cardiovascular function and acupuncture on intervention of cardiovascular risk: Orexinergic system mediate the role of acupuncture?
"Central orexinergic system contributes to the regulation of cardiovascular function. Orexinergic neurons receiving projections of nerve fibers from multiple structures of brain which involved in control and regulation of cardiovascular function locate in hypothalamus, and their axon terminals widely project to various central structures where orexins receptors are expressed. Here, we summarize the present ..."
Gao H., Wu Z. et al. (2021) Roles of central orexinergic system on cardiovascular function and acupuncture on intervention of cardiovascular risk: Orexinergic system mediate the role of acupuncture? Neuropeptides. 2021;87:102132. 🔗
Evidence of Potential Mechanisms of Acupuncture from Functional MRI Data for Migraine Prophylaxis.
"PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the clinical neuroimaging evidence pertaining to the potential mechanisms of acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis. RECENT FINDINGS: From a descriptive perspective, converging evidence from recent neuroimaging studies, mainly from functional MRI (fMRI) studies, has demonstrated that when compared with sham acupuncture, verum acupuncture could normalize the decrease of the functional ..."
Chang C., Yang C. et al. (2021) Evidence of Potential Mechanisms of Acupuncture from Functional MRI Data for Migraine Prophylaxis. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2021;25(7):49. 🔗
Efficacy and Underlying Mechanism of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review of Animal Studies.
"Acupuncture is a nonpharmacological intervention that can be useful in the clinical management of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially in situations with a lack of medical resources, including large-scale PTSD events such as disasters. Some clinical studies have reported the clinical effect of acupuncture in improving PTSD symptoms, but the underlying therapeutic mechanism has ..."
Kwon C., Lee B. et al. (2021) Efficacy and Underlying Mechanism of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review of Animal Studies. J Clin Med. 2021;10(8). 🔗
Historical perspectives on using sham acupuncture in acupuncture clinical trials.
"...Results: Early trials demonstrated a lack of knowledge about acupuncture. As the methodology of trials improved, new sham treatment methods were developed and adopted; however, the sham treatment methods were implemented without physiological studies exploring their potential physiological effects and without examining the broader practice of acupuncture internationally. ..."
Birch S., Lee M. et al. (2021) Historical perspectives on using sham acupuncture in acupuncture clinical trials. Integr Med Res. 2021;11(1):100725. 🔗
Non-specific effects of acupuncture and sham acupuncture in clinical trials from the patient's perspective: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.
"...RESULTS: A total of 20 studies of high methodological quality were included. Our proposed model indicated that the effects of acupuncture may be increased by maintaining a professional status, applying a holistic treatment approach, practicing empathy, and providing patients with an appropriate explanation of the theory behind acupuncture and sham acupuncture. From the patient's perspective, the efficacy of treatment can be increased by following the lifestyle modification advice provided by acupuncturists, maintaining a positive attitude toward treatment efficacy, actively engaging with acupuncturists during consultation, and making behavioral changes based on experience gained during the trial. ..."
Ho R., Wong C. et al. (2021) Non-specific effects of acupuncture and sham acupuncture in clinical trials from the patient's perspective: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. Acupunct Med. 2021;39(1):3-19. 🔗
The mechanism of electroacupuncture for depression on basic research: a systematic review.
"...RESULTS: Twenty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria. The most commonly used method for inducing depression in animal models was 21 days of chronic unpredictable mild stress. For the depression model, the most commonly selected EA frequency was 2 Hz. Among the 28 selected studies, 11 studies observed depression-related behaviors and used them as indicators of EA efficacy. The other 17 studies focused on mechanisms and assessed the indexes that exhibited abnormalities that were known to result from depression and then returned to a normal range after EA treatment. Treatment of depression by EA involves multiple therapeutic mechanisms, including inhibition of HPA axis hyperactivity and inflammation, regulation of neuropeptides and neurotransmitters, modulation of the expression of particular genes, restoration of hippocampal synaptic plasticity, increased expression of BDNF, and regulation of several signaling pathways. ..."
