[Research progress on the autonomic-immune mechanism of acupuncture in regulating ovarian function]

Ovarian dysfunction is an important cause of ovulatory disorders, infertility and endocrine disorders in women, which is commonly observed in conditions including polycystic ovary syndrome, primary ovarian insufficiency, diminished ovarian reserve and ovarian aging-related states. Recent studies have demonstrated that besides abnormalities in the classic hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, autonomic nervous imbalance and immune-inflammatory disturbance also serve as critical mechanisms underlying impaired ovarian function. Central inflammatory responses, chronic stress and metabolic abnormalities can disrupt hypothalamic rhythmic regulation, augment sympathetic nerve output and induce local chronic low-grade ovarian inflammation, consequently contributing to follicular developmental disorders and aberrant steroidogenesis. As a neuromodulation therapy initiated by somatic sensory input, acupuncture can modulate central integration via the "spinal cord-brainstem-hypothalamus" pathway, thereby regulating autonomic nervous activity and immune-inflammatory responses and improving the local ovarian microenvironment. Existing evidence suggests that acupuncture may exert its effects by inhibiting sympathetic overactivation, recruiting vagus-related anti-inflammatory pathways, modulating immune cell polarization, and alleviating oxidative stress and apoptosis. This paper reviews research progress from three aspects: the autonomic-immune regulatory basis of ovarian function, pathological imbalance characteristics, and intervention mechanisms of acupuncture, so as to provide references for neuroimmune-targeted intervention of ovarian dysfunction and acupuncture mechanism research.