title: Stimulation of the Po-shen and Shen-hun scalp-acupuncture bands modifies levels of inhibitory and excitatory amino acids in the immature rat brain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, the effect of stimulation of the Po-shen and Shen-hun scalp-acupuncture bands on tissue amino acid concentrations in several brain regions in awake and pentobarbital-sedated immature rats was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 15 days) were organized in four groups of at least eight animals: control groups received saline solution 0.9% or sodium pentobarbital at 30mg/kg dosage via intraperitoneal. Experimental groups received saline solution or sodium pentobarbital plus stimulation in Po-shen and Shen-hun scalp-acupuncture bands for one continuous hour during 10 sessions by using scalp-acupuncture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As compared to rats receiving saline solution, scalp-acupuncture produced significant changes in amino acid concentrations, depending on the analyzed region, as follows: in inhibitory amino acids, a GABA increase was observed in amygdala and hippocampus (491 and 184%, respectively), but a decrease in the substantia nigra (80%); glycine showed decrease in all the analyzed regions, except for an increase in brainstem(78%); glutamine presented an increase in hippocampus and cortex (42 and 149%, respectively). In the case of excitatory amino acids, glutamate decreased in all the analyzed regions; whereas aspartate decreased in substantia nigra and brainstem (77.08 and 35%, correspondingly) but increased in hippocampus and cortex (32 and 54%, respectively). The combined treatment of scalp-acupuncture and a GABAergic depressant drug like pentobarbital resulted in almost all changes induced in amino acids for scalp-acupuncture alone being significantly reverted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stimulation of the Po-shen and Shen-hun scalp-acupuncture bands by using scalp-acupuncture alone might produce depressant activity by changes in amino acids, but the combination with a GABAergic tranquilizer like sodium pentobarbital can interfere with this response.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Neurológicas, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, Av. Cuauhtémoc 330, Col. Doctores, C.P. 06720 México D.F., Mexico. sakura_3280@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Lucia Estrella
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Franco-Santana
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Torres-Castillo
authors.forename: María Eva
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: González-Trujano
authors.forename: Misael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González-Ramírez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012535:Scalp
chemical_list: D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids
keywords: Acupuncture; Excitatory amino acid; Inhibitory amino acid; Pentobarbital; Po-shen band; Scalp-acupuncture; Shen-hun band