Neuroplasticity Changes on Human Motor Cortex Induced by Acupuncture Therapy: A Preliminary Study

Yang, Yi; Eisner, Ines; Chen, Siqi; Wang, Shaosong; Zhang, Fan; Wang, Linpeng

doi:10.1155/2017/4716792

Cited by 27 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This model contends that the inhibitory effect from right M1 (contralateral to acupuncture side) to the left M1 (ipsilateral to acupuncture side) declined significantly after acupuncture intervention. Since the ipsilateral M1 received less inhibition, excitability increased (Yang et al, ). This might be the explanation for how acupuncture modulates the excitability of the ipsilateral M1.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, Deqi sensation may change the excitation of motor neuron pools. Yang et al () found that corticomotoneuronal excitability and interhemispheric competition could be modulated by acupuncture therapy in healthy subjects. Acupuncture stimulation may generate physiological effects on the autonomic nervous system via the activation of a somatosensory pathway (Kim, Park, & Namgung, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of acupuncture at ST36 on motor cortical excitation and inhibition

Sun

Zhang

et al. 2019

Brain and Behavior

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Background Acupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) is often used to facilitate motor recovery after stroke. However, the effect of acupuncture at ST36 on motor cortical excitation and inhibition remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the effect of acupuncture at ST36 on motor cortical excitation and inhibition. Methods Twenty healthy volunteers were recruited to receive acupuncture treatment. We selected the acupoint ST36 and its respective sham point as the experimental acupoint. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to measure motor‐evoked potentials (MEP) at 7 time points—before acupuncture (Pre), acupuncture (T0), 4 and 8 min after acupuncture (T4; T8), needle removal (T12), 4 and 8 min after needle removal (T16; T20). Simultaneously, paired TMS (pTMS) was employed to measure short‐ and long‐interval intracortical inhibition (SICI [short latency intracortical inhibition]; LICI [long latency intracortical inhibition]), respectively, at three time points—before acupuncture (Pre), acupuncture (T0), needle removal (T12). After removing the acupuncture needle, all subjects were asked to quantify their Deqi sensation using a Gas table. Results The average Deqi sensation score of all subjects during acupuncture at ST36 was higher than that observed at the sham point. With acupuncture at ST36, the MEP amplitude was higher at three time points (T0, T4, T8) than at Pre, although the MEP amplitude tended toward Pre after needle removal. The MEP amplitude was also higher at the same time points (T0, T4, T8) than at the sham point. Furthermore, the Deqi sensation score was correlated with MEP amplitude. With acupuncture at ST36, SICI and LICI at T0 were higher than those at Pre, and SICI and LICI at T0 were higher than those at the sham point. Conclusion Acupuncture at ST36 increased motor cortical excitation and had an effect on the remaining needle phase. Deqi sensation was correlated with MEP amplitude. Acupuncture at ST36 also decreased motor cortical inhibition.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of acupuncture at ST36 on motor cortical excitation and inhibition

Sun

Zhang

et al. 2019

Brain and Behavior

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“…Acupuncture therapy showed a more significant recovery than only medicine therapy in ischemic stroke. Abundant previous clinical researches have showed that acupuncture was beneficial for stroke rehabilitation [ 2 , 19 , 20 , 28 ]. In our experience design, the patients with a combining therapy of acupuncture and drug treatment demonstrated a recovery of the brain FC pattern of the motor network and their neurological function compared with the patients in the CG.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of these previous imaging studies focus on brain organization after stroke. Only a few studies focus on the acupuncture treatment effect, such as the changes in the ipsilesional primary motor cortex (M1) area after stroke with acupuncture intervention [ 19 , 20 ]. Acupuncture intervention effect on the functional connectivity (FC) patterns of the whole motor-related network is still unclear in stroke patients.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Longitudinal Brain Functional Connectivity Changes of the Cortical Motor-Related Network in Subcortical Stroke Patients with Acupuncture Treatment

