Introduction: The concept of acupoints is a key defining feature of acupuncture, yet the scientific basis of acupoints remains unclear. In recent years, there has been an emerging body of animal studies demonstrating an association between cutaneous sensitivity and visceral pathophysiology, through which acupoints over the skin are sensitized in pathologic conditions. Several studies with humans have also been conducted to assess whether the sensitivity of acupoints is distinct in healthy versus clinical populations. However, no systematic review has been conducted to collate and synthesize the status and quality of human studies on this topic. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA). Literature search was performed by combining variations of search terms related to acupoints and pain sensitivity in PubMed, EMBASE, and Alt HealthWatch (EBSCOHost). Screening of titles and abstracts and review of full-text articles for eligibility were performed by two independent investigators. Using a predefined template, information on subject characteristics, pathologic conditions, names of assessed acupoints, and relevant main findings were extracted from the included studies. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for case-control studies. A quality assessment checklist was also developed by the present authors to examine the quality of reporting of experimental variables that were considered important for evaluating acupoint sensitivity. Results: A total of 3453 studies were identified from the database search, of which 11 met the eligibility criteria to be included in this review. Six studies examined the mechanical sensitivity of body acupoints, and the remaining five studies examined the mechanical sensitivity of auricular points. Overall, findings suggest that the sensitivity of acupoints may be distinct in healthy versus clinical populations. However, there were various potential sources of bias and substantial heterogeneity across included studies in clinical conditions and acupoints. Conclusion: There is at present insufficient evidence to support or refute that acupoints in humans are sensitized in pathologic conditions. There were various methodological issues, including small sample size and poor reporting of experimental design and variables, which limit the ability to draw a definitive conclusion on this topic. It is also largely unclear whether it is the general body regions rather than specific acupoints that may be sensitized, as most studies did not include nonacupoint location(s) for comparison. Thus, further rigorous research is warranted.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the neural mechanism of visceral pain and related somatic (acupoints) sensitization by using in vivo calcium imaging of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons.
METHODS: Eight BALB/c mice were randomly divided into control and model groups, with 4 mice in each group. The colitis model was induced by colorectal perfusion of 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) once daily for 7 days. Mice of the control group received colorectal perfusion of normal saline once daily for 7 days. The location and area of the somatic neurogenic inflammation (cutaneous exudation of Evans blue ［EB］) of the 2 groups of mice were observed after intravenous injection of EB. For pain behavioral tests, sixteen C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control and model groups, with 8 mice in each group, and a Von Frey filament was used to stimulate the referred somatic reactive regions in colitis mice, and the number of avoidance and paw withdraw reaction within 10 tests was recorded. For in vivo DRG calcium imaging tests, 24 Pirt-GCaMP6s transgenic mice were randomly and equally divided into control group and colitis model group. The responses of the neurons in L6 or L4 DRG to colorectal distension (CRD), lower back brushing, or mechanical stimulation at the hindpaw were observed using confocal fluorescence microscope.
RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the area of EB exudation spot in the hindpaw and lower back regions was increased in the colitis model group (P<0.05), and the avoidance or paw withdraw numbers induced by Von Frey stimulation at the lower back and hindpaw were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), indicating that colitis induced regional skin (acupoints) sensitization in the lower back and hindpaw regions. Compared with the control group, the percentage of L6 DRG neurons activated by 60 mm Hg CRD in the colitis model mice were apparently increased (P<0.01), the activated neurons mainly involved the medium-sized DRG neurons (P<0.01). In Pirt-GCaMP6s transgenic mice, following brushing the skin of the receptive field (lower back) of L6 DRG neurons, the fluorescence intensity of the brushing-activated DRG neurons and small, medium and large-sized neurons were significantly higher in the colitis model group than those in the control group (P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05). After brushing and clamping the skin of the right hindpaw (receptive field of L4 DRG neurons), the percentages of the activated L4 DRG neurons were obviously higher in the colitis model group than those in the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05), while there were no significant changes in the proportion of small, medium and large-sized neurons between the control and colitis model groups.
