Original articleModulation of the Sleep State–Dependent P50 Midlatency Auditory-Evoked Potential by Electric Stimulation of Acupuncture Points
Section snippets
Participants
Subjects were recruited from the community and campus of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. A total of 80 subjects participated in 1 or more of 7 studies. Inclusion criteria included (1) no history of neurologic or psychiatric disorder, (2) ages between 25 and 55, and (3) ability to give informed consent. Exclusion criteria included (1) shift workers and others with disrupted circadian rhythms, (2) recent consumption of antihistamines and other medicines or foods or beverages that
Results
Because of the large number of investigations, some subjects dropped out before all were completed and new ones were recruited to replace them. See table 1 for demographics of the investigations. Three P50 potential averages were recorded at the beginning, middle, and end of the 20-minute stimulation period (S1, S2, S3) and 4 after stimulation (P1, P2, P3, P4). For all investigations, the P50 potential amplitude for each subject was normalized, that is, the subject’s baseline reading was set at
Discussion
The results of our investigations suggest that surface stimulation of specific acupuncture points modulates the manifestation of the sleep state–dependent P50 potential, as long as certain parameters of stimulation are used. Before considering the details of the findings observed, several basic issues need to be addressed to appreciate the implications and limitations of the results.
Conclusions
None of the protocols used produced a significant change in P50 potential habituation, suggesting that it was the generation of the response to the first stimulus that was affected, rather than the local and descending modulation of the response to the second stimulus. By local and descending, we mean that the response elicited by the first stimulus is thought to generate local (within the RAS) inhibition, as well as descending from higher structures after they are activated by the ascending
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Supported by U.S. Public Health Service (grant no. AT00337) and General Clinical Research Center (award no. RR14288).
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.