Electroacupuncture and Laser Interventions: HRV in Animals

I had a hand in editing this paper.  Happy to see it made it into print!  It has some interesting technologies (IV laser blood irradiation, interstitial laser acupuncture), and also electroacupuncture at pericardium 6.  Free full article here.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:169249. Intravenous laser blood irradiation, interstitial laser acupuncture, and electroacupuncture in an animal experimental setting: preliminary results from heart rate variability and electrocorticographic recordings.He W, Litscher G, Wang X, Jing X, Shi H, Shang H, Zhu B.SourceDepartment of Meridians, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China ; Stronach Research Unit for Complementary and Integrative Laser Medicine, Research Unit of Biomedical Engineering in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, TCM Research Center Graz, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria.AbstractThis is the first study to investigate intravenous (i.v.) laser blood irradiation, interstitial (i.st.) laser acupuncture, and electroacupuncture (EA) in combination with heart rate variability (HRV) and electrocorticogram. We investigated 10 male anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats under the three conditions mentioned previously in Beijing, China, and data analysis was performed in Graz, Europe. For i.v. laser stimulation in the femoral vein and i.st. laser acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6), we used a European system (Modulas needle, Schwa-Medico, Germany; 658?nm, 50?mW, continuous wave mode), and for EA at Neiguan, a Chinese system (Hanshi-100A; Nanjing Jisheng Medical Technology Company, China; 15?Hz, 1?mA). HR, HRV, and electrocorticogram were recorded using a biophysical amplifier AVB-10 (Nihon-Kohden, Japan). HR changed significantly during i.st. laser acupuncture stimulation of Neiguan in anesthetized rats. Total HRV increased insignificantly during i.v. and i.st. laser stimulation. The LF/HF ratio showed significant changes only during i.v. laser blood irradiation. Integrated cortical EEG (electrocorticogram) decreased insignificantly during EA and i.v. laser blood irradiation. Further studies concerning dosage-dependent alterations are in progress.http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/169249/