CONCLUSIONS: Colitis may lead to body surface sensitization at the same and adjacent neuro-segments as well as to an increase of the number and activity of the responsive lumbar DRG neurons, among which the L6 DRG neurons at the same neuro-segment as the rectum colon showed an increase in the number of responders and intensity of calcium fluorescence signal while L4 DRG neurons at the level adjacent to the rectum colon showed an increase in the number of responders, suggesting that there may be different mechanisms of peripheral neural sensitization.
目的: 从背根节（DRG）神经元水平说明内脏病变与相应体表穴位敏化产生的神经生物学机制。方法: 皮肤伊文思蓝（EB）外渗实验：BALB/c小鼠随机分为对照组和结肠炎组，每组4只。2，4，6-三硝基苯磺酸直结肠灌注7 d制备结肠炎模型。采用尾静脉注射EB检测体表神经源性炎性反应，观察渗出点的位置及面积。痛行为实验：C57BL/6J小鼠随机分为对照组和结肠炎组，每组8只，造模方法同上，观察下背部和足部Von Frey丝机械刺激诱发的回避或缩足反应次数。小鼠在体DRG钙成像实验：Pirt-GCaMP6s转基因小鼠随机分为对照组和结肠炎组，每组12只，造模方法同上，暴露腰（L）6或L4 DRG，在共聚焦荧光显微镜下观察神经元对直结肠扩张刺激（CRD）、下背部或后爪机械刺激的反应。结果: 与对照组比较，结肠炎组小鼠下背部及后爪神经源性炎性EB渗出较多（P<0.05）；同时结肠炎组小鼠下背部、后爪对机械刺激的回避或缩足反应次数增加（P<0.01，P<0.05）；CRD 60 mm Hg诱发内脏痛引起的L6 DRG神经元激活数量占总数的百分比均较对照组显著增加（P<0.01），其中中型神经元数量增加更为明显（P<0.01）。与对照组相比，结肠炎组小鼠L6 DRG神经元对下背部毛刷刺激反应荧光强度增加（P<0.001），不同直径神经元的荧光强度均增强（P<0.01，P<0.001，P<0.05）。于小鼠后爪施加毛刷、钳夹压力刺激，均引起与结肠不同水平的L4 DRG神经元反应总体数量百分比较对照组显著增加（P<0.01，P<0.05）。结论: 结肠炎可以引起同节段和近节段体表穴位敏化，同时DRG神经元激活数量和反应性增加。其中与直结肠同水平的L6 DRG神经元表现为神经元激活数量百分比和钙荧光信号强度增加，而与内脏邻近水平的L4 DRG神经元表现为激活数量百分比增加，提示可能存在不同的外周神经元敏化机制。.

UNASSIGNED: The relationship between acupoint sensitization and acupoint specificity is a topic of significant interest in acupuncture research. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated that needling pain sensitive acupoints yields superior therapeutic outcomes compared to traditional acupoints, particularly in the context of pain disorders. However, there is a lack of bibliometric analysis in acupuncture area. Therefore, the objective of this study is to offer a comprehensive overview of the knowledge structure and research hotspots pertaining to acupoint sensitization and acupoint specificity.
UNASSIGNED: The search for publications pertaining to acupoint sensitization and acupoint specificity was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database from its inception until August 11, 2023. Subsequently, bibliometric analyses were carried out using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, R software (Bibliometrix package), and GraphPad Prism software.
