Search Results (5)

Military personnel in combat face a high risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study, a protocol-based scoping review was conducted to identify the current status of research on the efficacy of acupuncture for treating combat-related PTSD in military personnel. A literature search was conducted across 14 databases in November 2022, and data from the included studies were collected and descriptively analyzed. A total of eight studies were included. Participants were assessed for core PTSD symptoms using the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 and the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, as well as related symptoms, such as sleep issues. Although the efficacy of acupuncture has been substantiated in numerous studies, certain metrics did not exhibit improvement. Auricular acupuncture was the most commonly used treatment (50%) followed by manual acupuncture (25%) and a combination of both (25%). Shenmen and Kidney points were frequently targeted at auricular acupoints. The treatment period varied between 5 days and 2 months. While adverse events were reported in two of the fifty-five patients in the intervention group and in four of the sixty-four patients in the control group in the randomized controlled trial studies, no fatal adverse events were reported. Full article

Evidence has shown the roles of taVNS and TECS in improving depression but few studies have explored their synergistic effects on MDD. Therefore, the treatment responsivity and neurological effects of TECAS were investigated and compared to escitalopram, a commonly used medication for depression. Fifty patients with mild-to-moderate MDD (29 in the TECAS group and 21 in another) and 49 demographically matched healthy controls were recruited. After an eight-week treatment, the outcomes of TECAS and escitalopram were evaluated by the effective rate and reduction rate based on the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Altered brain networks were analyzed between pre- and post-treatment using independent component analysis. There was no significant difference in clinical scales between TECAS and escitalopram but these were significantly decreased after each treatment. Both treatments modulated connectivity of the default mode network (DMN), dorsal attention network (DAN), right frontoparietal network (RFPN), and primary visual network (PVN), and the decreased PVN–RFPN connectivity might be the common brain mechanism. However, there was increased DMN–RFPN and DMN–DAN connectivity after TECAS, while it decreased in escitalopram. In conclusion, TECAS could relieve symptoms of depression similarly to escitalopram but induces different changes in brain networks. Full article

Background: One of the most commonly used auricular acupuncture points selected for different pain treatment regimens is Shenmen. This point on the ear has been recognized as having a wide number of applications, as found by scientific investigation. Methods: Within this crossover study, the ear acupoint Shenmen was stimulated with two different kinds of laser (green, 532 nm and yellow, 589 nm) in 22 healthy volunteers (13 female, 9 male; mean age ± SD = 25.3 ± 4.1 years; range 21–36 years). Both green and yellow lasers were used for 15 min in the same volunteers in two different sessions. Results: The most prominent finding was that systolic blood pressure decreased significantly (p = 0.048) after yellow laser stimulation. Heart rate also decreased significantly (p < 0.001), whereas heart rate variability ratio low frequency (LF)/high frequency (HF) (p < 0.001) increased. The effects were significantly more pronounced in females than in males. In addition, the temperature was measured, and temperature increases were demonstrated at different locations on the ear using imaging methods. Conclusions: This study shows evidence of the effect of auricular laser acupuncture. However, a comparison with other publications was impossible because this is the first study using green and yellow laser stimulation on the ear. Full article

Neuromodulation, thanks to intrinsic and extrinsic brain feedback loops, seems to be the best way to exploit brain plasticity for therapeutic purposes. In the past years, there has been tremendous advances in the field of non-pharmacological modulation of brain activity. This review of different neurostimulation techniques will focus on sites and mechanisms of both transcutaneous vagus and trigeminal nerve stimulation. These methods are scientifically validated non-invasive bottom-up brain modulation techniques, easily implemented from the outer ear. In the light of this, auricles could transpire to be the most affordable target for non-invasive manipulation of central nervous system functions. Full article

Objective: This study aims to determine the association between auricular signals and the risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods: A case-control study with an equal number of cases and controls matched by age group and gender was conducted. A total of 204 participants were recruited. Patients were verified as having MS based on the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Auricular assessment was conducted in the following sequence: visual inspection, electrical skin resistance test (ESRT), and pressure pain test (PPT). Results: MS+ patients tend to have much more oily auricle complexion than the controls. The ‘endocrine’ (right) of the participants with MS indicated a significantly higher electrical conductivity compared to that of the controls. The MS group participants experienced significant tenderness on the ‘heart’ and ‘endocrine’ acupoints. A number of auricular signals were also associated with the risk factors of MS, including age, gender, smoking status, family history of diabetes, and comorbid illnesses. Both the ‘heart’ and ‘endocrine’ acupoints showed the highest sensitivity to tenderness (60.8%), followed by the ‘endocrine’ (59.8%) and ‘pancreas and gallbladder’ (55.9%). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that electrical conductivity and tenderness of a number of auricular points, including the ‘heart’, ‘pancreas and gall bladder’, and ‘endocrine’, are associated with MS and its risk factors. Further investigations with a larger sample size could be conducted to verify the value of these auricular signals on MS risk prediction so that this method can be used as an early screening method for the population with a high MS risk. Full article