Long-Term Potentiation of Prelimbic Cortex Ascribed to Heat-Sensitization Responses of Moxibustion.

Rixin Chen,Zhimai Lyu,Dingyi Xie,Chunmei Wu,Yanjun Chen,Dandan Huang

doi:10.1155/2019/9465181

Abstract

Heat-sensitization responses occurred in certain patients while exposed to suspended moxibustion. The response often indicated that the efficacy of moxibustion to those with it tended to triumph over those without. However, its mechanism remains to be explained. Our previous fMRI and EEG studies confirmed the changes of activities in cerebral certain regions accompanied with heat-sensitization responses, especially in prefrontal cortex. Therefore, we hypothesize that neurological system is involved in moxibustion-induced heat-sensitization responses. In the present study, phosphorylation of Cofilin representing long-term potentiation in synapse of prelimbic cortex of medial prefrontal cortex in stroke rats over suspended moxibustion was assessed, and the size of phosphorylated Cofilin positive spine in synapse was also measured. The result showed that heat-sensitization responses were observed to augment cerebral ischemic stroke-induced phosphorylation of Cofilin in prelimbic cortex of rats and increase the numbers of large synapses. This indicated that long-term potentiation of prelimbic cortex was attributed to heat-sensitization responses that were certain neurological responses of medial prefrontal cortex to suspended moxibustion.

Highlights

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine approach to healing, with burning dried plant materials (Artemisia moxa), achieving the alleviation of pain suffering and the cure of disease
Based on the above theories and our previous study that showed the tail midpoint temperature rose when cerebral ischemic stroke rats were exposed to suspended moxibustion exercise [7], in this study we investigated synaptic neuroplasticity in prelimbic cortex (PrL) of medial prefrontal cortex of rats over suspended moxibustion exercise, illuminating the relationship between heat-sensitization response and neuroplasticity of mPFC
We found that certain subhealthy individuals or patients were able to sense a certain special heat in the body while exposed to suspended moxibustion exercise, which was not part of moxibustion heat radiation

Summary

Introduction

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine approach to healing, with burning dried plant materials (Artemisia moxa), achieving the alleviation of pain suffering and the cure of disease. It can be applied with heat generated from burning moxa 3–5 cm above over skin surface (suspended moxibustion, Supplementary Figure S1). Most reactions to heat-sensitization moxibustion, which were described by the participants, were observed directly or collaterally relating with neurological system; noticeably the brain perception was spotted [3]. We hypothesize that neurological system is involved in moxibustion-induced heat-sensitization responses

Methods

Results

Conclusion