UNASSIGNED: This study includes 4,940 articles from 72 countries, with China and the United States being the leading countries. The number of publications related to acupoint sensitization and specificity has been increasing annually. Major research institutions involved in this field include the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, and China Medical University, among others. \"Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine\" is the most popular journal in acupuncture field, and \"PAIN\" is the most co-cited journal. Publications are contributed by 20,325 authors from all over the world, with Wu Huangan, Fang Jianqiao, Lin Yi-Wen, Liu Huirong, and Chen Rixin having published the most articles. Han Ji-Sheng is the most cited author in this research area. The main directions include the study of temperature specificity of acupoints, the diagnosis of acupoint sensitization diseases, and the study of the mechanism of acupoint sensitization. The most listed keywords in recent years are \"TRPV1,\" \"signaling pathway,\" and \"diagnosis.\"
UNASSIGNED: This is the first bibliometric study to comprehensively summarize research trends and advances in acupoint sensitization and acupoint specificity, and the information highlights recent research preliminary and main directions that serve as a reference for acupoint sensitization and acupoint specificity research.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the sensitization state of acupoints on the surface of the myocardial ischemia (MI) model mice and the changes in the electrophysiological properties of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in the corresponding spinal cord segment, and its underlying mechanism.
METHODS: Sixty-eight male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control and model groups (34 mice in each group). The model group received an intraperitoneal injection of 160 mg/kg isoproterenol (ISO) to establish the MI model, and the control group received an injection of the same dose of normal saline as the model group. After modeling for about 6 days, MI proportion was measured by HE staining to verify the pathological changes in the heart tissue. Evans blue (EB) dye was injected into the tail vein of mice to reflect the size, location, distribution, and number of exudates on the body surface. Then, whole-cell membrane currents, intrinsic excitability and membrane properties of different types of DRG neurons were evaluated by electrophysiological experiment in vitro.
RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the heart size was larger, with pathological outcomes showing enlarged myocardial hypertrophy, destroyed structure of cardiomyocytes, with mononuclear cell infiltration among the cardiomyocytes in the model group. Compared with the control group, the number of EB exudation points was significantly increased (P<0.01), which were mainly concentrated in the epidermis near the T1-T5 segment of the spinal cord, \"Feishu\" (BL13), \"Jueyinshu\" (BL14) and \"Xinshu\" (BL15) in the model group. Compared with the control group, the rheobase and action potential amplitude (APA) of DRG medium-sized neurons were obviously decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), while the whole-cell membrane currents, the spike numbers, the average instantaneous frequency, and the average discharge frequency were markedly increased (P<0.01). There were no significant alterations in the membrane properties and intrinsic excitability induced by depolarized currents of small-sized neurons between groups. Compared with the control group, the whole-cell membrane currents, spike numbers, and the average instantaneous frequency were significantly increased in the model group(P<0.05, P<0.01) while rheobase was significantly decreased (P<0.05) in DRG medium-sized neurons labeled with biotin and CGRP.
CONCLUSIONS: After the mice were modeled by ISO, the DRG medium-size neurons in the T1-T5 segment of the spinal cord may mediate the sensitization of acupoints on the body surface through their different neuronal membrane properties and intrinsic excitabilities.
目的：探讨心肌缺血（MI）模型小鼠体表穴位敏化状态与其所对应脊髓节段背根神经节（DRG）神经元电生理特性改变的关系。方法：将68只雄性C57BL/6J小鼠随机分为对照组和模型组，每组34只。模型组以160 mg/kg的异丙肾上腺素（ISO）腹腔注射建立MI模型，对照组注射相同剂量的0.9%氯化钠溶液。造模后第6天，苏木精-伊红（HE）染色法观察小鼠心脏组织病理形态变化；对小鼠尾静脉注射伊文思蓝（EB）染色液，观察体表渗出点的部位、分布和数量；离体电生理实验评估不同类型的DRG神经元全细胞跨膜总电流、内在兴奋性及激活膜特性等电生理特性。结果：与对照组比较，模型组小鼠心脏明显变大，HE染色后镜下观察心肌肥厚增大，细胞结构破坏，心肌细胞间有单核细胞浸润等病理表现；模型组EB渗出点数量显著增多（P<0.01），且主要集中在脊髓胸（T）1—T5节段邻近表皮、“肺俞”“厥阴俞”及“心俞”等部位；模型组DRG中型神经元全细胞跨膜总电流显著增大，放电数目、平均瞬时频率、平均放电频率显著升高（P<0.01），基强度、动作电位幅值显著降低（P<0.01，P<0.05）；模型组DRG小型神经元膜特性及内在兴奋性无显著性改变。模型组DRG中降钙素基因相关肽阳性表达，且被生物素标记的DRG中型神经元跨膜总电流显著增大，放电数目和平均瞬时频率均显著增加（P<0.05，P<0.01），基强度显著降低（P<0.05）。结论：ISO诱导小鼠MI模型，可能是通过T1—T5节段的DRG中型神经元膜特性和内在兴奋性改变介导体表穴位敏化的发生。.

