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. 2019 Aug 29;13:928. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00928

FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 1

Activation of the cuneate nucleus by mechanical acupuncture at HT7. (A) Acupuncture treatment at HT7 (red circle) or LI5 (blue circle) was performed by using our MAI. A bar-type cell phone motor was attached to an alligator clip to generate mechanical vibration of the needle. The intensity, frequency and operation time were controlled by a motor controller. (B) The effect of MAI acupuncture at HT7 or LI5 on cocaine-induced locomotor activity. Con, cocaine only (n = 6); HT7, acupuncture at HT7 after cocaine injection (n = 6); LI5, acupuncture at LI5 after cocaine injection (n = 6). #p < 0.05 vs. Con, ∗p < 0.05 vs. LI5 by two-way repeated ANOVA, Tukey’s post hoc test, interaction F = 2.647, p = 0.011; normality test (Shapiro–Wilk) passed, P = 0.747. (C) A schematic drawing of the in vivo extracellular recordings of the CN (cuneate nucleus). (D) The neuronal activity of wide-dynamic-range (WDR) and low-threshold (LT) neurons in response to brush (Br), light pressure (Pr) and pinch (Pi) mechanical stimulation of the somatic field and acupuncture stimulation at HT7 (HT7). (E) The mean firing rates of WDR neurons (upper panel), (n = 12, ∗p < 0.05 vs. Baseline by one-way repeated ANOVA, Tukey’s post hoc test, F(2,38) = 74.171, p < 0.001; normality test (Shapiro–Wilk) passed, P = 0.727) and LT neurons (lower panel), (n = 15, ∗p < 0.05 vs. Baseline by one-way repeated ANOVA, Tukey’s post hoc test, F(2,38) = 76.851, p < 0.001, normality test (Shapiro–Wilk) passed, P = 0.317) over 10 s before (Baseline), during (HT7), and after (After) acupuncture at HT7.