title: Acupuncture blocks cold stress-induced increases in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in the rat.
abstract: Electroacupuncture (EA) is used to treat chronic stress; however, its mechanism(s) of action in allaying stress remains unclear. The interplay of stress hormones of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is critical in the stress response. Our objective was to determine whether EA at acupoint, stomach 36 (EA St₃₆) is effective in preventing chronic cold stress-induced increased hormone levels in the rat by examining four groups of animals, three of which were exposed to cold and one of which was a non-treatment control group. Before exposure to the cold, two groups were treated with either EA St₃₆, or Sham-EA, before 10 days of cold stress. The EA St₃₆ animals demonstrated a significant decrease in peripheral HP hormones (ACTH and CORT) compared with stress animals (P<0.05). These effects were specific; rats receiving Sham-EA had elevation of these hormones, similar to the stress-only animals. These effects were mirrored centrally in the brain; CRH levels were significantly (P<0.05) reduced in EA St₃₆ animals compared with the other animals. Finally, EA effect on peripheral and adrenal SNS hormones (norepinephrine (NE) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) respectively) was examined, with no significant difference noted in adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase or circulating NE in any of the groups. However, EA St₃₆ was effective in preventing stress-induced elevation is adrenal Npy mRNA. These results indicate that EA St₃₆ blocks the chronic stress-induced elevations in the HPA and the sympathetic NPY pathway, which may be a mechanism for its specific stress-allaying effects.
authors: School of Nursing and Health Studies, Georgetown University Medical Center, 421 St Mary's Hall, 3700 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA. eshkevl@georgetown.edu
authors: Ladan
authors: L
authors: Eshkevari
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Permaul
authors: Susan E
authors: SE
authors: Mulroney
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D058639:Cold-Shock Response; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone