Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Development of a Laminin-511 Inspired 3D Zwitterionic Hydrogel for Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Culture.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026
Same author

Curcumin Inhibits Renal Fibrosis by Suppressing S100A8/A9-TLR4 Signaling via Gut Microbiota-Derived Short-Chain Fatty Acid in Macrophages.

Molecular nutrition & food research·2026
Same author

Orchestrating the pre-metastatic niche: roles of stromal mediators and immune cells in metastatic progression and therapeutic targeting.

Frontiers in immunology·2026
Same author

Association between blood eosinophil count and in-hospital mortality among systemic corticosteroids-treated patients with COPD-bronchiectasis overlap: a retrospective cohort study.

Frontiers in pharmacology·2026
Same author

Cold atmospheric plasma ameliorating skin barrier in chronic kidney disease.

NPJ Regenerative medicine·2026
Same author

SLC38A6 expression in renal tubular cells accelerates cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury by promoting cell apoptosis.

The FEBS journal·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 12, 2025

Studying the Coding Profiles of Somatic Stimulation on Cardiac-locked Neuronal Responses in the Rat Spinal Dorsal Horn
07:12

Studying the Coding Profiles of Somatic Stimulation on Cardiac-locked Neuronal Responses in the Rat Spinal Dorsal Horn

Published on: May 23, 2025

228

Study on the Central Neural Pathways Connecting the Brain and Peripheral Acupoints Using Neural Tracers.

Junquan Liang1,2,3, Weikang Sun4, Yifu Zhou1

  • 1Shenzhen Bao'an Chinese Medicine Hospital, The Seventh Clinical Medical School of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics
|August 5, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Acupuncture points show specific neural pathways to the brain, unlike less targeted sham acupoint injections. This research clarifies the unique brain connections of acupuncture, enhancing understanding of its therapeutic mechanisms.

Keywords:
PRV‐CAG‐3 × mScarletacupointsneural projectionsretrograde tracing

More Related Videos

Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI
09:55

Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI

Published on: April 8, 2010

15.6K
Laser-guided Neuronal Tracing In Brain Explants
06:40

Laser-guided Neuronal Tracing In Brain Explants

Published on: November 25, 2015

9.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 12, 2025

Studying the Coding Profiles of Somatic Stimulation on Cardiac-locked Neuronal Responses in the Rat Spinal Dorsal Horn
07:12

Studying the Coding Profiles of Somatic Stimulation on Cardiac-locked Neuronal Responses in the Rat Spinal Dorsal Horn

Published on: May 23, 2025

228
Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI
09:55

Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI

Published on: April 8, 2010

15.6K
Laser-guided Neuronal Tracing In Brain Explants
06:40

Laser-guided Neuronal Tracing In Brain Explants

Published on: November 25, 2015

9.0K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Integrative Medicine
  • Acupuncture Research

Background:

  • Acupuncture is a popular therapy, but its precise neural mechanisms remain unclear.
  • Understanding the central nervous system's response to acupoint stimulation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and compare neural projections from acupuncture points versus sham acupoints.
  • To clarify the specificity of neural pathways activated by acupuncture using retrograde tracing.

Main Methods:

  • Adult C57BL/6J mice were used for the study.
  • Retrograde tracer PRV-CAG-3×mScarlet was injected into seven acupoints and corresponding sham sites.
  • Brains were analyzed after 120 hours using histological and imaging techniques.

Main Results:

  • Acupoints demonstrated distinct neural projections to specific brain regions, including the motor cortex (M1, M2), gigantocellular reticular nucleus (Gi), and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (VLPAG).
  • Subcutaneous (sham) acupoint sites exhibited more diffuse and less specific neural projections.
  • Significant differences in projection patterns were observed between true acupoints and sham sites.

Conclusions:

  • Acupoints establish common neural projections within the brain.
  • Acupoints display more numerous and specific neural projections compared to subcutaneous sham sites.
  • These findings highlight the specific neural pathways underlying acupuncture's effects.