Rhesus Feeling Brain Plasticity And The Role Of Acupuncture Cortical Hand Area Observed After Resection

Objective:To study the effect of removal of the hand area in rhesus monkeys’ sensory cortex on the reorganization of brain function, explore in pathological situations whether the cerebral cortex would make a compensation for regulating the sensory function of face, mouth and the hand area, reveal possible biological mechanisms of the " diseases of the face and mouth apply Hegu " theory, and observe whether stimulation of the two acupoints,"he gu" and "yu ji", can promote the functional recovery of brain plasticity in the hand area of sensory cortex.Methods:Two rhesus monkeys were Choosed as the research objects and ere randomly divided into themodel group, the model+electric acupuncture group. The model group was surgically removed of the hand area in sensory cortex, while the model+the curative group were treated with Electro-acupuncture on two acupoints,"he gu" and "yu ji" the day after the surgeon same as the model group. then tungsten electrode records were used to record the discharge signals of sensory cortex neurons in each group, and physiological signal high-speed data collection and analysis system (CED) were adopted for the analysis of the data, changes in neuron’s periphery reception field within the area of the hand and face in sensory cortex were observed respectively at the3rd and the6th months for two times each one.Results:1.3months after resection of rhesus monkeys’hand area in sensory cortex, those areas originally reacted to facial stimulation now react to both the stimulations from face and hands.Meantime, the recorded number of those neurons dramatically increased over time.2. The recorded number of those neurons both reacting to hand and facial stimulation in the model+electric acupuncture group was more than that of the model group.Conclusion:1. The defects of function in the hand area of sensory cortex were gradually replaced by facial area, and in pathological cases cerebral cortex made compensatory control for sensory function of facial and hand area.2. Stimulation of the two acupoints,"he gu" and "yu ji", has certain effects on promotion of the functional recovery of brain plasticity in the hand area of sensory cortex.