Magnetic brain stimulation and immune response in the rat with lesioned brain structures.

Rats with electrolytic anterior hypothalamic lesions showed a suppressed Arthus reaction, delayed skin hypersensitivity, and antibody production at 7, 14 and 21 days after immunization with bovine serum albumin (BSA) in complete Freud's adjuvant (CFA). However, magnetic treatment of the brain of rats with anterior hypothalamic or caudate nucleus lesions increased both humoral and cellular sensitivity reactions. These data indicate that magnetic stimulation of the brain is capable of modulating immune functions.

Electro-acupuncture modifies humoral immune response in the rat.

The immunomodulating properties of "Shangqiu" (LP-5), "Ququan" (H-8), and "Rangu" (R-2) points were studied in several experiments performed on male Wister rats treated bilaterally by acupuncture (A) or electro-acupuncture (EA). On the stimulation day 3, the sheep-red-blood cells (SRBC) antigen was injected intraperitoneally and four days later, the immunological tests (plaque forming cells-PFC, direct microhemagglutination) were performed. Also, the relative weights of lymphoid organs (spleen and thymus) and adrenal gland were derived after sacrifice.

The role of trigeminal nerve in acupuncture.

The purpose of this work is to expose the topographoanatomical and functional aspects of trigeminal nerve (TN) on the view of somatotopic representation of acupuncture microsystems, the interaction among the central nervous system, the endocrine system and the immune system via the endorphins and enkephalins. In order to establish the structural and functional relationships between the TN, acupuncture points and zones on the head and neck regions; the following has been done: 1) Identification of number of acupuncture points and zones, comparing with other localization; 2) the analysis of volume of diagnostic and therapeutic indications of about 20,000 patients treating and 662 patients operated by acupuncture; and 3) the analysis of sensory somatotopic cortical representation of the TN. Our research confirmed the role of TN in acupuncture microsystems and we expect it to play this role in the future also.