Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture penetrated from Tiaokou (ST38) to Chenshan (BL57) combined with exer-cise on affected limbs of shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS) at stage I after stroke. Methods 40 inpatients with SHS at stage I after stroke from January, 2013 to December, 2014 were randomly divided into treatment group (n=20) and control group (n=20). The treatment group accept-ed acupuncture from Tiaokou to Chenshan on unaffected sides and exercise of affected upper limbs, and the control group accetpted routine acupuncture on Triple Shoulder Acupoints on affected sides. They were assessed with Pain Rating Index (PRI), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and modified Barthel Index (MBI) before and 4 weeks after intervention. Results The incidence of improvement was 90% in the treatment group, and 80%in the control group (χ2=0.784, P=0.376). The scores of PRI decreased (t>5.37, P<0.001), and the score of FMA and MBI increased (t>4.66, P<0.001) significantly after intervention. The score of FMA and MBI improved more in the treatment group than in the control group (t>2.25, P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture from Tiaokou to Chenshan combined with exercise is more effective on SHS at stage I after stroke than conventional Triple Shoulder Acupoints.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in patients with post-stroke depression. Methods 21 patients with post-stroke depression were randomly divided into electroacupuncture group (n=11) and drug group (n=10). The electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture on double Hegu (LI4) and Taichong (LR3) once a day for 8 weeks, while the drug group took fluoxetine hydrochloride dispersible tablets 20 mg a day for 8 weeks. They were evaluated with Hamilton Self-rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) before, and 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after treatment respectively. The rCBF were measured with single positron emission computerized tomography (SPECT) before and 8 weeks after treatment. Results The score of HAMD decreased more in the electroacupuncture group than in the drug group 2 weeks after treatment (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between the two groups 4 and 8 weeks after treatment (P>0.05). The rCBF was significantly greater in the electroacupuncture group than in the drug group. Conclusion That electroacupuncture is effective on post-stroke depression, which may be related with the increase of the rCBF levels.

Objective To observe the effect of cognition training on the motor and executive functioning of patients after a basal ganglia stroke.Methods Thirty patients with basal ganglia stroke were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group.The control group received standard stroke rehabilitation training,while the treatment group received in addition 2 months of cognitive function training.The executive and motor functions of all of the subjects and their facility in the activities of daily living (ADL) were tested using the Tower of Hanoi,the Wisconsin card sorting test,a Stroop-3 test and the Fugl-Meyer assessment,the Berg balance scale and the modified Barthel index before and at the end of treatment.Results After two months of training,both within-group and between group comparisons showed that the treatment group had improved significantly more in executive function,cognition and motor function.Conclusion Cognition training can improve executive function,motor function and ADL performance after a basal ganglia stroke.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of acupuncture on pelvic floor muscles and urinary function in patients with spinal cord injury. Methods From March, 2012 to March, 2015, 23 patients with spinal cord injury were divided into control group (n=8), early intervention group (n=8) and later intervention group (n=7). The control group received routine rehabilitation, the intervention groups received acupuncture at Baliao (BL-31, BL-32, BL-33 BL-34), Yanglingquan (GB-34), Sanyinjiao (SP-6) and Taichong (LR-3) acupoints in addition. The early intervention group was acupunctured one week before removal of catheter, and the later intervention group adopted inter-mittent catheterization after removal of catheter, and then received acupuncture. The pelvic floor muscles strength, the urine function and quality of life were recorded before and six weeks after intervention. Results There was no significant difference in all the indices before in-tervention (P>0.05). After intervention, the pelvic floor muscles strength improved in the intervention groups compared with the control group (P<0.05). There was significant difference in the mean frequency of urinary voiding, bladder capacity, time of establishing reflect uri-nation and residual volume of urine after intervention among all the groups (P<0.05), except the mean frequency of urinary voiding and blad-der capacity between the control group and the later intervention group (P>0.05). The quality of life improved in all the groups after inter-vention (F>0.864, P<0.05), however, no significant difference was found among three groups (F=1.558, P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture, especially early acupuncture, could improve the pelvic floor muscle strength and bladder function in spinal cord injury patients.

Objective To elucidate the mechanism underlying eletroacupuncture's (EA's) amply-documented analgesic effect.To observe its effect on the pain threshold and on the expression of P2X4 receptor and microglia activation in the spinal cords of rats with neuropathic pain.To demonstrate whether or not interfering with A1 receptors and P2X4 receptors at the same time could enhance the analgesic effect.Methods A total of 40 SpragueDawley rats weighing 150 to 180 g were randomly divided into a sham group,a CCI group,an EA group,a 2-chloroN(6)-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA) group and a CCPA+EA group,each of 8.Chronic constriction injury (CCI)was induced successfully in the rats of all groups except the sham group.Five days later,EA and 20 μL injections of 0.1 mm/L CCPA were applied to the rat analogues of the Zusanli (ST36) and Yanglingquan (GB34) acupoints once a day for 15 days for the rats in the appropriate groups.The mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and the thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured before the CCI operation and 20 days afterward.L4-L6 spinal cord tissue was then resected and the fluorescence intensity of P2X4 and OX42 receptors was detected using double label immunohistochemical staining.The correlation between the mean fluorescence intensity and the pain threshold gap was analyzed.Results The average MWT and TWL of the CCI group were significantly lower than in the other four groups.The expression of P2X4 receptor and OX42 in the spinal cord increased significantly in the CCI group compared to the other four groups.There was significant correlation between the mean fluorescence intensity of P2X4 and OX42 receptors and the gap in pain threshold,with correlation coefficients of 0.907 and 0.717 respectively.Conclusion P2X4 receptor and microglia activation might be involved in the development of neuropathic pain.CCPA and EA can inhibit the activation of microglia and reduce the activity of P2X4 receptors.The interaction between A1 receptors and P2X4 receptors can strengthen the analgesic effect of EA.