UNASSIGNED: Dysmenorrhea is a common clinical condition and some studies shown that the skin temperature of some acupoints changes in primary dysmenorrhea (PD) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in skin temperature at specific acupoints in PD patients and healthy subjects.
UNASSIGNED: The literature for assessing skin temperature at acupoints in PD patients and healthy subjects was searched in eight databases. The literatures obtained from the search was independently screened by two authors, and the quality of the included articles was evaluated using the consensus checklist of the Thermographic Imaging in Sports and Exercise Medicine (TISEM) and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) scale. The skin temperature of the relevant acupoints or the difference between the left and right acupoints of the same name was used as the outcome during any period of menstruation. Finally, the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.1 software to evaluate the changes in skin temperature in the related acupoints.
UNASSIGNED: Seven eligible studies were included, which included 328 patients with PD and 279 healthy subjects. The results of the meta-analysis revealed a significant difference in skin temperature around the Sanyinjiao (SP6)(MD: 0.04, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.08), Xuehai (SP 10)(MD: -0.07, 95% CI:-0.11, -0.02) and Taixi (KI 3)(MD: 0.06, 95% CI:0.01, 0.11) acupoints between PD and healthy subjects. PD patients also showed a difference in skin temperature at the Taixi (KI 3)(MD: 0.14, 95% CI:0.04, 0.24), Shuiquan (KI 5)(MD: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.03,0.19), Taichong (LR 3)(MD: -0.10, 95% CI: -0.19,-0.01), Diji (SP 8)(MD: -0.09, 95% CI: -0.16, -0.01), and Xuehai (SP 10)(MD: -0.14, 95% CI: -0.23, -0.06) acupoint areas at different times of menstruation compared to that of healthy subjects, as revealed by the subgroup analysis.
UNASSIGNED: Primary dysmenorrhea patients showed some differences in the skin temperature of the special acupoints are as Sanyinjiao (SP6), Diji (SP 8), Xuehai (SP 10), Shuiquan (KI 5), Taichong (LR 3), and Taixi (KI 3) compared with healthy subjects.
UNASSIGNED: CRD42022381387.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the correlation between the thickness of superficial fascia at Dazhui (GV14) acupoint and cervical spondylosis, so as to explore the essence of its morphological and structural changes of acupoint sensitivity.
METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted. According to the diagnostic criteria of \"Guidelines for Diagnosis, Treatment and Rehabilitation of Cervical Spondylosis\" (2017), 344 cases of cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination were included and divided into control group (73 cases) and observation group (271 cases). The control group was healthy population, and the observation group was patients with cervical spondylosis conforming to the diagnostic criteria, including cervical spondylosis of neck type, cervical spondylosis radiculopathy, cervical spondylotic myelopathy, cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type, and sympathetic cervical spondylosis. According to MRI images of cervical spine, the structure of GV14 acupoint including skin, superficial fascia layer and aponeurosis ligament layer were measured.
