Neurophysiology & Mechanisms of Acupuncture Action Flashcards
7 cards from real CVA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Neurophysiology & Mechanisms of Acupuncture Action flashcards as text
The gate control theory of pain suggests that acupuncture analgesia occurs primarily through which mechanism?
Answer: Activation of large-diameter Aβ fibers that inhibit pain transmission in the dorsal horn
Gate control theory proposes that large-diameter Aβ fiber activation in the dorsal horn closes the 'gate' to pain signals carried by smaller C and Aδ fibers, reducing pain transmission.
Which endogenous opioid peptides are most directly responsible for acupuncture-induced analgesia?
Answer: Beta-endorphin, enkephalins, and dynorphins
Acupuncture stimulates the release of endogenous opioid peptides—beta-endorphin, enkephalins, and dynorphins—which bind mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors to produce analgesia.
The 'De Qi' sensation experienced during acupuncture needling is primarily associated with stimulation of which nerve fiber types?
Answer: A-delta (Group III) and C (Group IV) sensory fibers in muscle
De Qi—the characteristic aching, distending sensation—is generated by activation of A-delta and C fibers in muscle tissue, which transmit signals initiating acupuncture's therapeutic cascade.
Descending pain inhibitory pathways activated by acupuncture primarily originate from which brain regions?
Answer: Periaqueductal gray (PAG) and rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM)
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) and rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) are the primary sources of descending pain inhibitory pathways activated by acupuncture to suppress dorsal horn nociception.
In veterinary acupuncture, 'somatovisceral reflexes' are best described as:
Answer: Reflexes in which somatic stimulation via acupuncture points modulates internal organ function through spinal cord pathways
Somatovisceral reflexes occur when stimulation of somatic structures (skin, muscles) at acupuncture points sends signals through spinal cord pathways that modulate visceral organ function.
Which neurotransmitter, released via descending raphe nucleus pathways during acupuncture, contributes to both spinal analgesia and anti-inflammatory effects?
Answer: Serotonin (5-HT) acting on dorsal horn 5-HT receptors
Serotonin released from descending raphe nucleus projections into the dorsal horn during acupuncture contributes to inhibition of nociceptive transmission and modulation of inflammatory mediators.
Segmental acupuncture treatment is based on which neuroanatomical principle?
Answer: Targeting points within the same spinal segment (dermatome/myotome/sclerotome) as the pathological structure
Segmental acupuncture places needles within the same spinal cord segment as the target organ or tissue, exploiting somatosensory and autonomic convergence at that spinal level.