The role of trigeminal nerve in acupuncture

The purpose of this work is to expose the topographoanatomical and functional aspects of trigeminal nerve (TN) on the view of somatotopic representation of acupuncture microsystems, the interaction among the central nervous system, the endocrine system and the immune system via the endorphins and enkephalins. In order to establish the structural and functional relationships between the TN, acupuncture points and zones on the head and neck regions; the following has been done: 1) Identification of number of acupuncture points and zones, comparing with other localization; 2) the analysis of volume of diagnostic and therapeutic indications of about 20,000 patients treating and 662 patients operated by acupuncture; and 3) the analysis of sensory somatotopic cortical representation of the TN. Our research confirmed the role of TN in acupuncture microsystems and we expect it to play this role in the future also.