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This study aimed to explore the role of the default mode network (DMN) and salience network (SN) in the assessment of pathophysiology of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) through analyzing the characteristics of internal function connectivity (FC) and to investigate the relationship of FC with Hamilton anxiety (HAMA) scale scores in untreated GAD patients during a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Rs-fMRI and HAMA scale scoring were performed in 51 GAD patients (31 GAD patients with liver stagnation transforming into fire type and 20 GAD patients with stagnation of liver-Qi syndrome type) and 20 healthy controls. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to assess the association between HAMA scores and abnormal brain FC. Compared with healthy controls, the FC of the right medial prefrontal gyrus of the DMN and the right superior temporal gyrus of the SN increased significantly in the GAD patients (P<0.001). However, the FC of the left middle frontal gyrus and bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus of the SN reduced significantly in the GAD patients with stagnation of liver-Qi syndrome type as compared with healthy controls and GAD patients with liver stagnation transforming into fire type (P<0.001). There was no relationship between abnormal brain FC and HAMA scores. In conclusion, the FC of the DMN and SN may be abnormal in the GAD patients at the resting state. The aberrant FC of some crucial brain regions of these networks may contribute to the pathophysiology of GAD.

Objective To observe the efficacy of unblocking and regulating the Belt Vessel acupuncture method for patients with abdominal obesity in Germany and its influence on the body fat parameters and glycolipids metabolism. Methods A total of 82 cases of abdominal obesity in Germany were selected. There were two dropout cases in the treatment process. All of the patients received acupuncture at Daimai (GB26), Daheng (SP15), Tianshu (ST25), Zhongwan (CV12), Shuidao (ST28), Waiguan (TE5), and Zulinqi (GB41). The patients received acupuncture therapy once every 2–3 d, 3 times a week. The treatment duration lasted four weeks. Before and after treatment, the body mass (BM), waist circumference (WC), abdominal circumference (AC), hip circumference (HC), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and fasting blood glucose (GLU) were measured respectively, and the body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and body fat rate (BFR) were calculated. Results After treatment, the total effective rate was 72.5%; the levels of BM, WC, AC, HC, BMI, WHR, WHtR, BFR, TC, LDL-C, and GLU declined significantly compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), while the TG and HDL-C slightly declined, but the differences were statistically insignificant (P>0.05). Conclusion The unblocking and regulating the Belt Vessel acupuncture method can significantly reduce body fat parameters such as BM, AC, and BFR, and correct the disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with abdominal obesity in Germany.

Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a persistent chronic excessive anxiety that is hard to control. Our previous study indicated that self-designed Ningxin Anshen Formula (NXAS) was effective to treat mild to moderate GAD patients. This study is a randomized controlled clinical trial and aimed to investigate the imapct of self-designed NXAS on the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in patients with mild to moderate GAD and explore the potential mechanisms.Methods: A total of 61 patients diagnosed with mild to moderate GAD were recruited and divided into two groups randomly: NXAS group (n=31) and placebo group (n=30). Before and after treatment, the rsFC was examined by resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI), the anxiety was assessed with HAMA, and the independent component analysis (ICA) was used to analyze the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC).The correlation between HAMA score and abnormal rsFC was further evaluated. Results:The default mode network (DMN) showed evident rsFC interaction in the PCUN in both groups before and after therapy. The salience network (SN) showed obvious rsFC interaction in the bilateral gyrus frontalis inferiors and bilateral gyri temporalis superiors before and after therapy. In the NXAS group, the rsFC interction reduced significantly in the left gyrus frontalis inferior, but remained unchanged in the right gyrus frontalis inferior and bilateral gyri temporalis superiors after therapy. In the control group, the rsFC interaction increased dramatically after treatment. In addition, the abnormal rsFC had no relationship with HAMA score. Conclusions:The self-designed NXAS can increase the rsFC in the PUCN on DMN and reduce rsFC in the orbIFG.L on SN to exert anti-anxiety effect.