title: Combined treatment with acupuncture reduces effective dose and alleviates adverse effect of L-dopa by normalizing Parkinson's disease-induced neurochemical imbalance.
abstract: This study first showed the behavioural benefits of novel combination therapy of L-dopa with acupuncture on Parkinson's disease, and its underlying mechanisms within basal ganglia. The previous study reported that acupuncture may improve the motor function of a Parkinson's disease (PD) mouse model by increasing the dopamine efflux and turnover ratio of dopamine. Hence, we hypothesised that combining L-dopa with acupuncture would have a behavioural benefit for those with PD. We performed unilateral injections of 6-OHDA into the striatum of C57Bl/6 mice to model hemi-Parkinsonian attributes. To test motor function and dyskinetic anomalies, we examined cylinder behaviour and abnormal involuntary movement (AIM), respectively. We found that (1) a 50% reduced dose of L-dopa (7.5 mg/kg) combined with acupuncture showed an improvement in motor function that was comparable to mice given the standard dose of L-dopa treatment (15 mg/kg) only, and that (2) the combination treatment (L-dopa +acupuncture) was significantly superior in reducing AIM scores when equivalent doses of L-dopa were used. The combination treatment also significantly reduces the abnormal increase of GABA contents in the substantia nigra compared to the standard L-dopa treatment. Furthermore, abnormal expression of FosB, the immediate early gene of L-dopa induced dyskinesia (LID), was mitigated in the striatum by the combination treatment. All of these results indicate that acupuncture enhances the benefits of L-dopa on motor function with reduced dose of L-dopa and alleviating LID by normalising neurochemical imbalance within the basal ganglia.
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Centre (AMSRC), Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Korean Medical Science, Graduate School of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors: Seung-Nam
authors: SN
authors: Kim
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Centre (AMSRC), Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors: Ah-Reum
authors: AR
authors: Doo
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Centre (AMSRC), Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors: Ji-Yeun
authors: JY
authors: Park
authors: Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
authors: Hyunwoo J
authors: HJ
authors: Choo
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Centre (AMSRC), Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors: Insop
authors: I
authors: Shim
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, UNC Hospitals, Campus Box #7200, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Regional Centre for Neurosensory Disorders, UNC School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Jongbae J
authors: JJ
authors: Park
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Centre (AMSRC), Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Korean Medical Science, Graduate School of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors: Younbyoung
authors: Y
authors: Chae
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, UNC Hospitals, Campus Box #7200, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Bena
authors: B
authors: Lee
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Centre (AMSRC), Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Korean Medical Science, Graduate School of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hyejung
authors: H
authors: Lee
authors: Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Centre (AMSRC), Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Korean Medical Science, Graduate School of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: acufind@khu.ac.kr.
authors: Hi-Joon
authors: HJ
authors: Park
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000633:toxicity; D010302:Parkinson Disease, Secondary / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000737:chemistry; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; C483819:Fosb protein, mouse; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D007980:Levodopa; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D016627:Oxidopamine
keywords: Acupuncture; FosB; GABA; Levodopa-induced dyskinesia; Parkinson's disease; l-dopa combination treatment