Neuroanatomical organization of electroacupuncture in modulating gastric function in mice and humans

Shun Dong¹, Lijuan Zhao², Jing Liu¹, Xuan Sha³, Yi Wu², Weili Liu¹, Junlong Sun¹, Yangshuai Su⁴, Zhidi Zhuang¹, Jian Chen⁵, Ying Dong⁶, Beijing Xie³, Anqi Zhou⁷, Hongyan Ji³, Yuchun Wang³, Xiaoman Deng², Xianghong Jing⁴, Qiufu Ma⁸, Nianhong Wang⁹, Shenbin Liu¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disorders, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
² School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
³ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
⁴ Research Center of Meridians, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
⁵ Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
⁶ School of Public Health, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
⁷ Department of General Practice, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
⁸ Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Center of Bioelectronic Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang, China.
⁹ School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China. Electronic address: wnh@fudan.edu.cn.
¹⁰ State Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disorders, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. Electronic address: shenbin_liu@fudan.edu.cn.

PMID: 40713955
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.06.023

Neuroanatomical organization of electroacupuncture in modulating gastric function in mice and humans

Shun Dong et al. Neuron. 2025.

. 2025 Jul 17:S0896-6273(25)00504-5.

doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.06.023. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disorders, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
² School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
³ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
⁴ Research Center of Meridians, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
⁵ Department of Digestive Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
⁶ School of Public Health, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China.
⁷ Department of General Practice, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
⁸ Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Center of Bioelectronic Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310030, Zhejiang, China.
⁹ School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China. Electronic address: wnh@fudan.edu.cn.
¹⁰ State Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disorders, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. Electronic address: shenbin_liu@fudan.edu.cn.

PMID: 40713955
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.06.023

Abstract

Somatosensory-vagal reflexes evoked by electroacupuncture (EA) can modulate visceral functions. However, the underlying principles and neural mechanisms remain poorly understood, hindering further optimization. Here, we identified key neural components essential for EA topographically driving the somatosensory-vagal-gastric reflex in mice. EA drove this reflex via activation of a subset of transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1)⁺ nociceptors marked by the expression of Adra2a and located exclusively in deep fascial tissues. Through TRPV1⁺ fibers, EA activated a subtype of gastro-projecting Oxtr⁺ fibers originating from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV). Genetic ablation of TRPV1⁺ fibers or Oxtr⁺ DMV neurons attenuated EA-induced gastric reflexes. Conversely, optogenetic activation of these neurons was sufficient to drive gastric motility in mice. Using similar stimulation parameters, we demonstrated that EA successfully improved gastric functions in patients with dysmotility-like functional dyspepsia (chictr.org.cn: ChiCTR2300072636). Our findings thus provide a neural anatomical basis for EA topographically to promote and treat gastric motility disorders.

Keywords: DMV; bioelectronic medicine; electroacupuncture; gastric motility; somatosensory; vagus nerve.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests.

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Neuroanatomical organization of electroacupuncture in modulating gastric function in mice and humans

Affiliations

Neuroanatomical organization of electroacupuncture in modulating gastric function in mice and humans

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement