.:: SCIENTIFIC FUNDAMENTALS OF ACUPUNCTURE ::.   1- Analgesic effect, 2- Homeostatic effect (autonomous nerve system), 3- Immune system increasing effect, 4- Sedative effect, 5- Psychological effect. Acupuncture affects the PAG (periaquaductal grey) and causes to secrete 5 HT (Serotonin). It is observed that when given Serotonin blocker Siproheptadin, the analgesia of acupuncture is decreased and it does not secrete serotonin. ANALGESIC EFFECT: It is a pain subjective diagnosis. Not being a nice emotion experience and it tends to damage the tissue. For acupuncture to reduce the pain, 3 theories were suggested: a) Gate Control Theory b) Nociceptive Afferent Theory c) Endorphin Theory a) Gate Control Theory: Here can be found the gates which transmit nerve points. In 1965 Melzack and Wall founded this theory. According to them; when the nerve impulse in the periphery reaches to thalamo-cortical system the pain occurs. In order to feel the pain, the impulse must increase to some extent. The doors are located at the substansia Gelatinoza of the spinal cord. According to this, C group thin myelines carry the pain to the spinal cord’s root fibers and from there to the back grey ore by making synoptic contact with neurons, and from there comes to the fore lateral spiral corde. From here, in a lateral spino- thalamic way and from there stimulus reach to the cortex and pain is felt. Acupuncture needle, however, stimulate large non-myelines delta A fibers and this closes the gate at the Substansia Gelatinoza stopping the pain impulse go upwards. Acupuncture needle, stimulate touch and pressure receptors. b) Nociceptive Afferent System Theory: The pain is perceived by the nude nerve points. The feeling of pain is only sensed under the pathological conditions. In stimulus, Nociceptive receptors are stimulated by the extreme degree of mechanic, hot, cold, chemical impacts and tissue distorts. Nociceptive receptors carry the stimulus to the central nerve system with the plexuses. These plexuses which are formed by non-myelined nerve fibers enter the tissues and surround the blood veins inactively. As a consequence of the mechanical bent of the tissues, lactic acid, K increase, decreasing of Ph fewer than 6, histamine, Polypeptide quinines, serotonin and prostaglandins are secreted. And this stimulates the receptors with afferents reaching to the central system. In tissues can also be found the mechanoreceptors and they are divided as large (space receptors) and small (Nociceptive afferents) fibers. Acupuncture stimulates the mechano-receptors (large) and this carrying and inhibiting the inhibitor impulse on the nociceptive afferents and stops the other pain impulse to move upwards. In physical treatment; tissue vibration, electrical stimulation and massaging on the aching part can be explained in the same terms.    c) Endorphin Theory: %30 of the Anterolateral Spinal tractuse passes through thalamus posterior nuclears. It is not the thalamus that feels the pain. From here the paths pass to the upper regions of the brain (thalamus cortical) and from there reaches to three regions. Parietal (perceives where the pain and the structure of the qualitative [burner, and etc] ), temporal (takes place in the memory pertaining to the pain i.e how much did it last, when did it start) and frontal (feels the pain). During stimulation of these three regions, the activation of reticular neurons become the primary issue. If the reticular neurons are less activated, the pain carries upwards, that is to say, reticular neurons act like mechano-receptors, and etc. With this reticulo-spinal way, they effect the apical spinal neurons in the spinal corde and as a matter of fact, they stop the pain go upwards. Another type of this inhibition is; the endorphins which are secreted from the middle brain and pass to BOS (periaquaductal grey) affect the reticular system and prevents the nociceptive activity. Here, acupuncture causes to secrete the endorphins and other opiates and therefore, starts the reticular axons inhibition affect.    Endogen Opiates: These are biochemical peptides and secreted from Pituitary gland, hipotalamus and spinal cord. Divided into three types: 1- Pro-opiomelanokortine — B Endorphin (found at the hypophysis front lobe) 2- Pro-encephalin A system — Metenkephalin — Lo–enkephalin (brain and the spinal corde) Surrenal, G.I.S fence, sympathetic ganglions 3- Pro-enkephalin A system Dinorphine, B neoendorphine After the acupuncture stimulation metencephelic and B endorphin level increases and this becomes important in terms of decreasing pain relaxing and comforting of the person.   