KMCRIC

Neuron discharge and c-Fos expression in the nucleus of the solitary tract following electroacupuncture at acupoints of the Yangming Stomach Meridian of Foot.

He JF, Yan J, Li JS, Liu JH, Wang C, Chang XR, Qu YT.

J Acupunct Meridian Stud.

2013

6(2)

82-8.

10.1016/j.jams.2012.12.002.

23591003

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23591003

Acupuncture Points*
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Electroacupuncture/methods*
Female
Male
Photomicrography
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/biosynthesis*
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Solitary Nucleus/chemistry
Solitary Nucleus/cytology
Solitary Nucleus/metabolism
Solitary Nucleus/physiology*

acupoints; acupuncture; c-Fos expression; discharge neuron; meridian; nucleus tractus solitarii

경혈; 침 치료; c-Fos 발현; 방전 신경; 경락; 고립로핵

없음

The nucleus of the solitary tract (nucleus tractus solitarii; NTS) is a primary center for both visceral afferents and somatic afferents. Previous experiments have demonstrated that the NTS is closely connected to the stomach and acupoints in the Yangming Stomach Meridian of Foot (ST Meridian). In this study, extracellular recording and immunochemistry methods were used to analyze the discharge of neurons and c-Fos protein expression in the NTS following acupuncture at different acupoints and a nonacupoint. A total of 104 discharging neurons were detected in the NTS of 52 rats, of which 86 provided complete data. After acupuncture at Sibai (ST 2), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiting (ST 44), Quanliao (SI 18), and the nonacupoint, the neuron response rate in the NTS was 65.12%, 51.16%, 46.51%, 34.88% and 31.40% respectively. For neuron response rate, there was a significant difference among Sibai (ST 2), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiting (ST 44), Quanliao (SI 18), and the nonacupoint (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05). In the other 48 rats, the number of c-Fos immunoreactive neurons in the NTS by electroacupuncture (EA) at Sibai (ST 2) group was significantly higher than that EA at other acupoints and the nonacupoint (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). EA at both Zusanli (ST 36) and Neiting (ST 44) increased c-Fos immunoreactive neurons significantly over EA at Quanliao (SI 18) and the nonacupoint (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), while there was no difference between EA at Quanliao (SI 18) and the nonacupoint group (p > 0.05). The experiments demonstrated that the afferent convergence in NTS are different by body surface points stimulus, which suggests that the NTS might be a primary center in the central nervous system receiving acupoints stimulus from the ST Meridian.

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