title: [Randomized controlled observation on head point-through-point therapy for treatment of insomnia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the therapeutic effect of head point-through-point therapy on insomnia and to probe the mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-one cases of insomnia were randomly divided into a head penetration needling group (n=36) and a routine acupuncture group (n=35). In the head penetration needling group, Shenting (GV 24)-through-anterior Shencong (EX-HN 1), bilateral Toulinqi (GB 15)-through-bilateral Shencong (EX-HN 1), posterior Shencong-through-Qiangjian (GV 18) were selected; and in the routine acupuncture group, Baihui (CV 20), Yintang (EX-HN 3), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Neiguan (PC 6), etc. were selected. After treatment of 30 days, their therapeutic effects, cumulative scores of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and plasma serotonin contents before and after treatment were compared. Results The total effective rate of 91.7% in the head penetration needling group was better than 77.1% in the routine acupuncture group (P < 0.05), and the improvement of sleep quality, falling asleep time and the total cumulative score of PSQI in the head penetration needling group was superior to that in the routine acupuncture group (P < 0.05), and plasma serotonin was significantly increased in the head penetration needling group with a significant difference as compared with that in the routine acupuncture group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The therapeutic effect of head penetration needling is better than that of the routine acupuncture, and the mechanism is related with regulation of serotonin metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Section of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of TCM, Harbin, China. dongjianpingls@126.com
authors.forename: Jian-ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei-yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin