Effects of Acupuncture at Shenshu （BL 23） on Morphine Withdrawal Syndrome and c-fos Expression in Addiction-relative Brain Regions （Abstract）

Objective： To probe the effect of electroacupuncture （EA） at Shenshu （BL 23） on morphine withdrawal syndrome and the mechanism. Methods： Morphine dependence was induced in the rat by subcutaneous injection of morphine, and the acute withdrawal syndrome was precipitated by intraperitoneal administration of naloxone. The rats were pretreated with 100 Hz EA at Shenshu （BL 23） for one hour before the naloxone challenge. Withdrawal scores were calculated, and c-fos levels were detected by immunocytoche mical method. Results： EA at Shenshu （BL 23） could obviously inhibit withdrawal syndrome, decreased expression of c-los in the PAG, paraventricular hypothalamus nucleus, lateral hypothalamic area and hypocampus while EA increase c-fos positive neurons in the a mygdula and core of nucleus accumbens. Conclusion： EA at Shenshu （BL 23） can effectively inhibit morphine withdrawal syndrome and many central nucleus groups are involved in the inhibition of EA on opioid medicine dependence.