title: Low-frequency electroacupuncture suppresses focal epilepsy and improves epilepsy-induced sleep disruptions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The positive effects of acupuncture at Feng-Chi acupoints on treating epilepsy and insomnia have been well-documented in ancient Chinese literature. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to elucidate the underlying mechanisms behind these effects. Our previous study demonstrated that high-frequency (100 Hz) electroacupuncture (EA) at Feng-Chi acupoints deteriorates both pilocarpine-induced focal epilepsy and sleep disruptions. This study investigated the effects of low-frequency (10 Hz) EA on epileptic activities and epilepsy-induced sleep disruptions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In rats, the Feng-Chi acupoint is located 3 mm away from the center of a line between the two ears. Rats received 30 min of 10 Hz EA stimuli per day before each day's dark period for three consecutive days. Our results indicated that administration of pilocarpine into the left CeA at the beginning of the dark period induced focal epilepsy and decreased both rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep during the consequent light period. Low-frequency (10 Hz) EA at Feng-Chi acupoints suppressed pilocarpine-induced epileptiform EEGs, and this effect was in turn blocked by naloxone (a broad-spectrum opioid receptor antagonist), but not by naloxonazine (a μ-receptor antagonist), naltrindole (a δ-receptor antagonist) and nor-binaltorphimine (a κ-receptor antagonist). Ten Hz EA enhanced NREM sleep during the dark period, and this enhancement was blocked by all of the opioid receptor antagonists. On the other hand, 10 Hz EA reversed pilocarpine-induced NREM suppression during the light period, and the EA's effect on the sleep disruption was only blocked by naloxonazine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that low-frequency EA stimulation of Feng-Chi acupoints is beneficial in improving epilepsy and epilepsy-induced sleep disruptions, and that opioid receptors in the CeA mediate EA's therapeutic effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4., Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan. pyi67@hotmail.com.|Department of Sports, Health & Leisure, College of Tourism, Leisure and Sports, Aletheia University, Tainan Campus, Tainan, Taiwan. pyi67@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Pei-Lu
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4., Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan. lip026.911@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chin-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mackay Memorial Hospital and Mackay Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan. shuobinjou@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shuo-Bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Jou
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4., Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan. fchang@ntu.edu.tw.|Graduate Institute of Brain & Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. fchang@ntu.edu.tw.|Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. fchang@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Fang-Chia
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009270:Naloxone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D010862:Pilocarpine; D009270:Naloxone