Complementary acupuncture treatment increases cerebral metabolism in patients with Parkinson's disease.
We used positron emission tomography (PET) and the 18-flourodeoxyglucose tracer to study cerebral effects of complementary acupuncture in Parkinson's disease. Five patients received scalp-acupuncture and Madopa, while the other five had Madopa only. PET scans before and after 5 weeks of complementary acupuncture treatment show increased glucose metabolisms in parietal, temporal, occipital lobes, the thalamus, and the cerebellum in the light-diseased hemisphere, and in parietal and occipital lobes of the severe-diseased hemisphere. No changes were observed in the Madopa-only group. Acupuncture in combination with Madopa may improve cerebral glucose metabolism in Parkinson's disease.
Huang
Yong
Y
School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. nanfanglihuang@163.com
Jiang
Xuemei
X
Zhuo
Ying
Y
Tang
Anwu
A
Wik
Gustav
G
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001545:Benserazide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C005177:benserazide, levodopa drug combination; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D007980:Levodopa; D001545:Benserazide; D005947:Glucose