• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.95-101
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• 2016

Objectives : This study aims to overview the therapeutic mechanism of back-shu points in terms of sympathetic visceral motor nervous system. Methods : Studies about autonomic nervous system, and studies and ancient texts about back-shu points were reviewed. We interpreted possible mechanism of back-shu points considering similarities of anatomical and physiological characteristics of back-shu points and visceral motor nervous system. Results : Afferent signals for organ lesions that can develop the symptoms of autonomic neurological symptoms, pain, hyperalgesia through the skin segment. Through a physical examination of the myotome and dermatome, it is possible to diagnose segmental disorders. Treatment stimulation of the thick fibers of the disorder segment skin can reduce abnormal autonomic influence over the sympathetic reflex mechanism. In addition, if spinal muscles are relaxed, the pressure on the nerve roots could be reduced and consequently the hyperactivity of the sympathetic visceral motor signal would be suppressed. Conclusions : The back-shu points treatments work through the mechanism of the sympathetic nervous reflex. Moreover, segmental acupuncture can reduce tension of the spinal muscles, thereby improving pathological conditions of the sympathetic nervous system.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.167-184
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• 2023

Objectives This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of ultrasound therapy at the ST11 for regulation of sympathetic hyperactivity. Methods Forty healthy adult subjects were assigned to experimental group and control group. After taking mental stress, ultrasound therapy was applied at the ST11 in experimental group and sham-ultrasound therapy was applied in control group. The evaluation of sympathetic activity was measured by blood pressure, pulse rate, and heart rate variability at 3 times (Time 1: before the stress stimulation, Time 2: after the stress stimulation, Time 3: after the intervention). The primary end point was consisted of normalized (norm) low frequency (LF)/high frequency (HF) ratio, LF (norm), HF (norm). The secondary end point was consisted of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, mean heart rate, standard deviation of NN intervals, root mean square of the successive differences, total power (log). Results After the stress stimulation, all subjects showed sympathetic hyperactivity. After the intervention, the experimental group showed lower sympathetic activity than the control group. Comparing the Time 3 and Time 1, the experimental group showed no significantly differences in sympathetic activity while the control group showed higher sympathetic activity in Time 3 than Time 1. Comparing the Time 3 and Time 2, the experimental group showed lower sympathetic activity in Time 3 than Time 2 while the control group showed higher sympathetic activity in Time 3 than Time 2. Conclusions We suggest that the ultrasound therapy at ST11 can decrease sympathetic activity in sympathetic hyperactivity condition.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the change in sympathetic nervous system responses of healthy adult women with changes in stimulus intensity of high frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Methods: Twenty-four healthy subjects (women) received high frequency electrical stimulation of the forearm. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups; a low intensity stimulation group (n=12) and a high intensity stimulation group (n=12). The electrode attachment was arranged on the forearm of the dominant arm and the electricity stimulus time was 20 minutes. Measured items included skin conductance, pulse rate, skin temperature, and respiration rate. Each was measured at 4 times. Results: Skin conductance and skin temperature showed significant group by time interactions, though there were no significant group and time effects. There were no significant differences according to time, group effect, and a group by time interaction in pulse and respiration rates. Conclusion: High frequency and high intensity electrical stimulation may be helpful for the improvement of sudomotor function through the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Also, high frequency and low intensity electrical stimulation may be helpful for the reduction of sudomotor function via inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.231-237
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• 2007

Subway environments such as crowd, passenger's gab, or subway-generated mechanical noise may become a potential stressor. The present study was sought to determine whether subway noise with or without mental activity affects cerebral hemodynamics and sympathetic system. Fifty-four healthy volunteers were divided group I which underwent subway noise (n=24) and group II which underwent a combined mental activity (mental arithmetic) with subway noise (n=30). Sympathetic factors such as heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and heart rate-systolic pressure product (RPP), and mean blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCAV) were measured before (baseline), during and after the noise-exposure. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HR and RPP significantly increased in group II (P<0.05) but not in group I during the noise-exposure. Peak-MCAV, diastolic-MCAV and mean-MCAV in the both groups were elevated during the noise-exposure (P<0.05) and the increased ratios in group II were greater than those in group I. These results suggest that a combined mental activity with subway noise may be a stressor which affects cerebral hemodynamics and sympathetic system.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.51-69
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• 2024

Objectives This scoping review aimed to suggest a Korean medicine approach by analyzing domestic and international clinical studies targeting the thoracic sympathetic ganglia. Methods This study was conducted based on Arksey and O'Malley's five steps and guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews checklist and appendix. We searched seven electronic databases for studies on thoracic sympathetic ganglia reported untill August 23, 2023. The search terms used were 'thoracic sympathetic chain', 'thoracic paravertebral sympathetic ganglia', and 'thoracic paravertebral ganglion'. Results One hundred twenty-nine studies were finally selected. 90 papers were non-comparative studies (69.8%). The most common disease or symptom was hyperhidrosis (n=109, 66.9%), associated with the T1-7 levels of thoracic sympathetic ganglia (n=107, 65.6%). There were 17 studies (13.2%) of percutaneous approaches targeting the thoracic sympathetic ganglia, five studies (3.1%) targeting the mid-lower thoracic sympathetic ganglia. Conclusions This study broadly analyzed trends in domestic and international research targeting the thoracic sympathetic ganglia and attempted to propose a future Korean medicine approach. Further studies are needed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.181-185
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• 2003

Whether there exists a sympathetic neural regulation on the aquaporin (AQP) channels in the kidney was examined. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. They were renal nerve denervated by stripping the nervous and connective tissues passing along the renal artery and vein, and painting these vessels with 10% phenol solution through a midline abdominal incision. Three days later, the expression of AQP1-4 proteins in the denervated kidneys was determined. The content of norepinephrine was found significantly decreased following the denervation. Accordingly, the expression of AQP2 proteins was markedly decreased. The expression of AQP3 and AQP4 was also slightly but significantly decreased, while that of AQP1 was not. Neither the basal nor the AVP-stimulated accumulation of cAMP was significantly affected in the denervated kidney. It is suggested that the sympathetic nervous system has a tonic stimulatory effect on AQP channels in the kidney.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.271-275
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• 2023

The abducens nerve (AN; cranial nerve VI) exits the brainstem at the inferior pontine sulcus, pierces the dura of the posterior cranial fossa, passes through the cavernous sinus in close contact to the internal carotid artery (ICA) and traverses the superior orbital fissure to reach the orbit to innervate the lateral rectus muscle. At its exit from the brainstem, the AN includes only axons from lower motor neurons in the abducens nucleus. However, as the AN crosses the ICA it receives a number of branches from the internal carotid sympathetic plexus. The arrangement, neurochemical profile and function of these sympathetic axons running along the AN remain unresolved. Herein, we use gross dissection and microscopic study of hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections and sections with tyrosine hydroxylase immunolabeling. Our results suggest the AN receives multiple bundles of unmyelinated axons that use norepinephrine as a neurotransmitter consistent with postganglionic sympathetic axons.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.327-335
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• 2022

Background: The pathophysiology of fibromyalgia (FM) involves many mechanisms including central nervous system sensitization theory, autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction, and recently small fiber neuropathy. While the small fiber neuropathy itself can cause ANS dysfunction and neuropathic pain (NP), it is still unknown whether ANS problems have an association with severity of disease and NP in patients with FM. The aim of this study was to evaluate ANS dysfunction in FM patients and to explore possible associations of ANS dysfunction with disease severity and NP. Methods: Twenty-nine FM patients and 20 healthy controls were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants were tested using sympathetic skin responses (SSR) and R-R interval variation analyses for sympathetic and parasympathetic ANS dysfunction, respectively. Disease severity and somatic symptoms of patients with FM were evaluated using the ACR-2010 scales and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, and NP symptoms were evaluated using the Pain Detect Questionnaire and Douleur Neuropathique questionnaire. Results: FM patients were found to have ANS dysfunction characterized by increased sympathetic response and decreased parasympathetic response. SSR amplitudes were found to be correlated with a more severe disease. Although nonsignificant, NP severity tended to be associated with a decrease in sympathetic and parasympathetic activities. Conclusions: ANS dysfunction may play a role in the pathophysiology of FM. The trend of decreased ANS functions in FM patients exhibiting NP contradicts the notion that FM is a sympathetically maintained NP and may be explained with small fiber involvement.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.111-122
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence on sympathetic nerve system of interferential current therapy(ICT). The subjects were consisted of 20 senile patients, 10 males and 10 females with an average age of 71 years old. And systolic and diastolic blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and respiratory were tested. The results were as follows: 1) Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were observed a statistical significance between before and during stimulation(p < .05). 2) Temperature was observed a statistical significance between before and during, and before and after 10 minutes stimulation(p < .05). 3) Heart rate and respiratory were not statistical significance(p > .05). These results are imply that electrical stimulation is directly or indirectly influence on sympathetic nerve system.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.391-397
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of manual lymph drainage (MLD) on the activity of sympathetic nervous system, anxiety, pain and pressure pain threshold in subjects with psychological stress. Methods: Twenty-nine subjects with psychological stress were randomly assigned to experimental (MLD) and control (rest) groups. This study was performed as a controlled, randomized study using spectral analysis of electrocardiographic (ECG) activities, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT). Results: Heart rate variability differed significantly between the experimental and control groups (p<0.05). Anxiety and pain showed positive change in both group but it were not showed statically differences. The pressure pain threshold in the upper trapezius muscle was increased in the experimental group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings indicate that the application of MLD was effective in reducing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, anxiety, pain, and increasing the PPT.