Wang

Liao

et al. 2017

Neural Plasticity

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In clinical practice, the effectiveness of the rehabilitation therapy such as acupuncture combining conventional Western medicine (AG) on stroke people's motor-related brain network and their behaviors has not been systematically studied. In the present study, seventeen adult ischemic patients were collected and divided into two groups: the conventional Western medicine treatment group (CG) and the AG. The neurological deficit scores (NDS) and resting-state functional MRI data were collected before and after treatment. Compared with the CG patients, AG patients exhibited a significant enhancement of the percent changes of NDS from pre- to posttreatment intervention. All patients showed significant changes of functional connectivity (FC) between the pair of cortical motor-related regions. After treatment, both patient groups showed a recovery of brain connectivity to the nearly normal level compared with the controls in these pairs. Moreover, a significant correlation between the percent changes of NDS and the pretreatment FC values of bilateral primary motor cortex (M1) in all patients was found. In conclusion, our results showed that AG therapy can be an effective means for ischemic stroke patients to recover their motor function ability. The FC strengths between bilateral M1 of stroke patients can predict stroke patients' treatment outcome after rehabilitation therapy.

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“…Neuroplasticity is believed to be fundamental to MCS efficacy 41 . In this study, we showed significant changes in astrocytes in the ZI, which is responsible for NP modulation.…”

Section: Regulation Of Synaptic Plasticitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Astroglial changes in the zona incerta in response to motor cortex stimulation in a rat model of chronic neuropathy

Cha

Lee

2020

Sci Rep

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Although astrocytes are known to regulate synaptic transmission and affect new memory formation by influencing long-term potentiation and functional synaptic plasticity, their role in pain modulation is poorly understood. Motor cortex stimulation (MCS) has been used to reduce neuropathic pain through the incertothalamic pathway, including the primary motor cortex (M1) and the zona incerta (ZI). However, there has been no in-depth study of these modulatory effects and region-specific changes in neural plasticity. In this study, we investigated the effects of MCS-induced pain modulation as well as the relationship between the ZI neuroplasticity and MCS-induced pain alleviation in neuropathic pain (NP). MCS-induced threshold changes were evaluated after daily MCS. Then, the morphological changes of glial cells were compared by tissue staining. In order to quantify the neuroplasticity, MAP2, PSD95, and synapsin in the ZI and M1 were measured and analyzed with western blot. In behavioral test, repetitive MCS reduced NP in nerve-injured rats. We also observed recovered GFAP expression in the NP with MCS rats. In the NP with sham MCS rats, increased CD68 level was observed. In the NP with MCS group, increased mGluR1 expression was observed. Analysis of synaptogenesis-related molecules in the M1 and ZI revealed that synaptic changes occured in the M1, and increased astrocytes in the ZI were more closely associated with pain alleviation after MCS. Our findings suggest that MCS may modulate the astrocyte activities in the ZI and synaptic changes in the M1. Our results may provide new insight into the important and numerous roles of astrocytes in the formation and function. Chronic neuropathic pain (NP) is the result of primary lesion in peripheral nerve and/or central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction in the absence of nociceptor stimulation 1. This multidimensional clinical entity is mediated by various pathophysiological mechanisms, making its treatment difficult 2,3. Neuropathic pain refractory to medication has been treated with invasive methods, such as selective lesioning and electrical stimulation of the central or peripheral nervous system 4. MCS was initially applied to central pain secondary to thalamic stroke 5,6. Over time, its usage expanded to various types of chronic pain. Repetitive MCS relieves approximately 45 to 75% of pain 7,8 , making it a viable option for patients with severe drug-refractory symptoms. Motor cortex stimulation (MCS) treatment was first used in the early 1990s to treat a patient with chronic, drug-resistant NP 9. Despite the clinical use of MCS for pain reduction, the mechanisms underlying its effects remain unclear. The incertothalamic pathway was recently described as a novel system for regulating nociceptive processing in the thalamus 10,11. In this pathway, the zona incerta (ZI) inhibits the flow of nociceptive and somatosensory information in the posterior thalamus (Po), and this is mediated by the cholinergic system 10,12. Modulation of the ZI activity by repeated MCS was shown to...

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Neuroplasticity Changes on Human Motor Cortex Induced by Acupuncture Therapy: A Preliminary Study

Cited by 27 publications

References 28 publications

Effect of acupuncture at ST36 on motor cortical excitation and inhibition

Effect of acupuncture at ST36 on motor cortical excitation and inhibition

Longitudinal Brain Functional Connectivity Changes of the Cortical Motor-Related Network in Subcortical Stroke Patients with Acupuncture Treatment

Astroglial changes in the zona incerta in response to motor cortex stimulation in a rat model of chronic neuropathy

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