MAPPING THE ACUPOINT-SPECIFIC BRAIN NETWORK: A SYSTEMATIC C-FOS ANALYSIS ACROSS MULTIPLE SOMATIC INPUTS

Acupuncture modulates central neural circuits via peripheral sensory inputs, with physiological responses often varying according to the specific acupoint stimulated. However, systematic, brain-wide mapping that compares neural activation patterns across multiple acupoints remains limited. This study aims to characterize acupoint-specific brain activation signatures by quantifying c-Fos expression following standardized manual acupuncture at six distinct points: ST36, GB34, BL57, HT7, PC6, and LI11.
Manual acupuncture was applied bilaterally under anesthesia with a 15-minute needle retention period, including 15 seconds of rotational stimulation every 2.5 minutes. Animals were sacrificed 90 minutes post-stimulation to capture peak c-Fos expression. Brain tissues were processed for immunohistochemistry (IHC) to quantify c-Fos-positive cells across key functional regions. To refine subregion analysis, hypothalamic activation is examined within the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and zona incerta (ZI) using MCH as an anatomical marker. Autonomic brainstem circuits are assessed using ChAT for the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) and TH for the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). Additionally, a broad activation map is generated by evaluating the locus coeruleus (LC), insula, nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), paraventricular nucleus (PVN), and basolateral posterior amygdala (BLP).
These findings are expected to provide a comprehensive, acupoint-specific brain activation map. This work will support the development of a searchable database and visualization platform, facilitating the exploration of disease-relevant circuits for neurodegenerative and autonomic dysfunctions.