Open Access<p>Electroacupuncture: A New Approach for Improved Postoperative Sleep Quality After General Anesthesia</p>
Author(s) -
Ming Luo,
Bijia Song,
Junchao Zhu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
nature and science of sleep
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.715
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 1179-1608
DOI - 10.2147/nss.s261043
Subject(s) - medicine , electroacupuncture , anesthesia , unconsciousness , norepinephrine , sleep (system call) , serotonin , dopamine , receptor , acupuncture , pathology , computer science , operating system , alternative medicine
General anesthesia produces a state of drug-induced unconsciousness that is controlled by the extent and duration of administered agents. Whether inhalation or intravenous in formulation, such agents may interfere with normal sleep-wake cycles, impairing postoperative sleep quality and creating complications. Electroacupuncture is a new approach widely applied in clinical practice during recent years. This particular technology helps regulate neurotransmitter concentrations in the brain, lowering norepinephrine and dopamine levels to improve sleep quality. It also alleviates surgical pain that degrades postoperative sleep quality after general anesthesia by downregulating immune activity (SP, NK-1, and COX-1) and upregulating serotonin receptor (5-HT1AR, 5-HT2AR) and endocannabinoid expression levels. However, large-scale, multicenter studies are still needed to determine the optimal duration, frequency, and timing of electroacupuncture for such use.