Electroacupuncture improves swallowing function in a post-stroke dysphagia mouse model by activating the motor cortex inputs to the nucleus tractus solitarii through the parabrachial nuclei

Lulu Yao, Qiuping Ye, Yun Liu, Shuqi Yao, Si Yuan, Qin Xu, Bing Deng, Xiaorong Tang, Jiahui Shi, Jianyu Luo, Junshang Wu, Zhennan Wu, Jianhua Liu, Chunzhi Tang, Lin Wang () and Nenggui Xu ()
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Lulu Yao: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Qiuping Ye: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Yun Liu: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Shuqi Yao: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Si Yuan: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Qin Xu: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Bing Deng: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Xiaorong Tang: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Jiahui Shi: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Jianyu Luo: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Junshang Wu: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Zhennan Wu: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Jianhua Liu: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Chunzhi Tang: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Lin Wang: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Nenggui Xu: Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract As a traditional medical therapy, stimulation at the Lianquan (CV23) acupoint, located at the depression superior to the hyoid bone, has been shown to be beneficial in dysphagia. However, little is known about the neurological mechanism by which this peripheral stimulation approach treats for dysphagia. Here, we first identified a cluster of excitatory neurons in layer 5 (L5) of the primary motor cortex (M1) that can regulate swallowing function in male mice by modulating mylohyoid activity. Moreover, we found that focal ischemia in the M1 mimicked the post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) pathology, as indicated by impaired water consumption and electromyographic responses in the mylohyoid. This dysfunction could be rescued by electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation at the CV23 acupoint (EA-CV23) in a manner dependent on the excitatory neurons in the contralateral M1 L5. Furthermore, neuronal activation in both the parabrachial nuclei (PBN) and nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS), which was modulated by the M1, was required for the ability of EA-CV23 treatment to improve swallowing function in male PSD model mice. Together, these results uncover the importance of the M1-PBN-NTS neural circuit in driving the protective effect of EA-CV23 against swallowing dysfunction and thus reveal a potential strategy for dysphagia intervention.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36448-6

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