Hidetoshi Mori

Decreased heart rate by acupuncture stimulation in humans via facilitation of cardiac vagal activity and suppression of cardiac sympathetic nerve.

The effect of acupuncture stimulation applied to a Ximen point (P4) of a forearm on heart rate was studied in healthy volunteer human subjects. Acupuncture stimulation decreased heart rate, or gave no significant response. The decreased response of heart rate following acupuncture was attenuated by administration of atropine and propranolol. Therefore, the acupuncture-induced response of decrease in heart rate was concluded to be a result of a reciprocal coordination of an increase in cardiac vagal activity and a decrease in cardiac sympathetic activity.

Unique immunomodulation by electro-acupuncture in humans possibly via stimulation of the autonomic nervous system

Cumulative evidence suggests that immunologic responses are under the regulation of the autonomic nervous system. Since acupuncture has recently been reported to modulate the autonomic nervous system, we investigated the possibility that acupuncture eventually modulates the immune system. In the present study, electro-acupuncture was applied in young volunteer subjects. As for the proportions of granulocytes and lymphocytes in the blood, there were three groups: (1) granulocytosis and lymphocytopenia; (2) granulocytopenia and lymphocytosis; and (3) normal pattern. Interestingly, with the administration of acupuncture, the status of subjects with relatively low levels of granulocytes and high levels of lymphocytes shifted to Group 1, whereas that of subjects with high levels of granulocytes and low levels of lymphocytes shifted to Group 2. In other words, acupuncture tended to normalize the pattern of leukocytes. We confirmed that acupuncture induced parasympathetic nerve stimulation, resulting in a decrease in the heart rate. These results suggest possible mechanisms underlying how acupuncture ameliorates the condition of patients with many chronic diseases.

Electro-acupuncture stimulation to a hindpaw and a hind leg produces different reflex responses in sympathoadrenal medullary function in anesthetized rats.

The effects of electro-acupuncture stimulation (EAS) of two different areas of a hindlimb with different stimulus intensities on sympathoadrenal medullary functions were examined in anesthetized artificially ventilated rats. Two needles of 160 microm diameter and about 5 mm apart were inserted about 5 mm deep into a hindpaw (Chungyang, S42) or a hind leg (Tsusanli, S36) and current of various intensities passed to excite various afferent nerve fiber groups at a repetition rate of 20 Hz and pulse duration of 0.5 ms for 30-60 s. Fiber groups of afferent nerves stimulated in a hindlimb were monitored by recording evoked action potentials from the afferents innervating the areas stimulated. The sympathoadrenal medullary functions were monitored by recording adrenal sympathetic efferent nerve activity and secretion rates of catecholamines from the adrenal medulla. EAS of a hindpaw at a stimulus strength sufficient to excite the group III and IV somatic afferent fibers produced reflex increases in both adrenal sympathetic efferent nerve activity and the secretion rate of catecholamines. EAS of a hind leg at a stimulus strength sufficient to excite the group III and IV afferent fibers produced reflex responses of either increases or decreases in sympathoadrenal medullary functions. All responses of adrenal sympathetic efferent nerve activity were lost after cutting the afferent nerves ipsilateral to the stimulated areas, indicating that the responses are the reflexes whose afferents nerve pathway is composed of hindlimb somatic nerves. It is concluded that electro-acupuncture stimulation of a hindpaw causes an excitatory reflex, while that of a hind leg causes either excitatory or inhibitory reflex of sympathoadrenal medullary functions, even if both group III and IV somatic afferent fibers are stimulated.

