[Regulation of PINK1/Parkin-mediated hippocampal neuronal mitophagy with Shugan Tiaoshen acupuncture for alleviating chronic inflammatory pain and depression comorbidity].

Researchers in China studied whether a specific acupuncture protocol could help people suffering from both chronic inflammatory pain and depression at the same time. This combination of conditions is common but challenging to treat. The study used rats to test an acupuncture approach called "Shugan Tiaoshen," which translates to "smoothing liver qi and regulating the mind." The treatment involved placing needles at five specific points including the forehead, top of the head, and points on the hands and feet, with electrical stimulation applied for 30 minutes daily over two weeks. The researchers found that this acupuncture treatment improved both pain sensitivity and depression-like behaviors in the animals. Using advanced microscopy and laboratory tests, they discovered that acupuncture helped protect brain cells in the hippocampus (a memory and emotion center) by activating a cellular cleaning process called mitophagy, which removes damaged parts of cells. The treatment reduced harmful oxidative stress and inflammation while improving the brain's natural protective mechanisms. When researchers blocked this cellular cleaning process with a medication, the benefits of acupuncture were reduced, confirming that this mechanism was important for the treatment's effects. This research helps explain how acupuncture might work at the cellular level for people dealing with chronic pain and depression together, potentially by protecting brain cells from damage and supporting the body's natural repair processes. If you're considering acupuncture for chronic pain and depression, consult with a licensed acupuncturist experienced in treating these conditions.

This study investigated electroacupuncture's effects on chronic inflammatory pain-depression comorbidity (CIPDC) in a rat model (n=60, 12 per group). The Shugan Tiaoshen protocol utilized Yintang (GV24+), Baihui (CV20), bilateral Hegu (LI4) and Taichong (LR3) with 2Hz/10Hz disperse-dense wave stimulation at 1mA for 30 minutes daily over 14 days. Results demonstrated significant improvements in mechanical and thermal pain thresholds, plus reduced depressive behaviors compared to CFA-induced model controls (P<0.05). Mechanistically, EA enhanced hippocampal neuronal mitophagy via upregulation of the PINK1/Parkin pathway, evidenced by increased PINK1, Parkin, Beclin1, and LC3 protein/mRNA expression with decreased p62 levels. EA reduced oxidative stress markers (ROS, MDA) while increasing SOD activity. Transmission electron microscopy revealed improved mitochondrial morphology and autophagosome formation. When autophagy was blocked with 3-MA, therapeutic effects were significantly attenuated, confirming the PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy pathway as critical to EA's neuroprotective mechanism in CIPDC.