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Clinical efficacy and potential mechanisms of acupuncture for Parkinson’s disease: the role of GABAergic signaling

Year: 2025

Type: review

Abstract: Parkinson’s disease (PD), a common neurodegenerative disease, seriously impacts the quality of life of patients. In recent years, research has revealed that the GABAergic signaling pathway plays an important role in the occurrence and development of PD. GABA is an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS), synthesized through the alpha decarboxylation reaction of glutamate (Glu) under the action of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) in GABAergic neurons. It works by binding to specific receptors (GABAA/GABAB). In PD patients, the activity of GABAergic neurons in the basal ganglia (BG) changes, leading to an imbalance between direct and indirect pathways and causing motor symptoms. Meanwhile, the GABAergic signaling pathway is closely related to non-motor symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. At present, the treatment methods for PD mainly include drug therapy, surgical treatment, and rehabilitation therapy. Acupuncture, as a complementary and alternative therapy, has shown promising efficacy in the clinical treatment of PD. This review comprehensively and thoroughly explores the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on PD and its mechanism of action with GABAergic signaling. By systematically summarizing relevant research results, it was found that acupuncture may exert a complex mechanism of therapeutic effect by regulating the GABAergic signaling pathway. Further clarification of these mechanisms of action will be beneficial for promoting the application and development of acupuncture in the treatment of PD and is expected to provide new targets and strategies.

Source: Frontiers in Neuroscience

DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1525486