Acupuncture & Addiction

[Guest guest]

On 21 JaHi All, John & Attilio,

 

wrote:

> http://www.chinesemedicinetimes.com/section.php?xSec=161 " Blum, Cull,

> Braverman and Comings (1996) suggest that stimulating the vagus nerve,

> which is located in the concha and at the Lung point on the auricle

> with the insertion of an acupuncture needle, stimulates the

> hypothalamus. Under normal conditions, hypothalamic stimulation

> initiates the reward cascade. Hypothalamic neurons release serotonin

> (5HT), which activates methionine enkephalin, an opioid peptide. Met-

> enkephalin is released at the ventral tegmental region and interacts to

> inhibit receptors controlling the release of gamma-aminobutyric acid

> (GABA). Met-enkephalin and/or other opioid peptides finely tune the

> system. The primary role of GABA is to control the output of dopamine

> in the ventral tegmental region. The result of inhibiting GABA is an

> increase in dopamine. Acupuncture acts to reduce cravings, thereby

> assisting the drug addict into self recovery. This stimulation can be

> increased using electric stimulation as used by Wen and Cheung in their

> original research into addiction (1973a; 1973b and 1973c). "

 

We must give credit for the great work done by the late Margaret (Meg)

Patterson (who worked in HK with Dr Wen before returning to UK to open a

Drug Detox/Rehab clinic). More than 30 years ago, Drs Wen & Patterson

made the breakthrough of using acupuncture & electrical stimuli to

earpoints to detox heroin addicts.

 

See:

 

Patterson M (1974) Electro-acupuncture in alcohol and drug addictions. Clin

Med (Oct.): 9-13.

 

Meg Patterson, Addictions Can Be Cured : the treatment of drug addiction

by neuro-electric stimulation (Lion Publishing , 1975)

 

See also a planned trial of (neuro-electric-therapy (NET) in addiction:

http://tinyurl.com/3b9ude

 

Meg, I see your great spirit!

 

Best regards,