Multiple studies on physiological activities of sham acupuncture devices used in clinical trials of acupuncture

• Project/Area Number: 23590900
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General internal medicine (including Psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: Meiji University of Integrative Medicine
• Principal Investigator: KAWAKITA Kenji 明治国際医療大学, 医学教育研究センター, 教授 (60076049)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OKADA Kaoru 明治国際医療大学, 医学教育研究センター, 准教授 (60268175)
• Project Period (FY): 2011 – 2013
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2013)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥260,000 (Direct Cost: ¥200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥60,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000); Fiscal Year 2011: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
• Keywords: ポリモーダル受容器 / 微小神経電図 / 臨床試験 / シャム鍼 / 円皮鍼 / 内因性鎮痛系 / 報酬系 / 鍼灸医学 / 鍼臨床試験 / 内因性鎮痛機構 / 神経生理学 / シャム円皮鍼 / 側坐核 / 心地よさ / シャム鍼鍼臨床試験

Research Abstract

Physiological activities of various sham devices used in clinical trials of acupuncture were examined by recording the neural activities of sensory afferents in humans and central neurons in rats. Almost every sham interventions (shallow needling, non-penetrating needle with blunt tip, mechanical stimulation of the skin), could activate the polymodal receptors which assumed as common candidate for acupuncture and moxibustion stimuli. Press tack needle could activate the nociceptive specific neurons participated in endogenous pain inhibitory system and rewarding system (pleasantness), but its sham had no effect. These results suggest that lack of statistical difference between real acupuncture and so-called sham acupuncture treatments in recent clinical trials could be explained as two types of acupuncture treatments produce similar therapeutic effects.

Research Products

• [Presentation] Introduction of the Japanese acupuncture and possible role of the polymodal receptors in its action mechanisms (2014)
  • Author(s): Kenji Kawakita
  • Organizer: World Congress of International Society of Medical Hydrology and Climatology
  • Place of Presentation: Kyoto、 Japan
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 側坐核ニューロンの円皮鍼およびプラセボ円皮鍼に対する反応性 (2014)
  • Author(s): 小笠原千絵, 角谷英治、川喜田健司
  • Organizer: 全日本鍼灸学会
  • Place of Presentation: 愛媛、 日本
• [Presentation] Physiological activities elicited by acupuncture and its sham device in human and rats (2013)
  • Author(s): Kawakita K, Carneiro M, Okada K, Ogasawara C, Sumiya E, Sugawara Y, Aizawa S and Goto S
  • Place of Presentation: Australian J Acupunct Chinese Med (8(2):42)
• [Presentation] Polymodal receptor hypothesis for understanding action mechanisms of acupuncture, and moxibustion, and functional characteristics of acupuncture points (2013)
  • Author(s): Kenji Kawakita
  • Organizer: World Federation of Acupuncture Societies
  • Place of Presentation: Sydney, Australia
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Physiological activities elicited by acupuncture and its sham (2013)
  • Author(s): Kenji Kawakita, Okada, K, Carneiro, M, Sumiya, E, Ogasawara, C, Sugawara, Y, Aizawa, S, Goto, S
  • Organizer: World Federation of Acupuncture Societies
  • Place of Presentation: Sydney, Australia
• [Presentation] Physical Activities of Sham Devices Used in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (2012)
  • Author(s): Kawakita K, Carneiro M, Okada K, Ogasawara C, Sumiya E, Sugawara Y, Aizawa S, Goto S
  • Organizer: 16th International Conference of Oriental Medicine
• [Presentation] Press tack needle and its sham are useful for double blinded clinical trials of acupuncture (2012)
  • Author(s): Kawakita K, Okada K, Carneiro M, Sugawara Y, Aizawa S, Goto S
  • Organizer: 14th World Congress on Pain, International Association for the Study of Pain
• [Presentation] 鍼の臨床試験における各種シャム鍼刺激の生理活性の微小神経電図法による解析 (2012)
  • Author(s): 川喜田健司,岡田薫,菅原之人,會澤重勝
  • Place of Presentation: Pain Res (27(2),91)
• [Presentation] Press Tack Needle and its Sham are Useful for Double Blinded Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (2012)
  • Author(s): Kawakita K, Okada K, Carneiro M, Sugawara Y, Aizawa S and Goto S.
  • Organizer: 国際疼痛学会（IASP)
  • Place of Presentation: イタリア ミラノ
• [Presentation] 鍼の臨床試験における各種シャム鍼刺激の生理活性の微小神経電図法による解析」 (2012)
  • Author(s): 川喜田健司, マリア・カルネイロ、岡田 薫, 菅原之人、會澤重勝、後藤修司
  • Organizer: 日本疼痛学会
  • Place of Presentation: 日本 熊本
• [Presentation] Physical Activities of Sham Devices Used in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (2012)
  • Author(s): Kawakita K, Carneiro M, Okada K, Ogasawara C, Sumiya E, Sugawara Y, Aizawa S and Goto S
  • Organizer: 国際東洋医学会 (ICOM）
  • Place of Presentation: 韓国 ソウル
• [Presentation] Examination of physiological activity of various sham devices used in clinical trials of acupuncture (2011)
  • Author(s): Kawakita K, Okada K, Carneiro M, Sugawara Y et al
  • Organizer: 5th international Medical Acupuncture Congress of Barcelona
• [Presentation] Press tack needle and its sham are useful for double-blinded clinical trials in acupuncture (2011)
  • Author(s): Kawakita K, Carneiro M, Okada K, et al.
  • Organizer: 5th International Medical Acupuncture Congress of Baracelona
  • Place of Presentation: Barcelina