ELECTRICAL-STIMULATION OF ACUPUNCTURE POINTS ENHANCES GASTRIC MYOELECTRICAL ACTIVITY IN HUMANS

Objective: Acupuncture is known to enhance gastric motility, Electrica l acustimulation has been shown to reduce gastric tachyarrhymia in vec tion-induced motion sickness, The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of electrical stimulation of acupuncture points on gastric myoelectrical activity in healthy humans, Methods: Nine healthy nativ e Chinese were studied, Gastric myoelectrical activity was recorded us ing surface electrogastrography (EGG), The EGG recording was made in t he fasting state, in a study period during which acupuncture points we re electrically stimulated continuously, and in a recovery period afte r stimulation, The percentage of regular slow waves was assessed by co mputing the percentage of 2 to 4 cycles per minute slow waves in the E GG, Results: Electrical stimulation significantly increased the percen tage of regular slow waves, which was sustained in the recovery period , The increase of the regular slow wave activity resulted from the nor malization of arrhythmia, Conclusion: Electrical stimulation of acupun cture points may enhance the regularity of gastric myoelectrical activ ity and may be an option for treatment of gastric dysrhythmia.