Scientists have long wondered: how does acupuncture work? Now an international research team with more than 40 members has evidence that a neurological mechanism may be key.
What Did the Scientists Do?
In the earliest studies, the test subjects were horses. Then the investigators turned to rodents and people to clarify the effects of electroacupuncture. The stimulus reaches the brain, which in turn releases stem cells that can repair damage.
Electroacupuncture stimulation at certain specific points triggered parts of the brain that are involved with the immune system as well as the nervous system. The electroacupuncture treatment also raised the subjects’ pain threshold and increased their production of tendon-repairing collagen.
Electroacupuncture Research Shows How
Does All Acupuncture Work:
The investigators anticipate that understanding the effects of electroacupuncture in this way will facilitate the use of acupuncture in both human and veterinary medicine.
Salazar et al, Stem Cells, online, March 16, 2017
