Lab animals are used in all kind of freaky experiments , but a new subject this workweek is definitely one for the scrapbook . A squad of research worker in Korea and the U.S. set about rats addicted to alcohol , then attempted to facilitate their onanism symptom using acupuncture . And according to their data , the intervention was clean successful . But there ’s more than a few cause to be skeptical of stylostixis ’s healing power when it comes to addiction .
According to the study , publishedin Science Advances on Wednesday , the researchers first trained rats to apply a lever that would give them water laced with alcohol . Then they got half the scum bag swipe on alcohol by feeding it to them for 16 days , while the other half served as a mastery . The next day , the rat were left without alcohol for two hours , enough time for them to set out experiencing withdrawal symptoms , including shudder and anxiety . Some of the rats were then open stylostixis , getting a tiny phonograph needle point in their wrist — a position anticipate Shen Men , Heart 7 , or HT7 by practitioner .
The authors found that the intoxicant - dependent rats given stylostixis at HT7 were less likely to experience withdrawal symptoms than those not given it ; they also fed themselves less alcohol when they afterwards had the chance to do so .
Photo:Jason Snyder(Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0))
https://gizmodo.com/why-does-coffee-make-us-poop-scientists-gave-coffee-to-1834852779
base on earlier research by the authors , they also theorized that HT7 could deal alcohol dependency by affecting neuron in the brain that produce beta endorphins , a instinctive opioid and “ find - good ” chemical . Beta endorphins in all likelihood play an significant purpose in alcohol addiction . When we pledge inebriant , we produce a inadequate burst of more beta endorphins . But those who chronically pervert alcohol often have less of it , and when they attempt to go through coitus interruptus , their tier plump even further . This lack of beta endorphins is guess to help do the craving and coitus interruptus symptoms that broadcast people back to the bottleful .
Sure enough , the rats give stylostixis at HT7 seemed to have their levels of beta endorphin take a hop during detachment , specifically because of neuron activate in the hypothalamus , a part linked to alcohol dependence . To further examine their theory , they also injected dependent rats with beta endorphin directly , and got similar results to what they saw with HT7 acupuncture . Meanwhile , acupuncture given somewhere besides HT7 did n’t help the rats , and when the rats were given naloxone — a drug that oppress the brain ’s response to opioids — the effects of stylostixis at HT7 were n’t seen either .
“ These resultant role evoke that acupuncture may provide a novel , potential treatment scheme for alcoholic beverage use disorder by direct activation of the brain nerve tract , ” the authors write
The excogitation of these experiment seems to be full . And while you should n’t mechanically accept ( or price reduction ) a field ’s results based on where it ’s published , Science Advances is a honored , well - respected daybook .
But this is n’t the first time the great unwashed have claim to line up evidence of acupuncture ’s wellness benefits , including for treating drug and alcohol dependence . There are studies and clinical trials buy the farm back decades , using actual people rather than dirty dog . And when you look at thebigpicture , you ’re lead with an inconsistent dud . Thebetter - done , larger studiestend to discover no upshot in actually help citizenry forfend alcohol , whilepositive studiesare usually very blemished and have a high endangerment of prejudice .
The authors of this subject are commendable for trying to find a biological reason why stylostixis could treat dependence , but it also remains unfeigned that acupuncture is enjoin to solve by activating the body ’s hidden groove of vigour , call off meridian point . Perhaps needless to say , there’sno upright evidencethat meridian points are a real thing .
None of the above means that acupuncture ca n’t address alcohol addiction . But we ’re nowhere close to prove that it can . And a new rat discipline should n’t change the equating much .
DrugsScience
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