HOMEOSTATIC EFFECT:  Autonomous nerve system controls the internal organs’ activities continually and automatically. Regulates and adjusts the system, circulation, excretion, respiration, digestion and reproduction functions. Autonomous nerve system supervises the internal organ systems and water, electrolytes, acid and base balance in body liquids. Any change in the activity of an internal organ can affect the other organs as well. Regulating those, autonomous systems get into contact with many other regions (such as; spinal cord, reticular formation, other brain nucleuses, limbic system, cerebral hemisphere and hypothalamus). A person is neither aware nor informed of that system. Autonomous relations between peripheral tissues, brain and spinal codes are founded with the ganglion gap. Ganglions either can be found in the organ or can be found near the spinal corde (sympathetic ganglions). Autonomous nerves are efferent nerves and they definitely end with a ganglion. Spinal sympathetic nerves derive from T1 and L2 and their cell body has the shape of lateral grey horn and they emerge from each segment in ventral root. From here they come to the sympathetic ganglions and from there to skeleton muscles another branch emerging from the sympathetic ganglion gets into contact with secondary collateral and a ganglion. Thus, acupuncture applied on toracal and lumbal region also affects the internal organs. In the same manner, by making vasoconstruction-vasodilation on the veins it is valid in hypertension treatments and in the same way by stimulating the stomach and as a consequence of motile and HCL acid decrease it is effective in gastric and duodenal ulcer treatments. Since 1970, WHO (World Health Organization) started to support all the research which has been done concerning acupuncture. In order to achieve an international terminology relating to the acupuncture points; WHO has made many declarations. According to those, 361 classic acupuncture points and 48 extra points along with ear acupuncture have been described. When examined carefully, one can see that, almost 286 of them are found on the major blood veins region (these veins are surrounded by small nerve webs. Moreover, almost every acupuncture points are located in the outer border of those small nerve webs). These are divided as; A: Cuteneus (Sensorial and sympathetic), B: Vascular (Sympathetic and sensorial), C: Muscular (Sensorial and moter). IMMUNE SYSTEM INCREASING EFFECT: It has been determined that acupuncture increases the body immunity. For instance, if the Stomach 36 point (found in the forth and below of the knee) is stimulated, it is observed that leukocytes and lymphocytes in the blood are increased and at the same time caused leukocytes to destroy the bacterias and viruses called phagocyte, especially an evident increase in the interferon (which the T lymphocytes secret) level. The number of leukocyte increases after the application of the acupuncture and remains in the blood for 24 hours. In the liver reticulo-endothelial system cells, phagocytic activity increases %50 in the 6th and %70 in the 12th day. First, immune globulin M increases. Significantly, when LI4 (Large Intestine 4) point, below the backwards of the curtain, which is located between the thumb and the forefinger, is stimulated with ST 36 (Stomach 36) acupuncture T helper cells evidently increase. As a consequence, acupuncture, stimulates both phagocyte and antikoral immune system and increases their functions. SEDATIVE EFFECT: During the course of the acupuncture treatment, brain activity changes and while delta and teta waves decrease in the EEG, beta waves increase and this mesmerizes people and purify themselves from the stress. Consequently, with the sedative effect, the acupuncture is effective in; epilepsy, drug addiction, phobia and anxiety (especially in the treatment of cigarette addiction). PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT: With the increase of dopamine and beta endorphin stimulation in the brain, it has calming and relaxing effects. It realizes that by increasing the serotonin stimulation in the body.   ACUPUNCTURE POINT: The regions which are called as acupuncture points can be found under the dermis and inside the muscle. Recent studies have shown that these regions have more specific electrical potential in comparison to the other dermis regions. According to the stimulation of the cell Na (Sodium) and K (Potassium) balance changes and this alters the cell memran potential (60 mV). Another researcher has proved that in the regions comprising the acupuncture points have more dermis papillae. In another words, we can say that in these points, there are more nerve receptors. Also, many acupuncture points are spread in agreement with the nerve dermatome region. Moreover, these regions hit the motor neuron records of the muscles. This means that when we stimulate the acupuncture point with a needle or other methods, both the stimulation of the nerves in that region and their central nerve system (brain) stimulation actualizes as well. Brain responds in the same extent and realizes the stimulation of some substances (i.e. Beta endorphin, serotonin, and bradykinin). Beta endorphin cuts off the pain 50 times more than the synthetic painkiller morphine which is used in medication. Furthermore, endorphin prevents the pain reach upwards where the pain can be felt deeper. Actually, we doctors, without using a single medicine making the body to make its own treatment by using acupuncture.   In brain; especially hypothalamus stimulates hypophysis gland and reticulo-formation. The special pain reducing (analgesia) feature of acupuncture, morphine antagonist (one sets aside the effect) which is called nalloxon ceases the affect. While the electrical resistance of acupuncture point is 50.000 ohm other dermis regions’ resistances are between 200.000 and 2.000.000 ohm (founded by Becker in 1984 and by Chan S. in 1984). Additionally, in terms of acupuncture meridians, Darras Technetium concluded that TC (a radio-active substance) moves along the acupuncture meridian. Shortly, the lower the electrical resistance is the more it transmits the electrical current (acupuncture point).