New perspective of acupuncture analgesia: reward of chronic pain relief and related brain reward circuits

Abstract

Relief of the chronic pain, as the negative reinforcement of pain, is recognized as a reward and it activates related brain's reward circultries. Brian's reward circuits not only relate to rewards, but also participate in pain process. Currently, the reward effect of acupuncture on chronic pain relief and the mechanism of brain's reward circuits involved in acupuncture analgeisa have not been revealed adequately yet. This paper reviewed the conceptual features of analgesia reward and the new progression of brain's reward circuits and function, expounded the valuable clinical and scientific significance of the researches for the reward effect of acupuncture analgesia and related brain's reward circuits, proposed the ideas and suggestions on many questions in the study of reward effect of acupuncture analgesia and related brain's reward circuits, and then, determined the multi-dimensional characteristis and positive regulation of acupuncture analgesia. Focusing on the reward effect of acupuncture and related brain's reward circuits for chronic pain relief, the research on the regulatory effect of acupuncture analgesia will be conductive to deepen the understanding of acupuncture analgies in clinical practice and innovate a research concept of acupuncture analgeis. Eventually, a new approach can be provided to further elaborate neurobiolgical mechanism of acupuncture analgesia.