Han X., Gao Y. et al. (2021) The mechanism of electroacupuncture for depression on basic research: a systematic review. Chin Med. 2021;16(1):10. 🔗
Acupuncture for the Treatment of Itch: Peripheral and Central Mechanisms.
"Despite the widespread clinical use of acupuncture in the treatment of pruritus caused by psoriasis, urticaria, uremic, and other diseases, insights into the mechanism of action of acupuncture are still emerging. For the above reasons, a beneficial effect of acupuncture on pruritus was not recommended or reported in recent clinical practice guidelines. Acupuncture is ..."
Tang Y., Cheng S. et al. (2021) Acupuncture for the Treatment of Itch: Peripheral and Central Mechanisms. Front Neurosci. 2021;15:786892. 🔗
Potential Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Functional Dyspepsia Based on Pathophysiology.
"Functional dyspepsia (FD), a common disorder of gastrointestinal function, originated from the gastroduodenum. Although the therapeutic effect of acupuncture has been investigated by various high-quality randomized controlled trials, the potential mechanisms showed obvious heterogeneity. This review summarized the potential mechanisms of acupuncture on FD in order to guide for future laboratory and clinical studies. ..."
Yang N., Tan C. et al. (2021) Potential Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Functional Dyspepsia Based on Pathophysiology. Front Neurosci. 2021;15:781215. 🔗
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Acupuncture at ST36 Point: A Literature Review in Animal Studies.
"So far, a number of acupuncture studies have shown anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture treatment, mostly known at specific point ST36. However, there is no literature that oversaw the inflammation-regulatory effects of acupuncture in each tissue. Therefore, we investigated how acupuncture at specific acupoint ST36 regulates inflammation and its underlying mechanisms. We searched literatures on ..."
Oh J. & Kim S. (2021) Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Acupuncture at ST36 Point: A Literature Review in Animal Studies. Front Immunol. 2021;12:813748. 🔗
Acupuncture for Parkinson's Disease: Efficacy Evaluation and Mechanisms in the Dopaminergic Neural Circuit.
"Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Existing pharmaceutical treatments offer alleviation of symptoms but cannot delay disease progression and are often associated with significant side effects. Clinical studies have demonstrated that acupuncture may be beneficial for PD treatment, particularly in ..."
Zhao Y., Zhang Z. et al. (2021) Acupuncture for Parkinson's Disease: Efficacy Evaluation and Mechanisms in the Dopaminergic Neural Circuit. Neural Plast. 2021:9926445. 🔗
The Anti-Inflammatory Actions and Mechanisms of Acupuncture from Acupoint to Target Organs via Neuro-Immune Regulation.
"Inflammation plays a significant role in the occurrence and development of multiple diseases. This study comprehensively reviews and presents literature from the last five years, showing that acupuncture indeed exerts strong anti-inflammatory effects in multiple biological systems, namely, the immune, digestive, respiratory, nervous, locomotory, circulatory, endocrine, and genitourinary systems. It is well known that ..."
Li N., Guo Y. et al. (2021) The Anti-Inflammatory Actions and Mechanisms of Acupuncture from Acupoint to Target Organs via Neuro-Immune Regulation. J Inflamm Res. 2021;14:7191-7224. 🔗
Mechanism of Acupuncture and Moxibustion on Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome: A Narrative Review of Animal Studies.
"Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a genitourinary disease commonly seen in males, with symptoms involving pelvic pain, urinary system disease, and sexual dysfunction, which seriously affects physical and mental health, and it also influences the quality of life of patients. At present, the disease's aetiology and pathogenesis are unclear, and ..."
Wu X., Cheng K. et al. (2021) Mechanism of Acupuncture and Moxibustion on Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome: A Narrative Review of Animal Studies. Pain Res Manag. 2021:2678242. 🔗
Bibliometric Analysis of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies on Acupuncture Analgesia Over the Past 20 Years.
