The Modulatory Effect of Acupuncture on the Activity of Locus Coeruleus Neuronal Cells: A Review
Table 1
Summary of studies on the effect of acupuncture on the activity of LC neuronal cells.
Authors
Models
EA stimulations
Methods used
Findings
Acup.
Freq.
Durat.
Cao et al. 1983
Albino rabbit
Ipsilateral LI4, SJ05
2-3 Hz
20 min.
Brain perfusate
EA decreased the NE level in perfusate of LC ( pg/ml to pg/ml; ). Control group without EA did not have significant change. EA increased the NE level in the perfusate of dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The pain threshold increased from mA to mA .
Lee and Beitz 1992
SD rat
Bilateral ST36
4 or 100 Hz
180 min
c-Fos expression
Both low (4 Hz) and high (100 Hz) frequency of EA exhibited a significantly greater number of Fos-labeled neurons in the LC. (control); (4 Hz); (100 Hz).
Kwon et al. 2000
SD rat
Bilateral ST36
4 or 100 Hz
120 min.
c-Fos expression
Both low (4 Hz) and high (100 Hz) frequency of EA increased the Fos expression in catecholaminergic neurons in the LC ( versus group without EA treatment). Colocalization of FLI neurons and DBH or TH-positive neurons all increased after EA ( versusgroup without EA treatment)
S. Wang and X. Wang 2002
L-Dopa-induced hyperactivated bladder/SD rat
Bilateral B29
1 Hz
30 min.
IHC
EA decreased the frequent micturition and increased basal bladder pressure in L-dopa injected group ( versus normal saline injected group).
EA had a significant inhibitory effect on L-dopa-caused feedback increase in the synthesis of DBH in the LC ( versus ; ).
Medeiros et al. 2003
Immobilization stress induced/Albino Wistar rat
Bilateral ST36
100 Hz
60 min.
c-Fos expression
Repeated immobilization (6 days: 1 h/day; 13 days: 2 h/day) significantly reduced the immobilization induced c-Fos expression in LC compared to undisturbed rats (). EA increased this decreased level of c-Fos expression in the LC compared to control ( versus ; ).
Lee et al. 2004
Immobilization stress induced/SD rat
Bilateral HT3 and PC6
3 HZ
30 min.
c-Fos expression
180 min of immobilization stress produced a significant increase in FLI in the LC ( versus normal group). EA attenuated immobilization stress induced FLI in the LC compared to control ( versus ; ).
Li et al. 2007
CFA-induced inflammatory pain/SD rat
Bilateral GB30
10 Hz
20 min.
c-Fos expression
EA induced abundant Fos expression in the bilateral LC (/per 50 μm section). Untreated naive rats expressed little Fos in this nucleus. Double-immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that Fos was completely colocalized with TH in the LC.
Wang et al. 2007
SD rat
MA at the sacral segment (S3)
Manual rotation 1.0–1.5 turns/s
1 min.
Extracellular recording
Firing rate of noradrenergic LC neurons decreased significantly from to Hz ().
Napadow et al. 2009
Human
Ipsilateral ST36
2 and 15 Hz
30 min.
fMRI
Stimulation with EA deactivated LC activity compared to sham EA (8 cm above the proximal edge of the patella).
Park et al. 2013
Immobilization stress induced/SD rat
Bilateral ST36
2 Hz
10 min.
IHC
Immobilization stress induced for 21 days. The TH-immunoreactive expression in the LC was significantly decreased in the ST36 group ( versus stress induced group).
Qiu et al. 2015
Two-year-old male goats
GV20, Santai, AH1, and TE8
0, 2, 60, and 100 Hz
30 min
c-Fos and c-Jun expression
c-Fos and c-Jun activity of the LC increased in all three frequencies (2, 60, and 100 Hz) compared to the blank control. Pain threshold was measured using the potassium iontophoresis method. Pain threshold induced by 60 Hz was higher () than that by 0, 2, or 100 Hz.
Hu et al. 2016
One-year-old male goats
GV20, Santai
60 Hz
30 min.
c-Fos expression
Compared with blank control, EA at two sets of acupoints increased c-Fos expression in the LC ( versus ; ).
Italics font style: decreased activity of LC; roman font style: increased activity of LC; Acup., Acupoints; AH1, Ergen; CFA, Complete Freund’s Adjuvant; DBH, Dopamine-P-hydroxylase; Durat., duration; EA, electroacupuncture; Freq, frequency; IHC, immunohistochemistry; LC, Locus Coeruleus; L14, Hegu; SJ05, Wai Guan; TE8, Sanyangluo; ST36, Zusanli; FLI, Fos-Like Immunoreactive; fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging; GV20, Baihui; GB30, Huan Tiao; TH, tyrosine hydroxylase.
