Effects of acupuncture to the sacral segment on the bladder activity and electroencephalogram.

Using urethane-anaesthetized rats, the effects of acupunctural stimulation to the sacral segment on the urinary bladder activity and cortical electroencephalogram (EEG) were examined. The acupuncture suppressed urinary bladder activity in 36 of 68 trials. On many occasions (22/36 trials), suppression was accompanied by an increase in EEG amplitude. In such cases, the EEG power increased in all frequency bands after stimulation. The same EEG changes could be induced when the bladder was empty with no contraction. The results suggest that acupuncture stimulation affects both the bladder activity and sleep-arousal system.