RESULTS: The acupoint depth and the superficial fascia thickness at GV14 in the observation group were (56.6±8.8) mm and (22.8±7.6) mm, the acupoint depth and the superficial fascia thickness at GV14 were (49.8±7.0) mm and (16.6±6.6)mm in the control group, which were significantly greater in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.01). The superficial fascia thickness at GV14 of cervical spondylotic mye-lopathy, cervical spondylosis of neck type and cervical spondylosis radiculopathy in the observation group was (23.8±8.1)mm, (23.0±7.3)mm and (22.6±6.5)mm, the acupoint depth of GV14 was (58.7±8.8)mm, (56.2±9.1)mm and (55.8±6.4)mm, which were significantly thicker than the superficial fascia thickness and the acupoint depth in the control group (P<0.01). In the observation group，the superficial fascia thickness of GV14 of cervical spondylosis myelopathy was significantly thicker than those of sympathetic cervical spondylosis (17.8±8.1) mm and cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type (19.9±5.9) mm (P<0.01, P<0.05). In the observation group, the depth of GV14 of cervical spondylosis myelopathy was thicker than that of cervical spondylosis of neck type, cervical spondylosis radiculopathy, sympathetic cervical spondylosis and cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type(P<0.05，P<0.01)； the depth of GV14 of sympathetic cervical spondylosis was thinner than that of cervical spondylosis of neck type and cervical spondylosis radiculopathy (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: The superficial fascia thickness at GV14 was correlated with cervical spondylosis, and it is also related to cervical spondylotic myelopathy, cervical spondylosis of neck type and cervical spondylosis radiculopathy. The morphological and structural changes of GV14 in the state of cervical spondylosis were mainly the thickness of the superficial fascia.
目的：观察大椎穴浅筋膜厚度与颈椎病的相关性，探讨其腧穴敏化形态结构改变的实质。方法：采用回顾性研究，将344例颈椎磁共振成像（MRI）检查者依照《颈椎病诊治与康复指南》(2017年)诊断标准分为对照组73例与观察组271例，对照组为健康人群，观察组为符合诊断标准的颈椎病患者，包括颈型颈椎病、神经根型颈椎病、脊髓型颈椎病、椎动脉型颈椎病、交感型颈椎病5种类型。根据颈椎MRI图像，测量大椎穴皮肤、浅筋膜层和腱膜韧带层厚度。结果：观察组大椎穴深度为(56.6±8.8)mm、浅筋膜厚度为(22.8±7.6)mm，对照组大椎穴深度为(49.8±7.0)mm、浅筋膜厚度为(16.6±6.6)mm，观察组明显大于对照组(P<0.01)。观察组中脊髓型颈椎病、颈型颈椎病和神经根型颈椎病大椎穴浅筋膜厚度依次为(23.8±8.1)mm、(23.0±7.3)mm和(22.6±6.5)mm，大椎穴深度依次为(58.7±8.8)mm、(56.2±9.1)mm和(55.8±6.4)mm，均较对照组的大椎穴浅筋膜厚度和大椎穴深度明显增加(P<0.01)。观察组中脊髓型颈椎病的大椎穴浅筋膜厚度较交感型颈椎病(17.8±8.1)mm和椎动脉型颈椎病(19.9±5.9)mm明显增厚(P<0.01，P<0.05)；与脊髓型颈椎病相比，颈型颈椎病、神经根型颈椎病、交感型颈椎病和椎动脉型颈椎病患者大椎穴穴位深度较薄（P<0.05，P<0.01）；与交感型颈椎病相比，颈型颈椎病和神经根型颈椎病患者大椎穴穴位深度明显增厚（P<0.01）。结论：大椎穴浅筋膜厚度与颈椎病有相关性，且与颈椎病分型中脊髓型、颈型和神经根型颈椎病相关。颈椎病状态下大椎穴腧穴敏化的形态结构改变主要为浅筋膜增厚。.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between acupoint sensitization on the body surface and neuronal intrinsic excitability of the medium- and small-size dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from the perspective of ion channel kinetics in mice with gastric ulcer.
METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control (n=32) and model groups (n=34). The gastric ulcer model was established by injection of 60% glacial acetic acid (0.2 mL/100 g) into the gastric wall muscle layer and submucosa near the pylorus in the minor curvature of the stomach. In contrast, the same dose of normal saline was injected in the same way in the control group. Six days after modeling, Evans blue (EB) solution was injected into the mouse\'s tail vein for observing the number and distribution of the exudation blue spots on the body surface. Histopathological changes of the gastric tissue were observed by H.E. staining. Then, whole-cell membrane currents and intrinsic excitability of medium- and small-size neurons in the spinal T9-T11 DRGs were measured by in vitro electrophysiology combining with biocytin-ABC method.
RESULTS: In the control group, EB exudation blue spots were not obvious, while in the model group, the blue spots on the body surface were densely distributed in the area of spinal T9-T11 segments, the epigastric region, and the skin around \"Zhongwan\" (CV12) and \"Huaroumen\" (ST24) regions, and near the surgical incision region. Compared with the control group, the model group had a high level of eosinophilic infiltrates in the submucosa of gastric tissues, severe gastric fossa structure damage, gastric fundus gland dilation and other pathological manifestations. The number of exudation blue spots was proportional to the degree of inflammatory reaction in the stomach. In comparison with the control group, the spike discharges of type II of medium-size DRG neurons in T9-T11 segments were decreased, and the current of whole-cell membrane was increased, basic intensity was decreased (P<0.05), discharge frequency and discharge number were increased (P<0.01,P<0.000 1); while the discharges of type I small-size DRG neurons were decreased, those of type II neurons increased, the whole-cell membrane current was decreased, and discharge frequency and discharge number were decreased (P<0.01, P<0.000 1).
CONCLUSIONS: Both the medium- and small-size DRG neurons from the spinal T9-T11 segments involve in gastric ulcer-induced acupoint sensitization via their different spike discharge activities. And intrinsic excitability of these DRG neurons can not only dynamically encode the plasticity of acupoint sensitization, but also can help us understand the neural mechanism of acupoint sensitization induced by visceral injury.
目的：从离子通道动力学角度探讨胃溃疡小鼠体表穴位敏化与背根节(DRG)中、小型神经元电生理活动的关系及机制。方法：雄性C57BL/6J小鼠随机分为对照组32 只、模型组34只（死亡2只）。模型组于胃小弯近幽门处注射冰乙酸到胃壁肌层近黏膜下层复制胃溃疡模型，造模后6 d小鼠尾静脉注射伊文思蓝（EB）染色液，观察体表渗出点数量、部位及分布规律；HE染色观察小鼠胃组织病理形态变化；离体电生理结合生物素ABC法观察脊髓胸(T)9-T11节段DRG中、小型神经元全细胞膜电流和内在兴奋性水平。结果：对照组EB渗出点不明显，模型组体表EB渗出点密集分布于脊髓T9-T11节段支配区域及胃脘部、“中脘”“滑肉门”附近皮肤。与对照组比较，模型组胃组织黏膜下层有大量嗜酸性粒细胞浸润，胃小凹结构被破坏，胃底腺扩张。脊髓T9-T11节段内的DRG中型神经元Ⅰ型放电增加、Ⅱ型放电减少，跨膜电流密度升高(P<0.01)，基强度降低（P<0.05），放电频率及放电数目增加(P<0.01,P<0.000 1)；DRG小型神经元Ⅰ、Ⅲ型放电减少，Ⅱ型放电增加，全细胞膜电流密度降低(P<0.01)，放电频率及放电数目减少(P<0.01,P<0.000 1)。结论：脊髓T9-T11节段内的DRG中、小型神经元通过不同的放电活动参与小鼠胃溃疡介导的穴位敏化过程。DRG神经元的内在兴奋性水平不仅能够动态编码穴位的敏化状态，而且可为内脏损伤导致穴位敏化的神经机制提供实验证据。.

Infrared thermal imaging technology was used to observe the changes in infrared radiation temperature at acupoints in rats caused by chronic myocardial ischemia injury.
