title: Effects and mechanisms of auricular electroacupuncture on gastric hypersensitivity in a rodent model of functional dyspepsia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common functional gastrointestinal disease, and abdominal pain is one of the main symptoms. The aim of this study was to explore the effects and mechanisms of auricular electro-acupuncture (AEA) on gastric hypersensitivity in a rodent model of FD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten-day-old pups were gavaged with 0.2 ml of 0.1% iodoacetamide daily for 6 days. AEA at the "stomach" point with different parameters or sham-EA was performed on 8-week-old animals. Gastric sensitivity to gastric distention was measured under different conditions. Autonomic functions were assessed from the spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) derived from the electrocardiogram. Naloxone was injected intraperitoneally before AEA to explore the opioid mechanism. Gastric emptying was measured at the end of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1) Gastric sensitivity to gastric distention was higher in the FD rats. AEA with parameters of 0.1s on, 0.4s off, 100Hz, 0.3ms and 0.4-0.5mA, but not other parameters or sham-EA, decreased gastric hypersensitivity in the FD rats. Naloxone did not block the effect of AEA. 2) Lower vagal activity and higher sympathovagal ratio were noted in the FD rats, compared with the controls. AEA increased vagal activity and improved sympathovagal imbalance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AEA ameliorates gastric hypersensitivity in FD rats and this effect may be attributed to the improvement of sympathovagal balance.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Research and Education Foundation, VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America.|Department of Physiology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America.|Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Jingzhu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Veterans Research and Education Foundation, VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America.
authors.forename: Shiying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Yinping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Veterans Research and Education Foundation, VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America.
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Foreman
authors.affiliation: Veterans Research and Education Foundation, VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jieyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Veterans Research and Education Foundation, VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States of America.|Ningbo Pace Translational Medical Research Center, Beilun, Ningbo, China.|Center of Neurogastroenterology, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jiande D Z
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D020831:Acupuncture, Ear / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*