"...Results: We retrieved a total of 797 articles. Regarding the volume of publications, the total number of annual publications showed a fluctuating but overall increasing trend. (21 articles) was the most productive journal, and (225 articles) was the most cited journal. The most productive author was Qin W (16 articles), and the most co-cited author was Hui KKS (111). The most prolific institution and country were Massachusetts General Hospital (34 articles) and USA (212 articles). "Pain" was the top-ranked for keyword frequency and centrality. "Functional connectivity" was the frontier hotspot for 2018-2021. ..."
Huang L., Xu G. et al. (2021) Bibliometric Analysis of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies on Acupuncture Analgesia Over the Past 20 Years. J Pain Res. 2021;14:3773-3789. 🔗
Acupuncture for Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Potential Mechanism from an Anti-Inflammatory Perspective.
"The low adverse effects of acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhea (PD), known as one of the most commonly reported gynecological debilitating conditions affecting women's overall health, have been thus far confirmed. Moreover, it has been increasingly recognized that inflammation is involved in such menstrual cramps, and recent studies have further shown that the anti-inflammatory effects ..."
Yu W., Ma L. et al. (2021) Acupuncture for Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Potential Mechanism from an Anti-Inflammatory Perspective. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021:1907009. 🔗
The Temporal Dynamics of EEG Microstate Reveals the Neuromodulation Effect of Acupuncture With Deqi.
"The electroencephalography (EEG) microstate has recently emerged as a new whole-brain mapping tool for studying the temporal dynamics of the human brain. Meanwhile, the neuromodulation effect of external stimulation on the human brain is of increasing interest to neuroscientists. Acupuncture, which originated in ancient China, is recognized as an external neuromodulation method with therapeutic ..."
Si X., Han S. et al. (2021) The Temporal Dynamics of EEG Microstate Reveals the Neuromodulation Effect of Acupuncture With Deqi. Front Neurosci. 2021;15:715512. 🔗
Progress of Acupuncture Therapy in Diseases Based on Magnetic Resonance Image Studies: A Literature Review.
"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 ..."
Zhang J., Li Z. et al. (2021) Progress of Acupuncture Therapy in Diseases Based on Magnetic Resonance Image Studies: A Literature Review. Front Hum Neurosci. 2021;15:694919. 🔗
A Narrative Review of Neuroimaging Studies in Acupuncture for Migraine.
"Acupuncture has been widely used as an alternative and complementary therapy for migraine. With the development of neuroimaging techniques, the central mechanism of acupuncture for migraine has gained increasing attention. This review aimed to analyze the study design and main findings of neuroimaging studies of acupuncture for migraine to provide the reference for future ..."
Ma P., Dong X. et al. (2021) A Narrative Review of Neuroimaging Studies in Acupuncture for Migraine. Pain Res Manag. 2021:9460695. 🔗
Neuroimaging in the Understanding of Acupuncture Analgesia: A Review of Acupuncture Neuroimaging Study Based on Experimental Pain Models.
"With the development of real-time and visualized neuroimaging techniques, the studies on the central mechanism of acupuncture analgesia gain increasing attention. The experimental pain models have been widely used in acupuncture-analgesia neuroimaging studies with quantitative and controlled advantages. This review aimed to analyze the study design and main findings of acupuncture neuroimaging studies to ..."
Peihong M., Yuzhu Q. et al. (2021) Neuroimaging in the Understanding of Acupuncture Analgesia: A Review of Acupuncture Neuroimaging Study Based on Experimental Pain Models. Front Neurosci. 2021;15:648305. 🔗
Resting-State fMRI in Studies of Acupuncture.
"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 ..."
Li X., Cai L. et al. (2021) Resting-State fMRI in Studies of Acupuncture. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021:6616060. 🔗
Mechanism of Action of Acupuncture in Obesity: A Perspective From the Hypothalamus.
"Obesity is a prevalent metabolic disease caused by an imbalance in food intake and energy expenditure. Although acupuncture is widely used in the treatment of obesity in a clinical setting, its mechanism has not been adequately elucidated. As the key pivot of appetite signals, the hypothalamus receives afferent and efferent signals from the brainstem ..."
