Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 1994 ; 19(1): 37-41.

[Influence of electroacupuncture of neiguan (PC 6) on ami-induced changes in electrical activity of dorsal horn neurons]

Liu J, Han Z, Chen S, Cao Q.

Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing.

The electrical activity of the dorsal horn (DH) neurons was recorded extracellularly by glass micro-pipettes in urethane-chloralose anesthetized rabbits to analyze the role of the thoracic segments (T2-T3) of the spinal cord in the integration of information from electroacupuncture (EA) at Neiguan (PC 6) and acute myocardial ischemia (AMI). Results were: 1) after AMI, of 83 DH neurons, 18 displayed a significant excitatory response, 14 an obvious inhibitory reaction and 51 no apparent change; 2) after EA at Neiguan (PC 6), of 10 neurons with AMI-induced excitatory response, the electrical activity of 9 neurons was suppressed and the other 1 still maintained its excitatory state; of 8 neurons with AMI-induced inhibitory response, 7 were relieved from the suppressed state, the other 1 had no change following EA; and 3) the receptive field and the responsive types to somatic stimulation were examined in 83 DH neurons. Results showed that signals from EA at Neiguan (PC 6) and AMI could converge to the DH neurons of T2-T3. It suggests that DH participates in the integrative course of information from EA and AMI and thus it is one of the connective links between Neiguan (PC 6) and the heart.