Effects of Fine-Needle Acupuncture on Hypothalamic NPY Neurons and Gastrointestinal Hormones in Simple Obesity

Corresponding author: chenbo, chenbomed@163.com

DOI: 10.12201/bmr.202607.00041

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  Abstract: Simple obesity is primarily characterized by an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, with abnormalities in feeding regulation playing a crucial role in its onset and progression. NPY/AgRP neurons and POMC/CART neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus collectively form the core network for feeding regulation; overexpression of NPY can enhance hunger signals, promote food intake, and increase fat accumulation. Fine-needle acupuncture, a commonly used clinical intervention, is characterized by its ease of administration, high safety profile, and good patient acceptance. Existing research suggests that fine-needle acupuncture may improve the functional balance between NPY/AgRP and POMC/CART neurons by reducing hypothalamic or serum NPY levels; simultaneously influencing the secretion of gastrointestinal hormones such as PYY, GLP-1, and CCK, which enhance satiety signals via the brain-gut axis and indirectly inhibit NPY-mediated pro-feeding effects. Ghrelin is closely related to NPY, but changes in ghrelin levels following fine-needle acupuncture remain inconsistent and may be influenced by factors such as gastrointestinal motility, negative energy balance, and the timing of measurement. Focusing on NPY, this paper examines the mechanisms linking hypothalamic feeding neurons and gastrointestinal hormones in the treatment of simple obesity with filiform acupuncture, with the aim of providing guidance for clinical applications and future experimental research.

  Key words: ; ; ; ; ; 

  Submit time: 26 July 2026

  Copyright: The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted biomedRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.
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