Scalp acupuncture is widely used in clinical practice, and there is still a lack of systematic studies on its nerve pathways and mechanism of action. Scalp acupoints are innervated by the trigeminal nerve which is also involved in the regulation of the leptomeninges and related arterioles nourishing the cerebral cortex. Animal experiments and human trials have shown that scalp acupuncture can exert an effect through the shortcut between the axon reflexes from the primary neurons in the trigeminal ganglion (its axon branches may separately innervate scalp acupoints and the leptomeninges directly regulating nutrient and active substances in brain tissue) and the secondary neurons of the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (head and face acupoints interact with afferents of brain tissue through presynaptic dorsal root reflex and postsynaptic neurogenic responses and convergence), which may have regulatory and therapeutic effects on intracranial tissue.
头针疗法临床应用广泛，其神经通路及作用机制尚缺乏系统性研究。头针穴位主要由三叉神经支配，而颅内感觉传入特别是供应脑皮层营养的软脑膜及血管也由三叉神经支配和参与调节。头针刺激可通过三叉神经节初级神经元轴突反射(其轴突分支可分别支配头部穴位和软脑膜)及三叉神经脊束核二级神经元(头面部穴位和脑内组织的传入通过突触前背根反射和突触后神经源性反应及会聚性相互作用)的反射性“捷径”通路发挥效应，对颅内组织可能存在着天然优势的调控和治疗作用。.
Keywords: Migraine; Scalp acupuncturea; Trigeminal nervea; Trigeminal nucleus caudalisa.