Limbic system plasticity after electroacupuncture intervention in knee osteoarthritis rats

Rong-Rong Huang; Jia-Jia Wu; Jun Shen; Xiang-Xin Xing; Xu-Yun Hua; Mou-Xiong Zheng; Lian-Bo Xiao; Jian-Guang Xu

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137580

Limbic system plasticity after electroacupuncture intervention in knee osteoarthritis rats

Neurosci Lett. 2024 Jan 18:820:137580. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137580. Epub 2023 Dec 9.

Authors

Rong-Rong Huang¹, Jia-Jia Wu², Jun Shen³, Xiang-Xin Xing⁴, Xu-Yun Hua⁵, Mou-Xiong Zheng⁶, Lian-Bo Xiao⁷, Jian-Guang Xu⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: 22023448@shutcm.edu.cn.
² Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: wujiajia@shutcm.edu.cn.
³ Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Arthritis Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: 840278120@qq.com.
⁴ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: xingxiangxin@shutcm.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: huaxuyun@shutcm.edu.cn.
⁶ Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: zhengmouxiong@shutcm.edu.cn.
⁷ Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Arthritis Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: xiao_lianbo@163.com.
⁸ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intelligent Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: xjg@shutcm.edu.cn.

PMID: 38072028
DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137580

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is characterized by debilitating pain. Electroacupuncture (EA), a traditional Chinese medical therapy, has shown promise in KOA pain management. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of EA in KOA and its impact on limbic system neural plasticity. Sixteen rats were randomly assigned into two groups: EA group and sham-EA group. EA or sham-EA interventions were administered at acupoints ST32 (Futu) and ST36 (Zusanli) for three weeks. Post-intervention resting-state fMRI was scanned, assessing parameters including Amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), functional connectivity (FC) and nodal characterizations of network within limbic system. The results showed that EA was strategically directed towards the limbic system, resulting in discernible alterations in neural activity, FC, and network characteristics. Our findings demonstrate that EA had a significant impact on the limbic system neural plasticity in rats with KOA, presenting a novel nonpharmacological approach for KOA treatment.

Keywords: Electroacupuncture; Knee osteoarthritis; Limbic system; Neural plasticity; Pain.

MeSH terms

Animals
Electroacupuncture* / methods
Limbic System
Osteoarthritis, Knee* / therapy
Pain
Pain Management
Rats