Effects of Acupuncture on Neurological Disease in Clinical- and Animal-Based Research

Abstract

Neurological disease, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), which were caused by abnormalities in the nervous system involves the accumulation of false proteins, neurotransmitter abnormalities, neuronal apoptosis, etc. As an alternative supplementary medicine (ASM), acupuncture plays an important role in the treatment of neurological diseases. In this review article, we summarized the current evidence for the treatment efficacy of acupuncture in AD and PD from the perspective of clinical trials and animal model. Acupuncture can inhibit the accumulation of toxic proteins in neurological diseases, modulate energy supply based on glucose metabolism, depress neuronal apoptosis, etc., and exert a wide range of neuroprotective effects.

Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

“…In addition, acupuncture could also play a protective role in cranial nerves by regulating blood pressure and improving cerebral circulation ( 57 , 58 ). Some of the above mechanisms have also been confirmed by imaging-based research in PD patients ( 50 , 59 ). Overall, acupuncture, like other neuroprotective agents, is anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiapoptotic, and neurotrophic, and the advantage of acupuncture therapy lies in having either specific target mechanisms of action or multitarget mechanisms of action ( 46 ).…”

“…Most of them are characterized by progressive neurodegeneration and injury closely related to aging, including PD, Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, et cetera. Although the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases varies, they still share many common pathogenic features and mechanisms, such as misfolded protein aggregation, neuronal apoptosis, synaptic loss, neurotransmitter abnormalities, et cetera ( 50 , 51 ).…”

“…NTF levels are regulated by the therapeutic effects of acupuncture and are associated with enhanced survival, proliferation, and differentiation of NTFs. Acupuncture enhances the expression of NTFs, which may stimulate neurogenesis and thus exert a therapeutic effect on the functional recovery in neurological diseases ( 50 ). Therefore, one possible neurophysiological mechanism for the therapeutic effects of acupuncture is to regulate the plasticity of the brain ( 52 ).…”

“…It was confirmed that acupuncture increased the DA neuronal survival via the nigrostriatal pathway, the expression of DJ-1, and the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the striatum ( 8 ). Furthermore, researchers reported that acupuncture can activate the hypothalamic melanin-concentrating hormone biosynthesis and attenuate the reduction of tyrosine hydroxylase in the substantia nigra region ( 50 ). (b) Neurotransmitters.…”

“…Researchers reported that acupuncture was able to improve striatal dopamine levels and enhance dopamine availability, which in turn improved motor function ( 54 ). The experiment demonstrated that acupuncture could enhance memory and neuronal density in CA3 and dentate gyrus of PD mouse model, while increasing glutathione peroxidase, and decreasing acetylcholinesterase, monoamine oxidase B, and malondialdehyde in the hippocampus ( 50 ). Additionally, proteomic analysis demonstrated that acupuncture reversed a variety of proteins in the lesioned motor cortex of the PD model that may be involved in maintaining the balance of neurotransmitters ( 55 ).…”