Functional Imaging and Physiological Modulation with Acupuncture in Parkinson’s Disease and Nonhuman Primate Models of Dopamine Dysfunction

Abstract

Here we review functional imaging and neurophysiological evidence for the preclinical and clinical use of electroacupuncture, a non-pharmaceutical-based therapeutic strategy, to relieve parkinsonian symptoms. Outcomes from those studies provide evidence that the effect of electroacupuncture can be objectively measured in nonhuman primate models of Parkinson's disease and in patients with Parkinson's disease. In addition, the evidence continues to support that electroacupuncture can be used in preclinical and clinical studies simply, safely, and effectively as an alternative and complementary treatment for disorders in Parkinson's disease.