來自中國南昌大一附屬醫(yī)院的馮珍團(tuán)隊(duì)發(fā)現(xiàn)，正中神經(jīng)電刺激創(chuàng)傷性腦損傷后昏迷狀態(tài)模型大鼠，能使更多大鼠蘇醒，且促進(jìn)大鼠前額葉皮質(zhì)中orexin-A及其受體OX1R表達(dá)增加，而腦室注射OX1R拮抗劑SB334867則會上述現(xiàn)象。

    生物體興奮組織對電、機(jī)械、化學(xué)等的刺激均能產(chǎn)生反應(yīng)，且電刺激可以控制參數(shù)，適度的電刺激即使重復(fù)多次也不會產(chǎn)生組織損傷。在臨床上，正中神經(jīng)電刺激廣泛應(yīng)用于促醒昏迷患者。其可能原因是增加腦血流量、促進(jìn)相關(guān)神經(jīng)遞質(zhì)和神經(jīng)營養(yǎng)因子的表達(dá)。但具體的因素還不是很清楚。而Orexin-A是一種重要的興奮性下丘腦神經(jīng)肽，能參與覺醒過程。因此他們希望探究orexin-A在正中神經(jīng)電刺激后的變化。

    此項(xiàng)研究證實(shí)，正中神經(jīng)電刺激誘導(dǎo)昏迷大鼠前額葉皮質(zhì)中orexin-A及OX1R表達(dá)上調(diào)參與了促醒的過程。此項(xiàng)發(fā)現(xiàn)既對正中神經(jīng)電刺激促醒是有力的理論補(bǔ)充，也為臨床正中神經(jīng)電刺激促醒治療方案提供了實(shí)驗(yàn)依據(jù)。相關(guān)結(jié)果發(fā)表在《中國神經(jīng)再生研究（英文版）》雜志2015年4月4期。

    Article: " Resuscitation therapy for traumatic brain injury-induced coma in rats: mechanisms of median nerve electrical stimulation," by Zhen Feng, Ying-jun Zhong, Liang Wang, Tian-qi Wei (Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the First Affliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China)

    Feng Z, Zhong YJ, Wang L, Wei TQ (2015) Resuscitation therapy for traumatic brain injury-induced coma in rats: mechanisms of median nerve electrical stimulation. Neural Regen Res 10(4):594-598.

    Median nerve electrical stimulation is effective for traumatic brain injury-induced coma

    A team of scientists led by Zhen Feng, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, China recently found that median nerve electrical stimulation induced an up-regulation of orexin-A and its receptor OX1R expression in the prefrontal cortex of traumatic brain injury-induced coma rats and showed an arousal-promoting effects. After the OX1R antagonist, SB334867, was injected into the brain of rats after traumatic brain injury, fewer rats restored consciousness.

    The living body can generate response to electrical, mechanical and chemical stimuli. Electrical stimulation parameters can be precisely controlled and appropriate intensity of electrical stimulation, even more times, will hardly lead to tissue injury. Median nerve electrical stimulation has been widely used to wake comatose patients. The underlying mechanism may be associated with the fact that it can accelerate cerebral blood flow and increase the expression of neurotransmitter and neurotrophic factor. But the precise mechanisms remain unclear. Orexin-A is a hypothalamic neuropeptide, which is involved in a number of physiological functions such as feeding, energy homeostasis, and wakefulness. Therefore, Zhen Feng et al. investigated the expression change of orexin-A after median nerve electrical stimulation.

    Zhen Feng et al. confirmed that median nerve electrical stimulation induced an up-regulation of orexin-A and OX1R expression in the prefrontal cortex of traumatic brain injury-induced coma rats, which may be a potential mechanism involved in the wake-promoting effects of median nerve electrical stimulation. These findings provide experimental evidence for clinical use of median nerve electrical stimulation to wake comatose patients. This study has been recently reported in Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 10, No. 4, 2015).

    Article: " Resuscitation therapy for traumatic brain injury-induced coma in rats: mechanisms of median nerve electrical stimulation," by Zhen Feng, Ying-jun Zhong, Liang Wang, Tian-qi Wei (Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the First Affliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China)

    Feng Z, Zhong YJ, Wang L, Wei TQ (2015) Resuscitation therapy for traumatic brain injury-induced coma in rats: mechanisms of median nerve electrical stimulation. Neural Regen Res 10(4):594-598