Objective: To observe the effects of needling Baihui (GV 20), Shuigou (GV 26) and Shenmen (HT 7) on cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with vascular dementia (VD) by cerebral functional imaging technique. Methods: Twenty-five patients with VD were divided into 5 groups (Group A, B, C, D and E) randomly. Patients in the Group A were treated by needling routine acupoints for hemiplegia (Acupoints of the three yang meridians of hand and foot), and besides the routine acupoints, patients in the Group B were treated by needling Baihui(GV 20), the Group C by Shuigou(GV 26), the Group D by Shenmen(HT 7), and the Group E by Baihui(GV 20), Shuigou(GV 26), and Shenmen(HT 7). All the patients were examined by Positron Emission Tomography (PET) to detect the cerebral glucose metabolism in the bilateral frontal lobes(orbital gyri), parietal lobes, temporal lobes(hippocampus and hippocampal gyrus), occipital lobes, thalamus, lentiform nucleus, caudate nuclei, cingulate gyms and cerebellum before treatments and after treatments. Results: After needling the routine acupoints for hemiplegia, glucose metabolism increased in lentiform nucleus and temporal lobe;needling Baihui(GV 20), increased in frontal lobe, temporal lobe and lentiform nucleus;needling Shuigou(GV 26), increased in frontal lobe, thalamus and lentiform nucleus; needling Shenmen(HT 7), increased in parietal lobe and lentiform nucleus; and needling these three acupoints, increased in frontal lobe, temporal lobe, thalamus and lentiform nucleus. Conclusion:Needling Baihui(GV 20), Shuigou(GV 26) and Shenmen(HT 7) affect glucose metabolism in different functional regions of the brain, and Baihui(GV 20), Shuigou(GV26) and Shenmen(HT 7) relate to different functional regions of the brain.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Koro ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To study the influence of electroacupuncture on the expression of Nestin in neural stem cells after focal cerebral ischemia in rats and to explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture in treating ischemic brain injury. Methods The model of middle cerebral artery occlusion was made by using opening cranium hot coagulation in 72 rats, who were divided randomly into a model group and an electroacupuncture group. Electroacupuncture was applied on "Dazhui" and "Baihui" points in rats in electroacupuncture group, and immunohistochemistry method was used to observe the number of Nestin expression positive cells on the 3th, 7th, 14th and 21st days after ischemia. Results There were Nestin positive cells in the cortex, hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) and striatum at different time points after cerebral ischemia, and the number of Nestin positive cells in various brain regions were increased significantly on the 7th day (P

0.05) while that in groups A and C differed from group B ( P

Purpose: To investigate a clinical treatment for allergic asthma. Method: Acupoint application was used, and its effect was compared with that of Western medicine to evaluate the results. Results and Conclusion: It was found that the long-tern effect of acupoint application was significantly better than that of aminophylline; acupoint application had obviously different effects on different types of asthma based on TCM differentiation of syndromes; its short-term effect was not significantly related to the course and condition of the disease. It is indicated that acupoint application is an effective, convenient and safe treatment with little side effect for asthma.

[Objective]To observe the cerebral activating effects of needling in Yanglingquan(GB34) vs a sham point of healthy volunteers based on the technique of fMRI.[Methods]Sixteen healthy volunteers were randomly divided into GB34 group and sham point group,and received needling in the different points on the right side respectfully.Super nuclear magnetic resonance(1.5T,GE Co.) was used to scan the brain and the obtained experimental data of the regional brain were processed and analyzed by method of Region of Interest(ROI).[Results]There was not any difference between needling in GB34 and the sham point in the cerebral activating rate.While the activating number of needling in the sham point was more than that of needling in GB34 in bilateral parietal lobes and right occipital lobe(P

[Objective] To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the disorder of learning and memory in rats with vascular dementia (VD) and to explore its molecular mechanism. [Methods] Among 60 male SD rats, 10 rats were in sham-operation group and the other 50 rats were used to establish models of global ischemia and reperfusion by four-vessel occlusion (4-VO) method. Then the survival model rats were randomized into EA group (n = 14) , model group (n = 13) and nimotop group (n = 13). EA group was treated with EA at points of Baihui (GV20) and Dazhui (GV14) , nimotop group with nimotop 12 mg/kg, and sham-operation group and model group did not receive any treatment. After a 20-day treatment, the changes of learning and memory behavior in rats were detected by Morris water maze, as well as the protein expression and mRNA expression of heme oxygenase (HO) . [Results] The escape latent period, HO-1 protein expression and HO-1 mRNA-expression were increased obviously in model rats ( P 0.05). [Conclusion] EA can improve the learning and memory behavior in rats with VD and this may be related to the decrease of HO-1 protein expression and HO-1 mRNA-expression in cortex and hippocampal neurons.

【Objective】To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) on sperm count and quality in oligoasthenozoospermic rats.【Methods】Twenty-four male SD rats were given adenine by intragastral administration to establish oligoasthenozoospermic models.After the modeling,the survival rats were randomized into EA group(N=8) and model group(N=8).EA group was treated with EA of Guanyuan(CV4),Shenshu(BL23) and Sanyinjiao(SP6) acupoints.Other 10 rats served as the normal controls.Sperm samples were analyzed by computer-aided semen analysis system(CASA) and the observed sperm parameters included sperm concentration,semen viability and percentage of forward progressive sperm.【Results】Compared with the normal group,sperm concentration,semen viability and percentage of forward progressive sperm were much decreased in the model group(P

【Objective】To observe the effect of acupoint external application of herbal drugs on pathological changes of nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis mice. 【Methods】 Sixty BALB/c mice were divided into 5 groups: A(normal),B(model),C(treated with external application of herbal drugs on acupoints),D(treated with dexamethasone) and E(treated with PBS).Except group A,the mice in other groups were sensitized by ovalbumin(OVA).On the 15~(th) of the first sensitization,group C received external application of medicinal disc(mainly composed of Semen Sinapis, Rhizoma Corydalis,Herba Asari,Radix Kansui,Fructus Xanthii,etc.) on Dazhui (GV14)point,group D received intraperitoneal injection of 0.1?g/L dexamethasone(0.5?mL for each mouse) one hour before nasal dripping of OVA solution,and group E received external application of paper disc on Dazhui point and intraperitoneal injection of(0.1?g/L) PBS(0.5 mL for each mouse) one hour before nasal dripping of OVA solution,qd,for 4 weeks.After treatment,the mice were executed and the nasal mucosa was fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde.Routine paraffin slices were prepared and stained by haematoxylin and eosin.The pathological features of nasal mucosa were observed under light microscope,and eosinophil(EOS),neutrophil and lymphocyte count was performed in different groups.【Results】Compared to group A,the infiltration of EOS and neutrophil in nasal mucosa was obvious in group B(P0.05).【Conclusion】The infiltration of EOS in nasal mucosa plays an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis and the decrease of EOS infiltration may be one of the therapeutic mechanism of external application of herbal drugs on acupoints for allergic rhinitis.

Objective To investigate the microcosmic pathologic mechanism of ac upoint application for asthma. Methods Sixty guinea pigs were randomly alloca ted to three groups: Group A (model control), Group B (guinea pig model treated with acupoint application) and Group C (normal control). Group B was treated wit h the application of herbal medicines on the acupoints located at neck and back. Results From the 6th day of treatment, incubation period of nodding breath was prolonged in Group B as compared with Group A (P