Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42454797›Full record

ArticleBrazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas2026

Electroacupuncture alleviates Parkinson's disease-related pain by inhibiting microglial NLRP3-ASC inflammasome in the amygdala.

Xiao-Wei Wang, Ben-Fan Zhu, Ying Shi, A-Long Xia, Ai-Ling Wang, Jing-Jing Peng, Si-Huan Zhu, Zhi-Lai Yang, Jun Li

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Xiao-Wei WangDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-7044-0639
Ben-Fan ZhuDepartment of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1620-1267
Ying ShiDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-0349-9402
A-Long XiaDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-9916-0094
Ai-Ling WangDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-0432-9114
Jing-Jing PengDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-9283-742X
Si-Huan ZhuDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-9705-0585
Zhi-Lai YangDepartment of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6923-2462
Jun LiDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5522-7160

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the role of microglia and NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated neuroimmune pathways in the analgesic effects of electroacupuncture (EA) in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD). Male C57BL/6 mice (8 weeks old) were randomly assigned to the control, PD model, and PD + EA groups. PD was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), while control mice received saline. EA was administered to the motor cortex once daily for five consecutive days in the PD + EA group, whereas PD model mice were restrained without receiving EA stimulation. Behavioral assessments were performed to evaluate motor function and nociceptive sensitivity. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and western blot analyses were used to quantify tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1), NLRP3 inflammasome components, and inflammatory cytokines in key brain regions. Compared with control mice, PD model mice showed reduced motor performance and heightened nociceptive sensitivity, accompanied by a decrease in TH-positive neurons and an increase in Iba-1-positive microglia in both the substantia nigra and amygdala. EA significantly improved motor performance and increased pain thresholds. Moreover, EA preserved TH-positive neurons, suppressed microglial activation, and downregulated the expression of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the amygdala. These findings suggest that EA alleviates PD-related pain, possibly by modulating microglial activation and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling in the amygdala, thereby reducing neuroinflammation.

Indexed as

AmygdalaCARD Signaling Adaptor ProteinsElectroacupunctureInflammasomesMicrogliaNLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 ProteinParkinson DiseaseAnimalsBlotting, WesternDisease Models, AnimalImmunohistochemistryMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLRandom AllocationTyrosine 3-MonooxygenaseCARD Signaling Adaptor ProteinsInflammasomesNLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 ProteinNlrp3 protein, mouseTyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

Identifiers

PMID42454797
PMCPMC13362890

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.