The effect of electric acupuncture treatment on urinary MHPG-sulphate excretion in unmedicated schizophrenics.

The daily urinary excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulphate (MHPG-SO4) was determined before and during the course of electric acupuncture treatment (EAT) in eight unmedicated schizophrenic patients. The mean excretion of MHPG-SO4 before treatment was 1439 +/- 74 micrograms/24 hr. EAT was administered once daily and continued for two weeks. The urinary MHPG-SO4 excretion steadily increased during the course of EAT. The mean values obtained during the first and second weeks of treatment were 1712 +/- 108 micrograms/24 hr and 1920 +/- 81 micrograms/24 hr respectively, each being significantly higher than the mean value obtained before EAT.

Change in levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and their main metabolites of rat brain after electric acupuncture treatment.

The changes in levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), norepinephrine (NE), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol sulphate (MHPG-SO4) and dopamine (DA) of rat brain were studied after electric acupuncture stimulation (EAS). We found that the mean values of cerebral 5-HT and 5-HIAA after EAS were increased 16% (p less than 0.001) and 24% (p less than 0.01) respectively, significantly higher than those of controls, whereas the mean value of cerebral NE was decreased 14% (p less than 0.01), significantly lower than that of the controls. The cerebral MHPG-SO4 and DA in both groups showed no significant difference. In a second series of experiments with another group of rats, EAS was administered once a day for ten days. There was no statistical significance between the treated group and the control group in the differences in brain contents of all three monoamine neurotransmitters and 5-HIAA.