Wang L., Yu C. et al. (2021) Mechanism of Action of Acupuncture in Obesity: A Perspective From the Hypothalamus. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021;12:632324. 🔗
Acupuncture Medical Therapy and its Underlying Mechanisms: A Systematic Review.
"As a traditional Chinese alternative health care approach, acupuncture is gaining increasing attention and reputation in China and overseas. While becoming increasingly popular globally, some consumers and professionals still know little about the therapy and underlying mechanisms of acupuncture. Due to local superiority, there are large numbers of both clinical applications and mechanistic studies ..."
Wen J., Chen X. et al. (2021) Acupuncture Medical Therapy and its Underlying Mechanisms: A Systematic Review. Am J Chin Med. 2021;49(1):1-23. 🔗
The Role of Neuroglial Crosstalk and Synaptic Plasticity-Mediated Central Sensitization in Acupuncture Analgesia.
"Although pain is regarded as a global public health priority, analgesic therapy remains a significant challenge. Pain is a hypersensitivity state caused by peripheral and central sensitization, with the latter considered the culprit for chronic pain. This study summarizes the pathogenesis of central sensitization from the perspective of neuroglial crosstalk and synaptic plasticity and ..."
Lyu Z., Guo Y. et al. (2021) The Role of Neuroglial Crosstalk and Synaptic Plasticity-Mediated Central Sensitization in Acupuncture Analgesia. Neural Plast. 2021:8881557. 🔗
Somatotopic Organization and Intensity Dependence in Driving Distinct NPY-Expressing Sympathetic Pathways by Electroacupuncture.
"The neuroanatomical basis behind acupuncture practice is still poorly understood. Here, we used intersectional genetic strategy to ablate NPY noradrenergic neurons and/or adrenal chromaffin cells. Using endotoxin-induced systemic inflammation as a model, we found that electroacupuncture stimulation (ES) drives sympathetic pathways in somatotopy- and intensity-dependent manners. Low-intensity ES at hindlimb regions drives the ..."
Liu S., Wang Z. et al. (2020) Somatotopic Organization and Intensity Dependence in Driving Distinct NPY-Expressing Sympathetic Pathways by Electroacupuncture. Neuron. 2020;108(3):436-450.e7. 🔗
Hiding in Plain Sight-ancient Chinese anatomy.
"For thousands of years, scientists have studied human anatomy by dissecting bodies. Our knowledge of their findings is limited, however, both by the subsequent loss of many of the oldest texts, and by a tendency toward a Eurocentric perspective in medicine. As a discipline, anatomy tends to be much more familiar with ancient Greek ..."
Shaw V., Diogo R. et al. (2020) Hiding in Plain Sight-ancient Chinese anatomy. Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2020. 🔗
The selection of dermatomes for sham (placebo) acupuncture points is relevant for the outcome of acupuncture studies: a systematic review of sham (placebo)-controlled randomized acupuncture trials.
"BACKGROUND: Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture reveal no significant differences between acupuncture and so-called placebo acupuncture. There is a strong tendency to replace the term "placebo" by the term "sham," because any needling stimulates a certain physiological response. However, neither concept accounts for the great diversity of results in RCTs comparing verum ..."
Ots T., Kandirian A. et al. (2020) The selection of dermatomes for sham (placebo) acupuncture points is relevant for the outcome of acupuncture studies: a systematic review of sham (placebo)-controlled randomized acupuncture trials. Acupunct Med. 2020;38(4):211-226. 🔗
Applications of Acupuncture Therapy in Modulating the Plasticity of Neurodegenerative Disease and Depression: Do MicroRNA and Neurotrophin BDNF Shed Light on the Underlying Mechanism?
"As the global population ages, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases has risen. Furthermore, it has been suggested that depression, especially in elderly people, may also be an indication of latent neurodegeneration. Stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD) are usually accompanied by depression. The urgent challenge is further enforced by psychiatric comorbid conditions, ..."
