Skip to main content

REVIEW article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Systems Microbiology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1456848
This article is part of the Research Topic Animal Models, Gut Microbiota and Brain Diseases View all 16 articles

Exploring the Pathogenesis of Insomnia and Acupuncture Intervention Strategies Based on the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis

Provisionally accepted
Jia Guo Jia Guo 1,2Jixing Guo Jixing Guo 1,2Xiang Rao Xiang Rao 1,2Rongni Zhang Rongni Zhang 1,2Qiang Li Qiang Li 1,2Kun Zhang Kun Zhang 3Shanbo Ma Shanbo Ma 4Jingyu Zhao Jingyu Zhao 5Changchun Ji Changchun Ji 1,2*
  • 1 Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China
  • 2 Shaanxi Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, China
  • 3 Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
  • 4 Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
  • 5 Xi’an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi’an, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Insomnia is a common sleep disorder observed in clinical settings, with a globally rising prevalence rate. It not only impairs sleep quality and daytime functioning but also contributes to a range of physiological and psychological conditions, often co-occurring with somatic and mental disorders. Currently, the pathophysiology of this condition is not fully understood. Treatment primarily involves symptomatic management with benzodiazepine receptor agonists, melatonin and its receptor agonists, sedative antidepressants, atypical antipsychotics, and orexin receptor antagonists. However, due to the adverse side effects of these drugs, including dependency, addiction, and tolerance, there is an urgent need for safer, more effective, and environmentally friendly treatment methods. In recent years, research on the microbiota-gut-brain axis has received significant attention and is expected to be key in uncovering the pathogenesis of insomnia. Acupuncture stimulates acupoints, activating the body's intrinsic regulatory abilities and exerting multi-pathway, multi-target regulatory effects. A substantial body of evidence-based research indicates that acupuncture is effective in treating insomnia. However, the unclear mechanisms of its action have limited its further clinical application in insomnia treatment. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the pathogenesis of insomnia from the perspective of the microbiota-gut-brain axis by examining metabolic, neuro-endocrine, autonomic nervous, and immune pathways. Additionally, this study discusses the comprehensive application of acupuncture in treating insomnia, aiming to provide new strategies for its treatment.

    Keywords: Microbiota-gut-brain axis, insomnia, Pathogenesis, Acupuncture intervention, strategies

    Received: 29 Jun 2024; Accepted: 09 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Guo, Guo, Rao, Zhang, Li, Zhang, Ma, Zhao and Ji. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Changchun Ji, Shaanxi Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.