Electroacupuncture for Parkinson Disease: a Parkinson model of rat study

Yusuf Özgür Çakmak,MD,Phd
Acupuncture for physicians program
Yeditepe University Medical School
İstanbul Turkey

Background

Deep brain stimulation of subthalamic nucleus is a new approach to Parkinson Disease (PD) Therapies but it is an invasive technic for the patients. Latest researches demonstrated that median nerve stimulation can also reflect on the subthalamic nucleus which is a target for the electrodes of the deep brain stimulation theraphy for PD.

Purpose and method

We applied electroacupuncture (EA) to P6 point which is located on the median nerve territory in the rats that will become models of PD and checked if there is any resistance in the rats for becoming a Parkinson model. The control group of rats only needed injections to become a Parkinson model.

Results

Our preliminary results were in correspondance with our theory. The rats which have EA sessions demonstrated a resistance against becoming a Parkinson model. The results of the rotation test which is the confirmation of being a Parkinson model were significantly different within control and EA group of rats. Further, we checked the dopaminargic neurons in Substantia Nigra with the tyrosine-hydroxilaze staining and compared the results with the control group in order to clarify the neuronal survival (if any) achieved by the EA.

Conclusion

Deep brain stimulation is effective but an invasive technic for the patients. The results of our study demonstrated that the target areas of deep brain stimulation can be effected by electrostimulation of somatic acupuncture points and rats on which EA applied gained resistance against becoming Parkinson models. Further studies are needed in order to compare the effects of EA and Deep Brain Stimulation on PD.