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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 291/1/H318    most recent 00975.2005v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Michikami, D. Articles by Sugimachi, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Michikami, D. Articles by Sugimachi, M.

Short-term electroacupuncture at Zusanli resets the arterial baroreflex neural arc toward lower sympathetic nerve activity

¹Department of Cardiovascular Dynamics, Advanced Medical Engineering Center, National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka; ²Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, Tokyo; ³Department of Physiology, School of Medicine Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi; and ⁴Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan

Submitted 12 September 2005 ; accepted in final form 17 February 2006

Although electroacupuncture reduces sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and arterial pressure (AP), the effects of electroacupuncture on the arterial baroreflex remain to be systematically analyzed. We investigated the effects of electroacupuncture of Zusanli on the arterial baroreflex using an equilibrium diagram comprised of neural and peripheral arcs. In anesthetized, vagotomized, and aortic-denervated rabbits, we isolated carotid sinuses and changed intra-carotid sinus pressure (CSP) from 40 to 160 mmHg in increments of 20 mmHg/min while recording cardiac SNA and AP. Electroacupuncture of Zusanli was applied with a pulse duration of 5 ms and a frequency of 1 Hz. An electric current 10 times the minimal threshold current required for visible muscle twitches was used and was determined to be 4.8 ± 0.3 mA. Electroacupuncture for 8 min decreased SNA and AP (n = 6). It shifted the neural arc (i.e., CSP-SNA relationship) to lower SNA but did not affect the peripheral arc (i.e., SNA-AP relationship) (n = 8). SNA and AP at the closed-loop operating point, determined by the intersection of the neural and peripheral arcs, decreased from 100 ± 4 to 80 ± 9 arbitrary units and from 108 ± 9 to 99 ± 8 mmHg (each P < 0.005), respectively. Peroneal denervation eliminated the shift of neural arc by electroacupuncture (n = 6). Decreasing the pulse duration to <2.5 ms eliminated the effects of SNA and AP reduction. In conclusion, short-term electroacupuncture resets the neural arc to lower SNA, which moves the operating point toward lower AP and SNA under baroreflex closed-loop conditions.

arterial pressure; equilibrium diagram