Deciphering Neuro-immune Regulation in the View of the Acupuncture Discipline
As a unique therapeutic technique of Traditional Chinese Medicine,acupuncture evokes systematic responses of the neuro-endocrine-immune network to facilitate homeostasis via needling at specific regions on the body surface.The multi-dimensional modulatory effects of acupuncture represent its original life science value,which needs further efforts to better explore and elucidate.On the basis of current progress in"neuro-immune"interaction and"somato-autonomic"reflexes evoked by acupuncture,the present paper summarized the putative"vagal nerve-adrenal gland"and"sympathetic nerve-spleen"anti-inflammatory pathways driven by electroacupuncture at different acupoints and proposed the paradigm and determinant factors of acupuncture-induced"neuro-immune"modulation.We pointed out that acupuncture stimulation applied to"vertical-horizontal"tissue areas of the body leads to relatively specific autonomic activities,which is critical to its regional or systematic immune modulation.To date,although encouraging progress has been made in acupuncture-induced"neuro-immune"modulation,basic research and clinical practice in this field are still at a beginning state.Thus,by organized and purpose-driven multi-discipline collaborations,we propose to better define the systematic biological mechanisms of"neuro-immune"modulation by"precise acupuncture",promote related translation of basic research and acupuncture equipment development,as well as improve clinical application of acupuncture in treating visceral dysfunctions and immune-inflammatory disorders.
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