ELECTROACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT OF OBESITY WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS

The aim was to study the effect of placebo EA, electroacupuncture (EA), and diet on obesity and accompanying psychological symptoms. One hundred and sixty-five volunteer women participated in the study. There were three groups: (i) Placebo EA, (ii) EA, and (iii) diet restriction group. EA was performed by using three ear and six body points. There was a 4.8% reduction in weight of patients with EA application, whereas patients with a diet restriction and placebo EA had a 2.5% and 2.7% weight reduction, respectively. There were significant decreases in phobia, anger, anxiety, obsession, paranoid symptoms, and depression in the EA groups compared to those of the placebo EA and diet groups. It was suggested that electroacupuncture may be an effective therapy for obesity including the psychological signs and symptoms in women.

[1]  W. Langhans,et al.  New approaches in the pharmacological treatment of obesity , 1999, European journal of nutrition.

[2]  J. Tang,et al.  The implication of central serotonin in electro-acupuncture tolerance in the rat. , 1982, Scientia Sinica. Series B, Chemical, biological, agricultural, medical & earth sciences.

[3]  J. Lyznicki,et al.  Obesity: assessment and management in primary care. , 2001, American family physician.

[4]  S. Asamoto,et al.  Positive feedback action of pituitary β-Endorphin on acupuncture analgesia afferent pathway , 1992, Brain Research Bulletin.

[5]  Jisheng Han,et al.  Electroacupuncture: mechanisms and clinical application , 1998, Biological Psychiatry.

[6]  S. Asamoto,et al.  Activation of the satiety center by auricular acupuncture point stimulation , 1992, Brain Research Bulletin.

[7]  K. Asano,et al.  Role of endogenous interferon-γ on the enhancement of splenic NK cell activity by electroacupuncture stimulation in mice , 1998, Journal of Neuroimmunology.

[8]  Yang Rc,et al.  Preliminary results of triple therapy for obesity. , 1996 .

[9]  L. Zhou,et al.  Role of opioid peptides of rat's nucleus reticularis paragigantocellularis lateralis (RPGL) in acupuncture analgesia. , 1995, Acupuncture & electro-therapeutics research.

[10]  Juei-Tang Cheng,et al.  An insulin-dependent hypoglycaemia induced by electroacupuncture at the Zhongwan (CV12) acupoint in diabetic rats , 1999, Diabetologia.

[11]  T. Shiraishi,et al.  Effects of auricular stimulation on feeding-related hypothalamic neuronal activity in normal and obese rats , 1995, Brain Research Bulletin.

[12]  A. Coimbra,et al.  Activation of anterior lobe corticotrophs by electroacupuncture or noxious stimulation in the anaesthetized rat, as shown by colocalization of fos protein with ACTH and β-endorphin and increased hormone release , 1996, Brain Research Bulletin.

[13]  R H Hunt,et al.  The effect of acupuncture on gastrointestinal function and disorders. , 1992, The American journal of gastroenterology.

[14]  You Wan,et al.  Endomorphin-1 mediates 2 Hz but not 100 Hz electroacupuncture analgesia in the rat , 1999, Neuroscience Letters.

[15]  Z. Kain,et al.  Auricular Acupuncture: A Potential Treatment for Anxiety , 2001, Anesthesia and analgesia.

[16]  W. Chey,et al.  Inhibition of acid secretion by electrical acupuncture is mediated via beta-endorphin and somatostatin. , 1996, The American journal of physiology.

[17]  M. T. Cabıoğlu,et al.  Electroacupuncture therapy for weight loss reduces serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol levels in obese women. , 2005, The American journal of Chinese medicine.

[18]  Y. Liu,et al.  Enhancement of splenic interferon-gamma, interleukin-2, and NK cytotoxicity by S36 acupoint acupuncture in F344 rats. , 1997, The Japanese journal of physiology.

[19]  J. Marley,et al.  Stimulation of auricular acupuncture points in weight loss. , 1998, Australian family physician.

[20]  R. DeFronzo,et al.  Insulin Resistance: A Multifaceted Syndrome Responsible for NIDDM, Obesity, Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease , 1991, Diabetes Care.

[21]  E. Ernst.  Acupuncture/acupressure for weight reduction? A systematic review. , 1997, Wiener klinische Wochenschrift.

[22]  J. Röschke,et al.  The benefit from whole body acupuncture in major depression. , 2000, Journal of affective disorders.