Connotation of the Theory of Spirit Collaterals and Its Clinical Application in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Top Jiao （焦） Diseases
10.13288/j.11-2166/r.2026.18.001
- VernacularTitle:神络学说内涵及其在顶焦病诊疗中的临床应用
- Author:
Dongsen HU
1
;
Linhua ZHAO
2
;
Jianwen GUO
3
;
Bing XIA
2
;
Juexian SONG
4
;
Xiaolin TONG
2
Author Information
1. Beijing University of Chinese Medicine，Beijing，100029
2. Guang'anmen Hospital，China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
3. Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine
4. Xuanwu Hospital， Capital Medical University
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
psychiatric disorders;
neurological disorders;
spirit collaterals;
qi collaterals;
blood collaterals;
fluid collaterals;
top jiao （焦）
- From:
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2026;67(18):1925-1930
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
psychiatric disorders （PD） and neurological disorders （ND） are currently major public health issues. The "four jiao （焦） and eight systems" theory categorizes them respectively into "spirit-system diseases" and "marrow-system diseases"， collectively attributing to "top jiao diseases". In the prevention and treatment of these diseases， deficiencies still exist in treating only the physical form while neglecting the spirit， or treating only the spirit while neglecting the physical form， lacking theoretical basis that integrates both form and spirit. Accordingly， the theory of spirit collaterals is proposed， aiming to expand the scope of collateral disease theory based on the concept of the unity of form and spirit， thereby providing a reference for the differentiation and treatment of top jiao diseases. By clarifying the relationships between concepts such as spirit， collaterals， marrow， brain spirit， the five spirit organs， brain orifices， clear orifices and spirit collaterals， and combining modern medical research on neurovascular units and neurovascular bundles， the connotations of spirit collaterals are elucidated from the perspectives of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and western medicine. It is also demonstrated that spirit collaterals takes top jiao as its center， spreads throughout the body， and possesses the attributes of qi collaterals， blood collaterals， and fluid collaterals， achieving the unity of physical structure and functional regulation. Based on the spirit collaterals theory， the core pathogenesis of top jiao diseases is proposed as collateral stasis and failure of spirit mechanism， with an evolutionary pattern of "collateral stagnation-collateral stasis-collateral block". In the clinical differentiation and treatment of top jiao diseases， unblocking and regulating the spirit collaterals is taken as the core therapeutic method. Basic formulas are formulated respectively for spirit-system diseases and marrow-system diseases， and a modification strategy is formed that takes into account the three collaterals， regulates qi and treats the spirit， and performs precise treatment according to the disease location.
