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Effects of Electroacupuncture on Gastric Migrating Myoelectrical Complex in Dogs

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate thecharacteristics of the gastric slow wave duringdifferent phases of the migrating myoelectrical complex(MMC) and the effect of electroacupuncture on the MMC. The experiment was performed in eight hounddogs implanted with one pair of bipolar serosalelectrodes 2 cm proximal to the pylorus. Gastricmyoelectrical activity was recorded for three completecycles of the MMC in two sessions, one withelectroacupuncture at points ST36 and PC6 and the otherat sham points. The acupuncture was performed for 30 minin phase I of the second cycle of the MMC. Spectral analysis was performed to compute the frequencyand power (amplitude) of the gastric slow wave, whereasblind visual analysis was applied to compute theappearance of spike potentials and the length of each phase of the MMC. It was found that therewas a significant difference in the frequency and powerof the gastric slow wave during different phases of theMMC (P < 0.05). Phase I was characterized with the highest frequency and lowest power ofthe gastric slow wave, whereas phase III exhibited thehighest power in the slow wave. It was also found thatin comparison with the sham points, electroacupuncture at the acupoints increased the number of spikebursts. This increase was not significant during the MMCcycle with electroacupuncture (34.4 ± 4.1 vs 27.5± 2.5%, P > 0.05) but became significant during the cycle after electroacupuncture (39.8± 3.3% vs 27.5 ± 2.5%, P < 0.0005).Similarly, during the MMC cycle after electroacupunctureat the acupoints, there was a significant decrease in the length of phase I (14.8 ± 2.2 vs46.9 ± 6.1 min, P < 0.003) and a significantincrease in the length of phase II (75.6 ± 9.9 vs30.6 ± 4.1 min, P < 0.003) and phase III (25.8± 0.6 vs 22.1 ± 0.7 min, P < 0.003). A similarincrease was observed during the MMC cycle withelectroacupuncture but was not statisticallysignificant. In conclusion, the gastric slow wave hasthe highest power during phase III of the MMC, indicatingthat the antral contraction is characterized not only bythe appearance of spikes, but also by the increasedpower of the slow wave. Electroacupuncture at acupoints of ST36 and PC6 enhances the gastric MMC byreducing the length of phase I and increasing the lengthof phases II and III.

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Authors
  1. Liwei Qian
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  2. Larry J. Peters
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  3. J. D. Z. Chen
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Qian, L., Peters, L.J. & Chen, J.D.Z. Effects of Electroacupuncture on Gastric Migrating Myoelectrical Complex in Dogs. Dig Dis Sci 44, 56–62 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026645931867

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