[Interactive scalp acupuncture for hemiplegic upper extremity motor dysfunction in patients with ischemic stroke: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the curative effect between interactive scalp acupuncture and traditional scalp acupuncture on hemiplegic upper extremity motor dysfunction in the patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: Seventy cases of hemiplegic upper extremity motor dysfunction of ischemic stroke were randomly divided into an interactive scalp acupuncture group (35 cases, 1 case breaked off) and a traditional scalp acupuncture group (35 cases, 1 case dropped off). The patients of the two groups received the secondary prevention medication and routine rehabilitation therapy. Besides, in the interactive scalp acupuncture group, the upper extremity occupational therapy was operated during the needle retaining of scalp acupuncture; and in the traditional scalp acupuncture group, the upper extremity occupational therapy was delivered after the completion of scalp acupuncture. The same points were selected in the two groups such as Fuxiang head area, Fuxiang upper-limb-shoulder point, Fuxiang upper-limb-elbow point and Fuxiang upper-limb-wrist point. The needles were inserted perpendicularly by flying-needle technique and manipulated by triple technique of gentle twisting, heavy pressure and vibrating. The needles were retained for 30 min. Based on the degree of the upper extremity motor impairment, the regimen of the upper extremity occupational therapy was formulated individually and one treatment took 30 min. In the two groups, the therapies were delivered once daily, 5 times a week, lasting 4 weeks. Before and after treatment, the scores of Fugl-Meyer assessment of upper extremity (FMA-UE), Wolf motor function test (WMFT), the modified Barthel index (MBI) and the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) grade in the two groups were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of FMA-UE, WMFT and MBI were higher than those before treatment (P<0.01), and MAS grade was improved (P<0.05) in the two groups. The scores of FMA-UE, WMFT and MBI in the interactive scalp acupuncture group were higher than those in the traditional scalp acupuncture group (P<0.01, P<0.05), and there was no statistical significance in the difference of MAS grade between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The interactive scalp acupuncture can effectively improve the motor function of the hemiplegic upper extremities and the activities of daily living in the patients with ischemic stroke and its efficacy is better than traditional scalp acupuncture. But these two types of scalp acupuncture obtain the similar effect on spasticity.

[Effect of Jiannao Anshen acupuncture on insomnia: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy of Jiannao Anshen acupuncture (acupuncture for brain-invigorating and mind-calming) on insomnia, and the dynamic changes of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after acupuncture, to provide neuroimaging basis of acupuncture for insomnia. METHODS: A total of 58 participants were included. Of them, 29 patients with insomnia were included into an observation group, and 29 healthy participants were included into a control group. The patients in the observation group were treated with Jiannao Anshen acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), bilateral Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Fengfu (GV 16), Fengchi (GB 20), Qiangjian (GV 18), occipital sideline, Anmian (Extra), Yiming (EX-HN 14) and Dazhui (GV 14); treatment was given once a day, 10 days as a course of treatment, and a total of 2 courses of treatment was given. The resting-state fMRI data was collected in the observation group before and after treatment. The participants in the control group received no treatment, and the resting-state fMRI data was collected only once. The resting-state fMRI data in the observation group before treatment and in the control group, also the observation group before and after treatment were compared. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), insomnia severity index (ISI), daytime insomnia symptom scale (DISS), hyperarousal scale (HAS), Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), digit symbol test, mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and the A, B speed of trail making test (NCT) were observed in the observation group before and after treatment. The clinical efficacy of the observation group was evaluated. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 89.7% (26/29) in the observation group. In the observation group, the scores of PSQI, ISI and DISS, the A, B speed of NCT were all decreased after treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). Before treatment, compared with the control group, functional connectivity in ventral dorsal prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, inferior parietal lobe, dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, left ventral anterior cingulate gyrus and right ventral anterior cingulate gyrus was reduced in the observation group; compared before treatment, the functional connectivity in lingual gyrus, cerebellar area 6, frontal lobe, insular lobe and anterior cingulate gyrus, premotor gyrus and posterior cingulate gyrus was increased after treatment in the observation group. After treatment, the functional connection intensity of left ventral caudate nucleus and insular lobe was negatively correlated with HAMD score in the observation group (r =-0.55, P<0.05), and the functional connection intensity of left ventral caudate nucleus and anterior cingulate gyrus was negatively correlated with HAMA score in the observation group (r =-0.47, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The Jiannao Anshen acupuncture could effectively improve the sleep quality in patients with insomnia, and acupuncture could enhance the connection of left dorsal, right ventral and left ventral caudate nucleus with brain area.