This study aims to compare the difference of body surface infrared radiation temperature information of three groups of acupoints: bilateral Neiguan (PC6), bilateral Yanglingquan (GB33), and bilateral Sham Acupoints (SA) in the pathological state of myocardial ischemia injury, and to explore the relationship between acupoints and viscera state.
SPF adult Wistar male rats (n = 20) were randomly divided into a control (CTL; n = 10) and an isoproterenol group (ISO; n = 10). Chronic myocardial injury was induced in rats by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol hydrochloride for 14 d. On the second day after the establishment of the model, the serum levels of cardiac troponin (cTnI) and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The morphological changes of the myocardial tissue in the two groups were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and their pathological scores were evaluated, which was then used to determine the myocardial ischemic injury. Two days before and after the establishment of the model, the electrocardiograms (ECG) of the two groups of rats were recorded by the (ECG) data acquisition system, and the infrared thermal imaging platform was used to detect the temperature of the six acupoints.
1. After subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol hydrochloride for 14 days, the ST segment of the ECG decreased in the ISO group compared with that of the CTL group; 2. Myocardial tissue injury was serious in the ISO group compared to the CTL group; 3. Serum cTn-I and CK-MB were significantly increased (P <0 01) in the ISO group, compared to that in the CTL group; 4. The infrared radiation temperature on the body surface of bilateral Neiguan (PC6) acupoints decreased significantly in the ISO group, compared to that of the CTL group.
Infrared thermal imaging technology can be used to detect the changes in the energy state of acupoints. Chronic myocardial ischemic injury can cause a decrease in IR temperature on the body surface of bilateral Neiguan (PC6) acupoints, suggesting that visceral diseases can lead to changes in the energy metabolism of acupoints.

When the body is under pathological stress (injury or disease), the status of associated acupoints changes, including decreased pain threshold. Such changes in acupoint from a \"silent\" to an \"active\" state are considered \"acupoint sensitization,\" which has become an important indicator of acupoint selection. However, the mechanism of acupoint sensitization remains unclear. In this study, by retrograde tracing, morphological, chemogenetic, and behavioral methods, we found there are some dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons innervating the ST36 acupoint and ipsilateral hind paw (IHP) plantar simultaneously. Inhibition of these shared neurons induced analgesia in the complete Freund\'s adjuvant (CFA) pain model and obstruction of nociceptive sensation in normal mice, and elevated the mechanical pain threshold (MPT) of ST36 acupoint in the CFA model. Excitation of shared neurons induced pain and declined the MPT of ST36 acupoint. Furthermore, most of the shared DRG neurons express TRPV1, a marker of nociceptive neurons. These results indicate that the shared nociceptive DRG neurons participate in ST36 acupoint sensitization in CFA-induced chronic pain. This raised a neural mechanism of acupoint sensitization at the level of primary sensory transmission.

To explore the sensitization acupoints of women with primary dysmenorrhea (PD) by comparing infrared radiation temperatures between acupoints and non-acupoints.
We tested 10 acupoints of every woman with PD and healthy subjects on premenstrual, menstrual, and postmenstrual days using an infrared imaging device. The primary outcome was the absolute value of body surface temperature difference (AVTD) between the left and right sides of the same testing point.
A total of 58 PD patients and 57 healthy volunteers completed the test from May 2016 to May 2017. Compared with the healthy group, we observed a significant reduction and increase in the AVTD in Taichong (LR3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), respectively, during menstrual days in the PD group (= 0.01; = 0.04); while during postmenstrual days, all AVTDs of Shuiquan (KI5), Diji (SP8), and Xuehai (SP10) were diminished in the PD group (= 0.01; = 0.03; = 0.01, respectively). No significant differences in AVTD were detected at any other points or testing times.
Compared with the healthy group, the AVTDs of Taichong (LR3), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Shuiquan (KI5), Diji (SP8), and Xuehai (SP10) at menstruation-relevant points of PD patients were sensitized, providing a reference for the selection of acupoints in the treatment of PD.