Abstract The hypothesis that cutaneous mast cells (MCs) are responsible for skin phenomena in acupuncture was proposed 40 years ago, but very little is known about the correlation of MC distribution with acupuncture systems in human. The aim of this study is to quantify cutaneous mast cells at different body sites and compare them with the distributions of classical acupuncture points and micro-acupuncture systems. Skin biopsies from dermatological practice were evaluated under microscope with H&E or CD117 stains. Dermal MCs were counted and expressed as MCs per high power field. Densities of classical acupuncture points at different body sites were...Weiterlesen

Abstract The array of end organ innervations of the vagus nerve, coupled with increased basic science evidence, has led to vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) being explored as a management option in a number of clinical disorders, such as heart failure, migraine and inflammatory bowel disease. Both invasive (surgically implanted) and non-invasive (transcutaneous) techniques of VNS exist. Transcutaneous VNS (tVNS) delivery systems rely on the cutaneous distribution of vagal afferents, either at the external ear (auricular branch of the vagus nerve) or at the neck (cervical branch of the vagus nerve), thus obviating the need for surgical implantation of a VNS...Weiterlesen

Abstract Acupuncture is one of the areas among the alternative therapies that arouses high curiosity in the biomedical scientific community. It is particular popular for treatment of chronic diseases and addictions. However, contrasting with its evidence based effectiveness, the lack of a reasonable explanations for its mode of action divides that scientific community. Difficulties also arise to those responsible for providing information for clinicians and professionals who wish to acquire competencies leading to the acupuncture practice and have a background based on biochemistry and physiology. The classic theories of nerve conduction do not fully explain how information is read and...Weiterlesen

Abstract Background The scientific basis for acupuncture meridians is unknown. Past studies have suggested that acupuncture meridians are physiologically characterized by low electrical impedance and anatomically associated with connective tissue planes. We are interested in seeing whether acupuncture meridians are associated with lower electrical impedance and whether ultrasound-derived measures – specifically echogenic collagenous bands – can account for these impedance differences. Methods/Results In 28 healthy subjects, we assessed electrical impedance of skin and underlying subcutaneous connective tissue using a four needle-electrode approach. The impedances were obtained at 10 kHz and 100 kHz frequencies and at three body sites – upper arm...Weiterlesen

Abstract Objectives Acupuncture needle manipulation causes mechanical deformation of connective tissue, which in turn results in mechanical stimulation of fibroblasts, with active changes in cell shape and autocrine purinergic signaling. We have previously shown using ultrasound elastography in humans that acupuncture needle manipulation causes measurable movement of tissue up to several centimeters away from the needle. The goal of this study was to quantify the spatial pattern of tissue displacement and deformation (shear strain) in response to acupuncture needling along an intermuscular connective tissue plane compared with needling over the belly of a muscle. Design Eleven (11) healthy human subjects...Weiterlesen

Abstract Acupuncture needle manipulation has been previously shown to result in measurable changes in connective tissue architecture in animal experiments. In this study, we used a novel in vivo ultrasound (US)-based technique to quantify tissue displacement during acupuncture manipulation in humans. B-scan ultrasonic imaging was performed on the thighs of 12 human subjects at different stages of needle motion, including varying amounts of rotation, downward and upward movement performed with a computer-controlled acupuncture needling instrument. Tissue displacements, estimated using cross-correlation techniques, provided successful mapping and quantitative analysis of spatial and temporal tissue behaviour during acupuncture needle manipulation. Increasing amounts of...Weiterlesen

Abstract Acupuncture meridians traditionally are believed to constitute channels connecting the surface of the body to internal organs. We hypothesize that the network of acupuncture points and meridians can be viewed as a representation of the network formed by interstitial connective tissue. This hypothesis is supported by ultrasound images showing connective tissue cleavage planes at acupuncture points in normal human subjects. To test this hypothesis, we mapped acupuncture points in serial gross anatomical sections through the human arm. We found an 80% correspondence between the sites of acupuncture points and the location of intermuscular or intramuscular connective tissue planes in...Weiterlesen

Abstract Acupuncture needle manipulation gives rise to ‘needle grasp’, a biomechanical phenomenon characterized by an increase in the force necessary to pull the needle out of the tissue (pullout force). This study investigates the hypothesis that winding of connective tissue rather than contraction of muscle is the mechanism responsible for needle grasp. Authors: HELENE M. LANGEVIN, DAVID L. CHURCHILL, JUNRU WU, GARY J. BADGER, JASON A. YANDOW, JAMES R. FOX, AND MARTIN H. KRAG Published in: FASEB J. 2002 Jun;16(8):872-4. Epub 2002 Apr 10. Quelle:Weiterlesen

Abstract Background/Aims: Despite the wide use of acupuncture for the management of visceral pain and the growing interest in the pathophysiology of visceral pain, there is no conclusive elucidation of the mechanisms behind the effects of acupuncture on visceral pain. This systematic review aims to provide an integrative understanding of the treatment mechanism of acupuncture for visceral pain. Methods: Electronic and hand searches were conducted to identify studies that involved visceral pain and acupuncture. 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...Weiterlesen

Abstract For more than 2500 years, acupuncture has been applied to support the healing of different diseases and physiologic malfunctions. Although various theories of the meridian system and mechanisms were formulated to explain the functional basis of acupuncture, the anatomical basis for the concept of meridians has not been resolved. The aim of the present study was to search for replicable anatomical structures that could relate to meridians. To this end, four human specimens and additionally two lower legs were dissected anatomically. Our study found evidence that acupuncture meridians were part of the human extracellular matrix and that fascia was...Weiterlesen