EFFECTS OF ELECTROACUPUNCTURE AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE ON REGIONAL CONCENTRATIONS OF NEUROPEPTIDES IN RAT-BRAIN

The effects of single or repeated treatments with manual acupuncture ( ACU), electro-acupuncture (ELACU) or physical exercise on neuropeptide Y (NPY), neurokinin A (NKA), substance P (SP), galanin (GAL) and vaso active intestinal peptide (VIP)-like immunoreactivity (-LI) in differe nt regions of the rat brain were studied. Initially the effect of micr owave irradiation (MWI) was compared to decapitation on the recovery o f neuropeptides, and significantly higher concentrations of SP-LI, NKA -LI and NPY-LI were found in the hippocampus, occipital cortex, pituit ary and striatum following MWI. Repeated ELACU treatments significantl y increased SP-LI, NKA-LI and NPY-LI in the hippocampus and NPY-LI in the occipital cortex. No changes were found in animals receiving ACU o r performing physical exercise.