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Home / Equine Research Bank / Evid Based Complement Alternat Med / Acupuncture Affects Autonomic and Endocrine but Not Behaviou...
Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2015; 2015; 219579; doi: 10.1155/2015/219579

Acupuncture Affects Autonomic and Endocrine but Not Behavioural Responses Induced by Startle in Horses.

Abstract: Startle is a fast response elicited by sudden acoustic, tactile, or visual stimuli in a variety of animals and in humans. As the magnitude of startle response can be modulated by external and internal variables, it can be a useful tool to study reaction to stress. Our study evaluated whether acupuncture can change cardiac autonomic modulation (heart rate variability); and behavioural (reactivity) and endocrine (cortisol levels) parameters in response to startle. Brazilian Sport horses (n = 6) were subjected to a model of startle in which an umbrella was abruptly opened near the horse. Before startle, the horses were subjected to a 20-minute session of acupuncture in acupoints GV1, HT7, GV20, and BL52 (ACUP) and in nonpoints (NP) or left undisturbed (CTL). For analysis of the heart rate variability, ultrashort-term (64 s) heart rate series were interpolated (4 Hz) and divided into 256-point segments and the spectra integrated into low (LF; 0.01-0.07 Hz; index of sympathetic modulation) and high (HF; 0.07-0.50 Hz; index of parasympathetic modulation) frequency bands. Acupuncture (ACUP) changed the sympathovagal balance with a shift towards parasympathetic modulation, reducing the prompt startle-induced increase in LF/HF and reducing cortisol levels 30 min after startle. However, acupuncture elicited no changes in behavioural parameters.
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Publication Date: 2015-08-30 PubMed ID: 26413116PubMed Central: PMC4568046DOI: 10.1155/2015/219579Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study explores the influence of acupuncture on Brazilian Sport horses’ behavioural, cardiac, and cortisol responses to sudden stimuli, or ‘startles’. While acupuncture led to an increase in parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) heart rate modulation and reduced cortisol levels post-startle, it didn’t affect the horses’ behavioural responses.

The Study’s Purpose and Methodology

  • The research aimed to investigate if acupuncture could affect different responses in horses to ‘startle’, a quick reaction to sudden stimuli such as touch, sound, or sight.
  • The responses considered were categorized into three types: cardiac autonomic modulation (measured through heart rate variability), endocrine (assessed via cortisol levels), and behavioral responses (gauged through reactivity).
  • The experiment involved six Brazilian Sport horses. The ‘startle’ in this case was presented as an umbrella opening abruptly near the horse.
  • Prior to the startle, the horses underwent a 20-minute acupuncture session. The acupuncture points targeted were GV1, HT7, GV20, and BL52. In control scenarios, acupuncture was performed on nonpoints (NP), and at times, the horses were left untouched (CTL).

Cardiac Autonomic Modulation Analyses

  • The study adopted the approach of ultrashort-term analysis for assessing heart rate variability.
  • A 64-second-heart-rate series was interpolated at 4 Hz and segmented into 256 data-points.
  • These were then integrated into low-frequency (LF; 0.01-0.07 Hz) and high-frequency (HF; 0.07-0.50 Hz) bands. LF is an indicator of sympathetic (fight or flight) modulation, whereas HF signals parasympathetic (rest and digest) modulation.

Results of the Study

  • The study discovered that acupuncture (when performed on ACUP points) influenced the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic modulations, promoting a shift towards increased parasympathetic activity.
  • This change in heart rate variability diminished the immediate startle-induced boost in the ratio of LF to HF, indicating reduced sympathetic activity.
  • Cortisol levels, a stress hormone, also decreased 30 minutes post-startle in horses that underwent acupuncture.
  • However, the researchers found no changes in the horses’ behavioural reactions due to acupuncture, meaning the treatment did not affect the physical manifestations of startle responses despite it influencing internal physiological responses.

Cite This Article

APA
Villas-Boas JD, Dias DP, Trigo PI, Almeida NA, de Almeida FQ, de Medeiros MA. (2015). Acupuncture Affects Autonomic and Endocrine but Not Behavioural Responses Induced by Startle in Horses. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2015, 219579. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/219579

Publication

Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
ISSN: 1741-427X
NlmUniqueID: 101215021
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 2015
Pages: 219579

Researcher Affiliations

Villas-Boas, Julia Dias
  • Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, BR 465, KM 7, 23890 000 Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
Dias, Daniel Penteado Martins
  • Department of Physiology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
Trigo, Pablo Ignacio
  • Veterinary Institute, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, BR 465, KM 7, 23890 000 Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
Almeida, Norma Aparecida Dos Santos
  • Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, BR 465, KM 7, 23890 000 Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
de Almeida, Fernando Queiroz
  • Veterinary Institute, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, BR 465, KM 7, 23890 000 Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
de Medeiros, Magda Alves
  • Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, BR 465, KM 7, 23890 000 Seropédica, RJ, Brazil ; Multicenter Post-Graduation Program in Physiological Sciences, Brazilian Society of Physiology, 05508 000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil ; Post-Graduation Program in Veterinary Medicine and Post-Graduation Program in Physiological Sciences, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, 23890 000 Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
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