AUTHOR=Li Yan-Wei , Li Wei , Wang Song-Tao , Gong Yi-Nan , Dou Bao-Min , Lyu Zhong-Xi , Ulloa Luis , Wang Shen-Jun , Xu Zhi-Fang , Guo Yi 

TITLE=The autonomic nervous system: A potential link to the efficacy of acupuncture

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2022.1038945

DOI=10.3389/fnins.2022.1038945

ISSN=1662-453X

ABSTRACT=The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a diffuse network that regulates physiological systems to maintain body homeostasis by integrating inputs from the internal and external environment, including the sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system, and enteric nervous system. Recent lines of evidence suggest that ANS is one of the key neural pathways for acupuncture signal transduction, which has attracted attention worldwide in the acupuncture society. Here, we reviewed the basic and clinical research published in PubMed over the past 20 years on the effects of acupuncture on ANS regulation and homeostasis maintenance. It was found that acupuncture effectively alleviates ANS dysfunction-associated symptoms in its indications, such as migraine, depression, insomnia, functional dyspepsia, functional constipation, etc. Acupuncture stimulation on some specific acupoints activates sensory nerve fibers, the spinal cord, and the brain. After information integrating and efferent from a complex network of autonomic nuclei of the brain, such as the insular cortex, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, hypothalamus, periaqueductal grey, nucleus tractus solitarius, ventrolateral medulla, nucleus ambiguus, acupuncture alleviates visceral dysfunction, inflammation via efferent autonomic nerves, and relieve the pain and pain affection. The modulating pattern of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves is associated with acupuncture stimulation on specific acupoints, intervention parameters, disease models, etc., and the relationships among them require further exploration. In conclusion, ANS is one of the therapeutic targets for acupuncture and mediates acupuncture's actions, which restores homeostasis. A systemic study is needed to determine the rule and mechanisms from acupoint stimulation to corresponding organs mediated by specific central nervous networks and efferent ANS.