Li X., Zhao J. et al. (2020) Applications of Acupuncture Therapy in Modulating the Plasticity of Neurodegenerative Disease and Depression: Do MicroRNA and Neurotrophin BDNF Shed Light on the Underlying Mechanism? Neural Plast. 2020:8850653. 🔗
Verum- versus Sham-Acupuncture on Alzheimer's Disease (AD) in Animal Models: A Preclinical Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
"...Results: Twelve studies involving 229 animals met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies had a moderate quality according to SYRCLE's risk of bias tool for animal studies. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that verum-acupuncture could reduce the escape latency (MD = -12.90, 95% CI (-17.08, -8.71), < 0.001) and increase the time spent in the original platform quadrant (MD = 7.28, 95% CI (4.23, 10.33), < 0.001) and frequency of the crossing former platform (MD = 2.01, 95% CI (1.53, 2.50), < 0.001) compared with the sham-acupuncture. ..."
Zhao F., Fu Q. et al. (2020) Verum- versus Sham-Acupuncture on Alzheimer's Disease (AD) in Animal Models: A Preclinical Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Biomed Res Int. 2020:5901573. 🔗
Augmented Mechanical Forces of the Surface-Modified Nanoporous Acupuncture Needles Elicit Enhanced Analgesic Effects.
"Over the past several decades, clinical studies have shown significant analgesic effects of acupuncture. The efficacy of acupuncture treatment has improved with the recent development of nanoporous needles (PN), which are produced by modifying the needle surface using nanotechnology. Herein, we showed that PN at acupoint ST36 produces prolonged analgesic effects in an inflammatory ..."
Bae S., Lim J. et al. (2019) Augmented Mechanical Forces of the Surface-Modified Nanoporous Acupuncture Needles Elicit Enhanced Analgesic Effects. Front Neurosci. 2019;13:652. 🔗
The Neuroscience of Nonpharmacological Traditional Chinese Therapy (NTCT) for Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
"...Results: Six of twelve eligible studies showed that there was a significant improvement in favor of acupuncture in depressive symptoms (SMD -0.69, 95% -1.09 to -0.28, =0.002, = 73%, < 0.0008). Based on the available evidence, NTCT including acupuncture, Qigong, and Tai Chi was found to possibly improve brain metabolites, brain activity, and immune and endocrine systems in patients with major depressive disorder. ..."
Ye J., Cheung W. et al. (2019) The Neuroscience of Nonpharmacological Traditional Chinese Therapy (NTCT) for Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019:2183403. 🔗
Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Treatment of Simple Obesity in Animal Models: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
"...Results: A total of 108 trials involving 5731 rats were included. Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture had better effect on reducing weight (SMD -2.60, 95%CI: -2.93 to -2.26, p<0.00001) and Lee's index (SMD -2.62, 95%CI:-3.18 to -2.06, p<0.00001) compared with control group. However, the methodological quality of included studies was generally poor. Details of blinding were not reported in most studies. In spite of high heterogeneity being observed on the merged data, sensitivity analysis using the leave-one-out approach, subgroup analysis based on different acupuncture techniques, and rat strains and meta-regression all failed to find the sources of heterogeneity. The asymmetric funnel plot suggested publication bias. Besides, adverse events were not reported in any reports. ..."
Fan X., Yu M. et al. (2019) Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Treatment of Simple Obesity in Animal Models: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019:5459326. 🔗
Central and Peripheral Mechanism of Acupuncture Analgesia on Visceral Pain: A Systematic Review.
"...Results: We retrieved 192 articles, out of which 46 studies were included in our review. The results of our review demonstrated that visceral pain behaviors were significantly alleviated in response to acupuncture treatment in groups treated with this intervention compared to in sham acupuncture or no-treatment groups. Changes in the concentrations of -endorphin, epinephrine, cortisol, and prostaglandin E2 in plasma, the levels of c-Fos, substance P, corticotropin-releasing hormone, P2X3, acetylcholinesterase (AchE), N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, and serotonin in the gut/spinal cord, and the neuronal activity of the thalamus were associated with acupuncture treatment in visceral pain. ..."
