Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    The cutaneous intrinsic visceral afferent nervous system: A new model for acupuncture analgesia

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Silberstein, Morry
    Date
    2009
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Silberstein, M. 2009. The cutaneous intrinsic visceral afferent nervous system: A new model for acupuncture analgesia. Journal of Theoretical Biology. 261 (4): pp. 637-642.
    Source Title
    Journal of Theoretical Biology
    DOI
    10.1016/j.jtbi.2009.09.008
    ISSN
    0022-5193
    School
    Department of Chemistry
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/23440
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    The mechanism of acupuncture, whilst not known with certainty, has previously been considered to be stimulatory. A novel hypothesis is presented here in which C fiber tactile afferent axons bifurcate at acupuncture points and then diverge, running along acupuncture meridians, to subsequently communicate with Merkel cells. It is proposed that acupuncture disrupts the bifurcation of these axons, preventing neural transmission between Merkel cells as well as central communication with the spinal cord. Making use of the known phenomenon that acupuncture points have lower electrical resistance than adjacent skin, this hypothesis was tested using an electrical circuit model and successfully predicted the observed 103 reduction in skin resistance at acupuncture points. In addition to explaining acupuncture and the roles of both Merkel cells and C fiber tactile afferents, the model has greater implications for neuroscience, through the postulation of a new division of the autonomic nervous system. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Acupuncture applied as a sensory discrimination training tool decreases movement-related pain in patients with chronic low back pain more than acupuncture alone: A randomised cross-over experiment
      Wand, B.; Abbaszadeh, S.; Smith, Anne; Catley, M.; Moseley, G. (2013)
      Background: High-quality clinical evidence suggests that although acupuncture appears superior to usual care in the management of chronic low back pain, there is little meaningful difference between true and sham acupuncture. ...
    • Afferent Neural Branching at Human Acupuncture Points: Do Needles Stimulate or Inhibit?
      Silberstein, Morry; Adcroft, K.; Wan, A.; Massi, Massimiliano (2012)
      Background: Acupuncture has previously been considered to be stimulatory to the nervous system; however, the specific mechanism for this remains unknown, with the few published studies of acupuncture-point histology showing ...
    • Outbreak of invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection associated with acupuncture and joint injection
      Murray, R.; Pearson, J.; Coombs, Geoffrey; Flexman, J.; Golledge, C.; Speers, D.; Dyer, J.; McLellan, D.; Reilly, M.; Bell, J.; Bowen, S.; Christiansen, K. (2008)
      OBJECTIVE. To describe an outbreak of invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection after percutaneous needle procedures (acupuncture and joint injection) performed by a single medical practitioner. ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.