| Summary: | 碩士 === 中國醫藥大學 === 國際針灸碩士學位學程 === 104 === Background
Stroke is the leading cause of long term disabilities and impairment, and the second cause of mortality worldwide. Ischemic type of stroke represents 87% of the entire incidence of stroke classification.
Acupuncture is one of the best known and better developed techniques among Chinese Medicine, it has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be one of the most used complementary therapies for stroke rehabilitation either in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.
Still, the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of acupuncture on stroke rehabilitation remain unclear.
Objective
The aim of the present study is to conduct a literature review, summarizing the current known mechanisms on ischemic stroke rehabilitation through acupuncture and electroacupuncture (EA) therapy, and the frequently used acupoints implicated in their effect.
Methods
The literature search was initially performed in PubMed using the following key words: acupuncture, cerebral ischemia, and effect. The collected papers were further selected by the following inclusion criteria: (1) Specific mechanism in which acupuncture exert the effect (2) Ischemic stroke type and (3) Exclusive use of acupuncture posterior to the injury and (4) Papers published from year 2000 and subsequent. The related studies cited in the papers, which also met the inclusion criteria, were also included.
Results
The reviewed evidence indicates five major different mechanisms are involved in beneficial effects of acupuncture/EA on ischemic stroke rehabilitation:
(1) Promotion of cell proliferation in CNS (neurogenesis and cell proliferation in the ischemic area)
(2) Regulation of cerebral blood flow in the ischemic area.
(3) Anti-apoptosis in ischemic area.
(4) Regulation of neurochemicals.
(5) Improvement of the impaired LTP and memory due to stroke.
The most frequently acupoints used in basic studies were Baihui (GV20), Zusanli (ST36), Quchi (LI11), Shuigou (GV26), Dazhui (GV14) and Hegu (LI4).
Conclusion
Our findings showed that acupuncture exert a beneficial effect on ischemic stroke through modulation of different mechanisms developed in CNS.
|
|---|