The effect of massage on localized lumbar muscle fatigue

BackgroundThere is not enough evidence to support the efficacy of massage for muscle fatigue despite wide utilization of the modality in various clinical settings. This study investigated the influence of massage application on localized back muscle fatigue.MethodsTwenty-nine healthy subjects participated in two experimental sessions (massage and rest conditions). On each test day, subjects were asked to lie in the prone position on a treatment table and perform sustained back extension for 90 seconds. Subjects then either received massage on the lumbar region or rested for a 5 minute duration, then repeated the back extension movement. The median frequency (MDF), mean power frequency (MNF), and root mean square (RMS) amplitude of electromyographic signals during the 90 second sustained lumbar muscle contraction were analyzed. The subjective feeling of fatigue was then evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).ResultsMDF and MNF significantly declined with time under all conditions. There was no significant difference in MDF, MNF or RMS value change between before and after massage, or between rest and massage conditions. There was a significant increase in fatigue VAS at the end of the 2nd back extension with rest condition. There was a significant difference in fatigue VAS change between massage and rest condition.ConclusionsA significant difference was observed between massage and rest condition on VAS for muscle fatigue. On EMG analysis, there were no significant differences to conclude that massage stimulation influenced the myoelectrical muscle fatigue, which is associated with metabolic and electrical changes.

Is there a difference between the effects of single and triple indirect moxibustion stimulations on skin temperature changes of the posterior trunk surface

Objectives To determine whether any difference exists in responses to indirect moxibustion (IM) relative to thermal stimulation duration. Methods In experiment 1, 9 subjects attended two experimental sessions consisting of single stimulation with IM or triple stimulation with IM, using a crossover design. A K-type thermocouple temperature probe was fixed on the skin surface at the GV14 acupuncture point. IM stimulation was administered to the top of the probe in order to measure the temperature curve. In addition, each subject evaluated his or her subjective feeling of heat on a visual analogue scale after each stimulation. Experiment 2 was conducted on 42 participants, divided into three groups according to the envelope allocation method: single stimulation with IM (n=20), triple stimulation with IM (n=11) and a control group (n=11). A thermograph was used to obtain the skin temperature on the posterior trunk of the participant. To analyse skin temperature, four arbitrary frames (the scapular, interscapular, lumbar and vertebral regions) were made on the posterior trunk. Result In experiment 1, no significant difference in maximum temperature was found in IM and subjective feeling of heat intensity between single and triple stimulation with IM. In experiment 2, increases in skin temperature occurred on the posterior trunk, but no differences in skin temperature occurred between the groups receiving single and triple stimulation with IM. Conclusion No difference exists in the skin temperature response to moxibustion between the single and triple stimulation with IM.

Influence of different durations of electroacupuncture stimulation on skin blood flow and muscle blood volume

Objective To determine whether skin blood flow (SBF) and muscle blood volume (MBV) responses differ according to the duration of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation. Methods Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, healthy male students (n=20) were randomly divided into two groups (an EA group and a no-stimulation group). In Experiment 2, healthy male students (n=37) were randomly divided into three groups with different stimulation durations of EA (5, 10 and 15 min). EA stimulation on the quadriceps femoris muscle was administered with a frequency of 1 Hz. SBF and MBV were estimated before, during and after stimulation. Results In Experiment 1 there was a significant difference between the groups (p=0.001). In the EA stimulation group, MBV increased immediately following EA (p=0.045) and 5 min (p=0.005) and 10 min (p=0.002) after EA compared with baseline. No significant change was observed in the no-stimulation group. In Experiment 2 there was no significant difference between the groups. All three stimulation durations (5, 10 and 15 min) yielded increases in MBV after stimulation compared with baseline. SBF following stimulation for 5 and 10 min was increased compared with baseline. Conclusions Based on these findings, we consider that 10 min EA stimulation could be a sufficient duration to induce a blood flow response in a clinical situation when increasing the blood flow is desirable.

Pupillary response induced by acupuncture stimulation – an experimental study

Objectives To investigate whether acupuncture stimulation affects autonomic nerve function by measuring pupil diameters with electronic pupillography. Methods Two studies were conducted (Experiment 1 and 2) in the Tsukuba University of Technology, Tsukuba, Japan. Experiment 1 examined the responses before, during and after acupuncture. Experiment 2 compared acupuncture and a no acupuncture control in a two period, repeated measurement crossover design. Twelve healthy male university students were recruited for Experiment 1 and nine healthy male university students for Experiment 2. The intervention was superficial acupuncture at the acupuncture point TE5. Following the insertion, gentle repetitive tapping stimulation was applied during the subjects exhalation phase in a sitting position for 90 seconds. The main outcome measures in Experiment 1 were pupil diameter, heart rate, pulse wave and blood pressure. In both experiments, pupil diameter was measured for three minutes before acupuncture stimulation, during stimulation and for three minutes after stimulation. Results In Experiment 1, a decrease in pupil diameter was observed after acupuncture stimulation (P=0.018) and a decrease in heart rate was observed during the stimulation (P=0.049). Moreover, a significant decrease of pulse wave amplitude was observed during and after acupuncture stimulation. In Experiment 2, a decrease in pupil diameter occurred after acupuncture stimulation (P=0.007), whereas no change occurred under the no acupuncture control. Conclusions It is thought that the pupillary constriction observed after gentle, superficial acupuncture stimulation may be attributed to an increase of parasympathetic nerve function. Further study is necessary in order to further clarify the duration of the observed response and to elucidate the mechanisms behind it.

