也是美國的醫療保險公司， 從拒絕付款， 到更改政策， 予以付款的原因。現今的神經學教科書裏也正式地作為結論，列為了一個章節。
Acupuncture has been shown to influence the release of endorphins and enkephalins, which play a crucial role in pain relief and analgesia. Here’s a summary of the key findings:
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Endorphins and Enkephalins Release: Studies indicate that acupuncture and electroacupuncture (EA) stimulate the release of endorphins and enkephalins in the central nervous system. For instance, EA at a frequency of 2 Hz accelerates the release of enkephalin, beta-endorphin, and endomorphin, whereas a frequency of 100 Hz selectively increases the release of dynorphin.
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Clinical Evidence: Clinical studies have verified that the simultaneous release of all four opioid peptides—enkephalin, beta-endorphin, endomorphin, and dynorphin—results in a maximal therapeutic effect. This has been observed in patients with various chronic pain conditions, such as low back pain and diabetic neuropathic pain.
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Mechanisms: The analgesic effect of acupuncture is mediated through the activation of endogenous opioid peptides. These peptides are released in response to acupuncture stimulation, which activates specific opioid receptors. For example, lower frequency EA stimulates the release of beta-endorphin, enkephalin, and endomorphin, which activate mu- and delta-opioid receptors, while higher frequency EA stimulates dynorphin, which activates the kappa-opioid receptor.
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Neurobiological Effects: Acupuncture not only influences the release of endorphins and enkephalins but also activates the serotoninergic descending inhibitory pathway, which collaborates with endogenous opiates to enhance analgesia.
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Research on Specific Peptides: Research has shown that met- and leu-enkephalin levels increase in the hypothalamus and striatum during acupuncture analgesia. Additionally, prior intraventricular bacitracin enhances acupuncture analgesia, indicating that the biosynthesis of enkephalins is accelerated by acupuncture.
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Placebo Effect: While acupuncture is known to have a significant analgesic effect, some studies suggest that the placebo effect might also play a role. However, the strong evidence supporting the endorphin hypothesis for acupuncture analgesia suggests that the analgesic effect is not solely due to placebo.
In summary, acupuncture effectively stimulates the release of endorphins and enkephalins, contributing to pain relief and analgesia through the activation of opioid receptors and other neurochemical pathways.
