The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Enzyme-Treated Asparagus Extract (ETAS) on improving stress response. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trial was undertaken in healthy volunteers. ETAS (150 mg/d) or a placebo was consumed for 28 d, with a washout period. Psychological parameters were examined using a self-report scale questionnaire and psychological stress was applied using the Uchida-Kraepelin (U-K) test. During the stress load, autonomic nervous function was analyzed. After the stress load, a profile of mood states (POMS) psychological rating was performed, and serum cortisol, plasma catecholamine, salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), and salivary cortisol were analyzed. ETAS intake improved the self-reported rating for the items "Feel tired," "Hard to get up," and "Feel heavy" in the psychological questionnaire; ameliorated the self-reported rating for the items "Depression-Dejection" and "Fatigue" in the POMS questionnaire; and increased salivary sIgA levels after the U-K test. In contrast, serum and salivary cortisol levels, and plasma catecholamine did not change. During the U-K test, ETAS significantly upregulated the sympathetic nerve activity. Furthermore, ETAS intake significantly increased the number of answers and the number of correct answers in the U-K test, suggesting that it might improve office work performance with swiftness and accuracy under stressful conditions. In conclusion, ETAS supplementation reduced feelings of dysphoria and fatigue, ameliorated quality of sleep, and enhanced stress-load performance as well as promoted stress response by increasing salivary sIgA levels. These data suggest ETAS intake may exert beneficial effects, resulting from well-controlled stress management, in healthy individuals.
Background The autonomic nervous system and trigeminal nerve are involved in adjusting flow through diverging cerebral arteries in the prefrontal cortex. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of 100 Hz electroacupuncture (EA) to the trigeminal nerve area on cerebral blood flow and autonomic nervous system function. Method This was a randomised crossover study of 16 healthy volunteers who were assigned to an EA or control group. Stimulation (in the EA group) was performed five times, each after 1 min of rest. Needles were inserted at the inner edge of the eyebrows and 1 cm from the front hairline midpoint. We used high-frequency (HF) and lowfrequency (LF) components of heart rate (HR) variability to assess autonomic nervous system function. HF and LF/ HF ratio were taken as indicators of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system activity, respectively. We measured cerebral blood flow using a two-channel nearinfrared spectroscope. Results In the EA group, HR significantly decreased (p=0.004) and HF significantly increased (p=0.006) relative to baseline. By contrast, there were no significant changes in HR or HF within the control group (p>0.05). Accordingly, HR tended to be lower (p=0.087) and HF greater (p=0.071) in the EA group versus the control group. There were no significant differences in LF/HF ratio within/between groups. Compared with the control group, cerebral blood flow was significantly greater in the left (p=0.048) and right (p=0.016) prefrontal cortex in the EA group. Conclusions Delivery of 100 Hz EA to the trigeminal nerve area reduces HR and increases parasympathetic nervous activity and cerebral blood flow.
Objective: The current authors observed enhanced cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in response to 100-Hz electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. However, it is not yet clear if responsiveness to 100-Hz EA depends on stimulus intensity. This study examined the effects of stimulus strength on PFC CBF during 100-Hz EA of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. Materials and Methods: Twelve subjects underwent 3 acupuncture sessions: I, control, no stimulation; II, 0.1 mA EA; and III, 0.2 mA EA). Needles were inserted 1 cm lateral of the head median line; the anterior insertion point was on the front hairline and the posterior insertion point was *7 cm behind the hairline. Stimulation frequency was set to 100-Hz. PFC CBF was measured in terms of oxygenated, deoxygenated, and total hemoglobin (OxyHb, DeoxyHb, TotalHb, respectively), using 16-channel (Ch) near-infrared spectroscopy. Results: Stimulation of 0.2 mA was associated with significant elevation of OxyHb levels in the 0.1 mA condition in Chs 6, 10, and 12. Ch 2-6, 10, 12 signals were notably higher than in the control condition. Stimulation of 0.2 mA and 0.1 mA were associated with significant declines in DeoxyHb levels, compared to the control condition in Ch 4. Finally, 0.2 mA stimulation in Chs 12 and 13 was associated with significant elevation of TotalHb levels in the control condition. Conclusions: Using 0.2-mA stimulation, 100-Hz EA of the ophthalmic nerve enhances PFC CBF more strongly than 0.1-mA stimulation.
Human studies have demonstrated that heart rate (HR) decreases during acupuncture stimulation, and pharmacologic studies have shown that this autonomic nervous system (ANS) response is parasympathetic-dominant. It has become clear that significant changes occur in the ANS after acupuncture, based on HR variability (HRV). However, it is inconclusive, according to HRV analysis, if acupuncture induces a significant change in autonomic function during stimulation. The aim of this study was to investigate ANS function using HRV analysis during HR reduction induced by manual acupuncture stimulation to the muscles. In this study, electrocardiograms of 25 adult men were analyzed. After resting for 20 minutes, participants underwent 15-20-mm deep acupuncture stimulation at the (LI 10) point at 1 Hz for 2 minutes. Instantaneous HR was recorded. The index of parasympathetic nervous activity high-frequency (HF) normalized units (HFnu) and the ratio of sympathovagal balance (low frequency [LF]/HF) were calculated by HRV analysis. HR during acupuncture was significantly lower, compared to HR both before and after acupuncture. HFnu during acupuncture were significantly higher, compared to HFnu both before and after acupuncture. The LF/HF ratio during acupuncture was significantly lower, compared to the ratio before acupuncture, and remained low after acupuncture, compared to before acupuncture. Acupuncture stimulation to the muscle can effectively reduce HR, increase HFnu, and decrease LF/HF that depends on autonomic regulation of both sympathovagal balances.
BackgroundA previous study has reported that low-frequency (LF) electroacupuncture (EA) influences salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS is known to control the secretion volume of sIgA; however, the effect of high-frequency (HF) EA on salivary sIgA has not been determined. We investigated whether HF EA affects salivary sIgA levels and the ANS.MethodSixteen healthy subjects were randomly classified into two groups: a control group and an EA group. After a 5 min rest, subjects in the EA group received EA at 100 Hz bilaterally at LI4 and LI11 for 15 min before resting for a further 40 min post-stimulation. Subjects in the control group rested for a total of 60 min. Measurements of the ANS and sIgA levels in both groups were made before, immediately after, 20 min after, and 40 min after rest or 15 min EA treatment. HF and LF components of heart rate variability were analysed as markers of ANS function. LF/HF ratio and HF were taken as indices of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve activity, respectively. Salivary protein concentrations and sIgA levels were determined by Bradford protein assay and ELISA, respectively.ResultsLF/HF ratio was significantly increased immediately after EA. HF was significantly increased at 20 min after EA and sIgA level was significantly increased at 40 min after EA. In addition, HF and salivary sIgA level were positively correlated with each another.ConclusionsHF EA exerted sequential positive effects on sympathetic nerve activity, parasympathetic nerve activity, and salivary sIgA level (immediately and after 20 and 40 min, respectively). HF EA may increase salivary sIgA levels by influencing parasympathetic nerve activity.
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