[Effects of Tiaoshu Anshen acupuncture on sleep quality and serum neurotransmitter levels in patients with chronic insomnia]

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Tiaoshu Anshen (regulating the hinge and calming the mind) acupuncture on sleep quality and serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) in patients with chronic insomnia. METHODS: A total of 58 patients with chronic insomnia were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and a medication group, 29 cases in each group. Tiaoshu Anshen acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV20) and bilateral Shenmen (HT7), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Benshen (GB13) in the acupuncture group, once a day, 1-day interval was taken after 6 consecutive days of treatment. Estazolam tablet was given orally before bed in the medication group, 1 mg each time. The 4-week treatment was required in both groups. Before and after treatment, the sleep quality was assessed by Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and polysomnography (PSG), the serum levels of 5-HT and DA were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: After treatment, the item scores and total scores of PSQI were decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups ( P <0.05); in the acupuncture group, the scores of sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep disorders and total score of PSQI were lower than those in the medication group ( P <0.05). After treatment, the total sleep time (TST) was prolonged ( P <0.05), the sleep latency (SL) and wake after sleep onset (WASO) were shortened ( P <0.05), the sleep efficiency (SE%), percentage of non-rapid eye movement stage 3 (N3%), percentage of rapid eye movement stage (REM%) and serum levels of 5-HT were increased ( P <0.05) compared with those before treatment; the percentage of non-rapid eye movement stage 1 (N1%), percentage of non-rapid eye movement stage 2 (N2%) and serum levels of DA were decreased ( P <0.05) compared with those before treatment in the two groups. After treatment, in the acupuncture group, TST was longer, while SL and WASO were shorter than those in the medication group ( P <0.05), SE%, N3%, REM% and serum level of 5-HT were higher, while N1%, N2% and serum level of DA were lower than those in the medication group ( P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Tiaoshu Anshen acupuncture may improve the sleep quality by regulating the serum neurotransmitter levels i.e. 5-HT and DA in patients with chronic insomnia. 目的： 观察调枢安神法针刺对慢性失眠症患者睡眠质量及血清神经递质5-羟色胺（5-HT）、多巴胺（DA）含量的影响。 方法： 将58例慢性失眠症患者随机分为针刺组（29例）和西药组（29例）。针刺组采用调枢安神法针刺治疗，穴取百会及双侧神门、三阴交、本神，每日1次，连续治疗6 d后休息1 d；西药组睡前口服艾司唑仑片治疗，每次1 mg，两组均治疗4周。分别于治疗前后运用匹兹堡睡眠质量指数（PSQI）评分和多导睡眠监测（PSG）评估患者睡眠质量，采用ELISA法检测患者血清5-HT、DA含量。 结果： 治疗后，两组患者PSQI各项评分及总分均降低( P <0.05)，针刺组患者PSQI睡眠质量、入睡时间、睡眠时间、睡眠效率、睡眠障碍评分及总分低于西药组( P <0.05)。治疗后，两组患者总睡眠时间（TST）延长（ P <0.05），睡眠潜伏期（SL）和入睡后清醒时间（WASO）缩短（ P <0.05），睡眠效率（SE%）、非快速眼动睡眠第3期百分比（N3%）、快速眼动睡眠百分比（REM%）、血清5-HT含量较治疗前升高（ P <0.05），非快速眼动睡眠第1期百分比（N1%）、非快速眼动睡眠第2期百分比（N2%）、血清DA含量较治疗前降低（ P <0.05）；针刺组患者TST长于西药组（ P <0.05），SL和WASO短于西药组（ P <0.05），SE%、N3%、REM%、血清5-HT含量高于西药组（ P <0.05），N1%、N2%、血清DA含量低于西药组（ P <0.05）。 结论： 调枢安神法针刺可能通过调节血清神经递质5-HT、DA含量，进而改善慢性失眠症患者睡眠质量。.

Neurotransmitters

• Acetylcholine (ACh)
• GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)
• Serotonin (5-HT)

Related

• Quality sleep