Is there a difference between the effects of one-point and three-point indirect moxibustion stimulation on skin temperature changes of the posterior trunk surface?

Objective To determine whether any difference exists in responses to indirect moxibustion relative to thermal stimulation sites. Methods Twenty one healthy men of mean±SD age 22.5±6.1 years were randomly divided into two groups, one receiving a single moxibustion stimulation in three locations (the three-point stimulation group, n=10 participants) and the other receiving three stimulations in one location (the one-point stimulation group, n=11 participants). The thermal stimulation sites were GV14, GV9 and GV4 acupuncture points. A thermograph was used to obtain the skin temperature on the posterior trunks of the participants. To analyse skin temperature, four arbitrary frames (the scapular, interscapular, lumbar and vertebral regions) were made on the posterior trunk. Result An increase in skin temperature on the posterior trunk was observed following both one- and three-point moxibustion administrations. The skin temperature of the lumbar region showed a significant increase after three-point stimulation compared with single-point stimulation (p=0.011). There was also a significant increase in skin temperature of the spinal region after three-point stimulation compared with one-point stimulation (p=0.046). Conclusion Administration of single moxibustion doses on the GV14, GV9 and GV4 points produces greater changes in skin temperature than three applications of moxibustion to the GV14 point only.

Near-infrared spectroscopy and hydrogen clearance: is there any difference between these two methods of muscle blood volume estimation?

Editor, Muscle blood volume (MBV) is commonly estimated using two methods: near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and the hydrogen clearance method (HCM). The HCM, which is invasive, was initially introduced by Aukland,1–3 NIRS, in contrast, is non-invasive, and has been used to measure the local skeletal muscle deoxygenation and also to estimate regional MBV.4 When studying potential effects of acupuncture, it is desirable to minimise the potential artefacts caused by invasive testing procedures. For this reason, as well as out of consideration for the subjects comfort, the non-invasive NIRS method would be more desirable when evaluating muscle blood flow changes. Therefore, in this study we estimated MBV changes before and after electroacupuncture (EA) stimuli using NIRS and HCM, in order to determine applicability of the NIRS method in acupuncture experiments. Before the study began, the participants were told about the purpose and procedures of the study, and all participants signed consent forms. This study adhered strictly to the principles of the declaration of Helsinki and was approved by …

Effect of Different Dosages of ST36 Indirect Moxibustion on the Skin Temperature of the Lower Legs and Feet

Background: Indirect moxibustion (IM) has been previously performed between the spinous process while recording skin temperature of the trunk. However, moxibustion is often applied not only to acupuncture points on the back, but also to points located on the limbs. Thus, there is a need to investigate skin temperature (ST) responses following IM applied to the limbs. Methods: In Experiment 1 (Exp 1), subjects were randomly assigned to three groups: the left IM stimulation, right IM stimulation and control groups. In Experiment 2 (Exp 2), the subjects underwent two experimental sessions consisting of a single stimulation of IM or triple stimulations of IM. The IM stimulation was administered to the ST36 acupuncture point. A thermograph was used to obtain the ST on the lower limbs. Results: In Exp 1, the ST of the lower limbs increased in the stimulation groups whereas there was no increase in the non-stimulation group. In Exp 2, no significant response occurred between the single and triple stimulation of IM groups for all observed sites except for the left ankle ST. Conclusions: Lower limb ST increased following IM application to the ST36 point. No difference was observed between the dosage of the stimulation and ST responses.