Lee I., Cheon S. et al. (2019) Central and Peripheral Mechanism of Acupuncture Analgesia on Visceral Pain: A Systematic Review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019:1304152. 🔗
Effects of acupuncture on vascular dementia (VD) animal models: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
"...RESULTS: Sixteen studies involving 363 animals met the inclusion criteria. The included studies scored between 4 and 8 points, and the mean was 5.44. The results of the meta-analysis indicated remarkable differences with acupuncture on increasing the duration in the former platform quadrant both in EO models (SMD = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.02 ~ 2.11; p < 0.00001) and 2-VO models (SMD 4.29, 95% CI 3.23 ~ 5.35; p < 0.00001) compared with the control groups. ..."
Zhang Z., Liu Z. et al. (2018) Effects of acupuncture on vascular dementia (VD) animal models: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018;18(1):302. 🔗
Coarse needle surface potentiates analgesic effect elicited by acupuncture with twirling manipulation in rats with nociceptive pain.
"...RESULTS: It was observed that the rougher the needle surface, the stronger the needle grasp force and thickness of subcutaneous connective tissue while rotating. TFL increased in proportion to surface roughness of the ground needles 10 min after acupuncture into the Zusanli acupoint (ST36) on rat's legs. In the rat formalin test, the rougher needle also significantly exerted the larger analgesic effect during both early and late phases compared to non-ground normal needle. ..."
Kwon S., Lee Y. et al. (2017) Coarse needle surface potentiates analgesic effect elicited by acupuncture with twirling manipulation in rats with nociceptive pain. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017;17(1):1. 🔗
Manual and electrical needle stimulation in acupuncture research: pitfalls and challenges of heterogeneity.
"In the field of acupuncture research there is an implicit yet unexplored assumption that the evidence on manual and electrical stimulation techniques, derived from basic science studies, clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, is generally interchangeable. Such interchangeability would justify a bidirectional approach to acupuncture research, where basic science studies and clinical trials each ..."
Langevin H., Schnyer R. et al. (2015) Manual and electrical needle stimulation in acupuncture research: pitfalls and challenges of heterogeneity. J Altern Complement Med. 2015;21(3):113-28. 🔗
Mechanisms of Acupuncture-Electroacupuncture on Persistent Pain
"In the last decade, preclinical investigations of electroacupuncture mechanisms on persistent tissue-injury (inflammatory), nerve-injury (neuropathic), cancer, and visceral pain have increased. These studies show that electroacupuncture activates the nervous system differently in health than in pain conditions, alleviates both sensory and affective inflammatory pain, and inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain more effectively at 2–10 Hz ..."
Zhang R., Lao L. et al. (2014) Mechanisms of Acupuncture-Electroacupuncture on Persistent Pain Anesthesiology. 2014;120(2):482-503. 🔗
Acupuncture and depth: future direction for acupuncture research.
"The research on acupuncture has increased steadily over the years and regular review and revision of the direction of future acupuncture research are necessary. This paper aims to review and explore the significance of acupuncture depth in modern acupuncture research. Searches conducted in Science Direct and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases reflected a ..."
Goh Y., Ho C. et al. (2014) Acupuncture and depth: future direction for acupuncture research. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014:871217. 🔗
Cerebral hemodynamic responses to acupuncture in migraine patients: a systematic review.
"We review the literature conjoining acupuncture, migraine, and cerebral hemodynamics. To do so, we searched PubMed in March 2013 for studies investigating cerebral hemodynamics with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound, and other tools in migraineurs, acupuncture recipients, and migraineurs receiving acupuncture. Our search identified 1321 distinct articles - acupuncture (..."
Lo M., Lin J. et al. (2013) Cerebral hemodynamic responses to acupuncture in migraine patients: a systematic review. J Tradit Complement Med. 2013;3(4):213-20. 🔗
Defining meridians: a modern basis of understanding.
"Acupuncture, one of the primary methods of treatment in traditional Oriental medicine, is based on a system of meridians. Along the meridians lie acupuncture points or acupoints, which are stimulated by needling, pressure or heat to resolve a clinical problem. A number of methods have been used to identify meridians and to explain them ..."
Longhurst John C.(2010) Defining meridians: a modern basis of understanding. J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2010;3(2):67-74. 🔗