Electroacupuncture at acupoints could predict the outcome of anterior nucleus thalamus high-frequency electrical stimulation in medically refractory epilepsy
Document Type
Journal Article
Publisher
Churchill Livingstone
Faculty
Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science
School
School of Medical Sciences / Systems and Intervention Research Centre for Health
RAS ID
15905
Abstract
Preliminary reports have demonstrated that anterior nucleus thalamus high-frequency electrical stimulation (ANT-HFS) is an effective treatment for patients who suffer from medically refractory epilepsy. However, its extensive application has been hampered by the high cost and the unpredictable outcome before the operation. Just like ANT-HFS in the brain, electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints with electrical stimulation is also efficient in treating medically refractory epilepsy. Although the therapeutic mechanisms involve different activated positions, the neurotransmitters generated by the electrical stimulation are similar. It has been demonstrated that both ANT-HFS and EA at acupoints are related to an imbalance between the excitatory [glutamate (Glu), aspartate (Asp)] and inhibitory [GABA, glycine (Gly) and taurine (Tau)] neuronal transmitters. We, therefore, hypothesize that outcome of EA at acupoints can predict the therapeutic effect of ANT-HFS.
DOI
10.1016/j.mehy.2013.06.001
Comments
Yan, N., Chen, N., Lu, J., Wang, Y., & Wang, W. (2013). Electroacupuncture at acupoints could predict the outcome of anterior nucleus thalamus high-frequency electrical stimulation in medically refractory epilepsy. Medical Hypotheses, 81(3), 426-428. Available here