The effect of acupuncture on leg blood flow and muscle sympathetic nerve activity

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590905
• 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: Kansai University of Health Sciences
• Principal Investigator: KIMURA KENICHI 関西医療大学, 保健医療学部, 准教授 (50353040)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAJIMA Fumihiro 和歌山県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (00227076) ; ISHIDA Kazuya 和歌山県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (70398460) ; TAKAHASHI Noriyo 大阪医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (80296714)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 鍼 / 筋交感神経活動 / 下肢血流

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In Experiment 1, no significant changes over time in contralateral leg blood flow were seen compared with the pre-stimulation value as a result of acupuncture to ST 36. Likewise, no significant difference was seen in a comparison of acupuncture and sham acupuncture. In Experiment 2, acupuncture to ST 36 in a resting state had no effect on muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). However, while no change in mean blood pressure was seen during acupuncture stimulation to ST 36 with sham acupuncture stimulation, a significant decrease was identified with true acupuncture. This suggests that the decrease in mean blood pressure during acupuncture to ST 36 may be not due to decreased MSNA. In Experiment 3, an increase in MSNA was seen, together with a decrease in skin temperature during local cooling, but acupuncture did not inhibit the increased MSNA response to local cooling.

Free Research Field

鍼刺激が筋血流や自律神経機能におよぼす影響についての研究