Ye Yang, Zhu Wen, Wang Xue-Rui, Yang Jing-Wen, Xiao Ling-Yong, Liu Yi, Zhang Xin, Liu Cun-Zhi
Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, 23 Meishuguanhou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China; Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, 11 Beisanhuan East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China.
Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, 23 Meishuguanhou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.
Neurochem Int. 2017 Jul;107:204-210. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2016.12.001. Epub 2016 Dec 26.
Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second leading type of dementia after Alzheimer's disease plaguing the aging population. Acupuncture has served as alternative and complementary medicine in the world for a long time and its use for VaD is based on a large body of preclinical and clinical researches. The mechanisms that underlie the protective effects of acupuncture are slowly beginning to be understood. Acupuncture influences multiple aspects of the pathological process of VaD. It improves cognitive function through protecting cerebral neurons from oxidative stress, apoptosis, and neuroinflammation, regulating glucose metabolism and neurotransmitters. Acupuncture may also improve synaptic plasticity and blood vessel function. It is likely that no single factor can explain the protection provided by acupuncture. This review provides a comprehensive overview of established and recent findings in animal-based researches aiming to elucidate the complex mechanisms of acupuncture on VaD.
血管性痴呆（VaD）是继阿尔茨海默病之后困扰老年人群的第二大常见痴呆类型。长期以来，针灸在全球范围内一直作为替代医学和补充医学使用，其用于治疗VaD有大量的临床前和临床研究依据。针灸发挥保护作用的机制正逐渐被人们所了解。针灸会影响VaD病理过程的多个方面。它通过保护脑神经元免受氧化应激、细胞凋亡和神经炎症的影响，调节葡萄糖代谢和神经递质，从而改善认知功能。针灸还可能改善突触可塑性和血管功能。单一因素可能无法解释针灸所提供的保护作用。本综述全面概述了基于动物研究的既有发现和最新研究结果，旨在阐明针灸治疗VaD的复杂机制。
