Complementary Acupuncture Treatment Increases Cerebral Metabolism in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

• Published in: International journal of neuroscience Vol. 119; no. 8; pp. 1190 - 1197
• Main Authors: Huang, Yong, Jiang, Xuemei, Zhuo, Ying, Tang, Anwu, Wik, Gustav
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 2009; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: 18-flourodeoxyglucose; Acupuncture Therapy; Aged; Antiparkinson Agents - therapeutic use; Benserazide - therapeutic use; Brain Chemistry - physiology; cerebral glucose metabolism; Combined Modality Therapy; Drug Combinations; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Glucose - metabolism; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Levodopa - therapeutic use; Madopa; Male; Middle Aged; Parkinson Disease - diagnostic imaging; Parkinson Disease - metabolism; Parkinson Disease - therapy; Parkinson's disease; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radiopharmaceuticals; scalp acupuncture
• ISSN: 0020-7454; 1563-5279; 1543-5245
• DOI: 10.1080/00207450802336774

We used positron emission tomography (PET) and the 18-flourodeoxyglucose tracer to study cerebral effects of complementary acupuncture in Parkinson's disease. Five patients received scalp-acupuncture and Madopa, while the other five had Madopa only. PET scans before and after 5 weeks of complementary acupuncture treatment show increased glucose metabolisms in parietal, temporal, occipital lobes, the thalamus, and the cerebellum in the light-diseased hemisphere, and in parietal and occipital lobes of the severe-diseased hemisphere. No changes were observed in the Madopa-only group. Acupuncture in combination with Madopa may improve cerebral glucose metabolism in Parkinson's disease.