[Professor HUANG Lin-na's experience in treatment of Tourette syndrome with Fang's scalp acupuncture].

Professor HUANG Lin-na's experience in treatment of Tourette syndrome with Fang's scalp acupuncture were introduced. Professor HUANG believes that this disease is in category of tremor in TCM. Pathogenic wind is the key in its pathogenesis and liver, spleen and kidney are closely related. Hence, the treatment focuses on eliminating pathogenic wind and regulating the function of liver, spleen and kidney. The cerebrum is the regulation center in human body. The abnormal somatic function can be adjusted by acupuncture at the scalp area where the cerebral cortical function is projected. Fang's scalp acupuncture is suitable in treatment of Tourette syndrome. Such scalp acupuncture was introduced in this paper with the typical case reported so as to provide a new approach to clinical treatment.

[Effects of scalp-acupuncture on astrocyte apoptosis in hippocampal CA 1 region in rats with vascular dementia].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of scalp-acupuncture intervention on the expression of Bcl-2 of astrocytes in the hippocampus in vascular dementia (VD) rats, so as to reveal its underlying mechanism in improving VD. METHODS: A total of 40 male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, sham-operation, VD model, and scalp-acupuncture groups (n=10 in each group). The VD model was established by using modified Pulsinelli 4-vessel-occlusion method. Scalp-acupuncture was applied to bilateral "Daozang Shangjiao" and bilateral "Jiyi", and "Siwei" acupoints according to FANG's scalp-acupuncture therapy for 30 min, once daily for 10 days. The rat's learning-memory ability was detected by Morris water maze tests, and the expression of apoptosis related proteins Bcl-2 of astrocytes in the hippocampus was detected by immunofluorescence double labeling technique and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: Morris water maze tests showed that the average escape latency of place navigation test and the duration of the first platform-site crossover (space probing test) were significantly increased in the model group compared with the normal control group (P<0.01), and the number of platform-site crossovers in 2 min was markedly decreased in the model group (P<0.01). The increased average escape latency and the increased duration of first platform-site crossover were markedly shortened in the scalp-acupuncture group in comparison with the model group (P<0.01), and the number of the platform crossovers in 2 min was significantly increased in the scalp-acupuncture group (P<0.01). The expression of Bcl-2 protein and the number of GFAP/Bcl-2-labeled cells of hippocampal CA 1 region in the model group were remarkably decreased compared with the normal control group (P<0.01). After scalp-acupuncture intervention, the decreased Bcl-2 protein expression level and the number of double-labeled GFAP/Bcl-2 cells were significantly up-regulated in the scalp-acupuncture group compared with the model group (P<0.01). No significant differences were found between the normal control and sham-operation groups in the escape latency, duration of the first platform-site crossover, number of platform crossovers in 2 min, number of GFAP/Bcl-2 double labeled cells and the expression level of hippocampal Bcl-2 protein (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Scalp-acupuncture can effectively regulate the expression of apoptosis related proteins Bcl-2 of astrocytes in the CA 1 region of hippocampus in rats with VD, which may contribute to its effect in the improvement of VD.

[Multicentral randomized controlled studies on acupuncture at Shaoze (SI 1) for treatment of postpartum hypolactation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore effect of acupuncture at Shaoze (SI 1) for treatment of postpartum hypolactation. METHODS: Multicentral randomized controlled and single blind clinical trial was adopted, and 276 cases were divided into a treatment group and a control group, 138 cases in each group. The treatment group were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) at Shaoze (SI 1) and the control group with EA at Shangyang (LI 1). After treatment of 2 courses, the therapeutic effects and changes of cumulative score of TCM symptoms, mammary filling degree, lactation amount, prolactin level were evaluated and investigated. RESULTS: The cured and markedly effective rate was 97.8% in the treatment group and 24.3% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). The treatment group in improvement of the cumulative score of TCM symptoms and the mammary filling degree, and increasing the lactation amount and the prolactin level were better than the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at Shaoze (SI 1) has obvious therapeutic effect on hypolactation.