Endorphins, oxytocin, sexuality and romantic relationships: An understudied area

Endorphins are the body's natural opioids that are created and released by the central nervous system, hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Endorphins have a reputation for pain reduction, enhancing excitement or satisfaction, boosting confidence, enabling control of emotions and generating feelings of euphoria, and are involved in the natural reward cycle. There is also evidence in the literature suggesting the role of endorphins in sexuality(including sexual function and sexual behaviours), as they may regulate the release of sex hormones, prolactin and growth hormone, which are involved in sexual function and love. Endogenous oxytocin is another intrinsic hormone whose role in inducing labour contractions, the delivery of the baby and stimulating lactation has been well studied. However, the potential impact of endorphins and oxytocin on sexuality and romantic relationships is not well understood. This article reviews the research on endorphins and endogenous oxytocin and how they relate to human sexuality and romantic relationships. Some animal studies report the effect of endorphin and oxytocin on sex hormones and mating behaviours, but these findings have not been supported by research into human behaviour, indicating many gaps in knowledge relating to the association between these hormones and human sexuality.

Function and regulation of cholecystokinin-octapeptide, β-endorphin and gastrin in anorexic infantile rats treated with ErBao Granules

AIM To study the role of cholecystokinin- octapeptide (CCK-8). β-endorphin (β-EP). and gastrin in an anorexic infantile rat model and no subsequent regulation of nose peptides by the Yunpi complex prescription ErBao Granule. METHODS We fed infantile rats with special prepared forage. A liquid extract of ErBao Granule was administered to the rats daily for 3 weeks, CCK-8, β-EP, and gastrin concentrations in hypothalamus, gastric antrum, and plasma of the rats were measured by radioimmunoassay, and were compared with controls. RESULTS Treatment of rats with ErBao Granule inhibited CCK-8 secretion and increased β-EP and gastrin secretion. CCK-8 concentration in hypothalamus and plasma of model control group increased significantly and correlated negatively with food intake of models, respectively. β-EP concentration in gastric antrum and plasma of model control group decreased significantly and showed a positive correlation with food intake of models, respectively. Hypothalamus concentration of β -EP was similar in models and controls. Gastrin concentration in gastric antrum of models was lower than in the blank control group, and correlated positively to food intake of models. Finally, CCK-8 concentrations in plasma of rats showed a positive correlation with plasma β-EP (r=-0.68, P<0.05). CONCLUSION The increased plasma and hypothalamus concentration of CCK-8, decreased gastric antrum and plasma level of β -EP, and decreased gastric antrum concentration of gastric are associated significantly with the anorexia of infantile anorexic rat models produced by special forage. ErBao Granule can reverse these changes, which may be the major mechanisms of ErBao Granule simulating feeding.

MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE IN SPORTS MEDICINE:RELEVANT POINTS AND THE POST-TRAUMATIC VITAL ALIGNMENT PROCEDURE

Medical acupuncture is an extremely useful therapeutic modality in sportsmedicine.There are a number of cardinal points that have proven effective in treating the pain associated with various kinds of sports injury and for alleviating the general discomfort associated with theseinjuries and with any particular illness an athlete may be experiencing.The pain and discomfort experienced by athletes also has mental and spiritual dimensions,and the post-traumatic vital alignment procedure I have developed helps atheletes recover a sense of well-being and″groundedness″after a serious injury or illness has disrupted their total,healthy equilibrium.

Endorphinergic Attenuation of Distress by Concomitantly Enhancing Endogenous Opioid Release and Switching Opioid Receptor Signaling from an Excessively Excitatory to a Normal Inhibitory Mode

The endogenous opioid system plays a significant role in the modulation of distress in many psychiatric, neurologic, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Many clinical distress symptoms show similarities to the excitatory autonomic withdrawal effects in chronic opioid-dependent animals and humans, as well as to the “quasi-morphine withdrawal syndrome” evoked in naive rodents shortly after acute systemic injection of cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE) inhibitors. These symptoms result from excessive excitatory opioid receptor signaling and increased endorphin release. Pharmacologic analyses of the remarkably plastic bimodal (excitatory/inhibitory) signaling functions of opioid receptors have utilized microelectrode recordings from opioid-sensitive neurons in tissue cultures of mouse sensory ganglia and hot-water tail-flick assays in mice. These studies led to development of specific chemical formulations that switch opioid receptor signaling from an excessively excitatory to a normal inhibitory mode. Critical combinations of cAMP-PDE inhibitors that release endorphins plus specific agents that switch opioid receptors from excitatory Gs-coupled to inhibitory Gi/Go-coupled signaling were shown to attenuate hyperalgesia and distress evoked by diverse chemical stressors in mouse tail-flick assays. Both the “quasi-morphine withdrawal syndrome” in naive rodents as well as the excitatory withdrawal effects in chronic, opioid-dependent animals and humans may be manifestations of a common Endorphinergic Distress Syndrome (EDS). We suggest that many distress symptoms are caused by EDS, a dysfunctional imbalance in the endogenous opioid system, consisting of abnormal endorphin levels, together with opioid receptors predominately in their excitatory mode. Therefore, concomitantly enhancing endogenous opioid release and switching excessive excitatory opioid receptor signaling to inhibitory signaling can attenuate these distress symptoms. Trials of a critically formulated oral preparation, containing both endorphin enhancers and opioid receptor switchers, have resulted in long-term anxiolytic efficacy and enhanced calm and mental clarity in large numbers of individuals with distress symptoms. These endorphinergic formulations may provide treatment for the emotional and physical distress associated with many psychiatric, neurologic, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Emotional and Physical Distress Relief Using a Novel Endorphinergic Formulation

While the endogenous opioid system has generally been associated with regulation of pain, it also modulates the experience of distress and may play a central role in many psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Decades of preclinical research on the analgesic effects of endogenous opioids, i.e., endorphins, suggests that opioid receptors have plastic bimodal (inhibitory/excitatory) properties that may explain conflicting findings in clinical research. An exploratory study with 60 healthy volunteer participants, using a cold pressor-induced pain paradigm, found evidence that a combination of a nutraceutical agent that enhances endorphin release (Endorphin Enhancer) with one that switches opioid receptors from an excitatory to inhibitory mode (Opioid Receptor Switcher) not only increases pain tolerance but also reduces emotional and physical distress. This discovery led to clinical application of a critically formulated endorphinergic treatment in 203 case studies over a two-year period. Findings revealed the remarkable clinical efficacy and safety of this treatment in the relief of chronic emotional and physical distress, including anxiety, anger, depression, cravings, and hyperalgesia, as well as enhancement of well-being, productivity, mental clarity, relationships, and an adaptive response to life’s stresses. These studies provide new insights into the role of endogenous opioid system imbalances in the development, treatment, and prevention of dysfunctional emotional and physical distress. We postulate that an Endorphinergic Distress Syndrome (EDS) consists of abnormal endorphin levels together with opioid receptors predominately in their excitatory mode. EDS may account for many core distress symptoms associated with chronic anxiety, addictions, pain, as well as affective personality, autism spectrum, attention-deficit, and distress-related medical problems. Our research has led to new endorphinergic formulations, combining Endorphin Enhancers, such as caffeine, with Opioid Receptor Switchers, such as n-acetylcysteine, for the relief of emotional and physical distress. Our studies also provide a novel method to reverse the anxiogenic effects of caffeine and related hyperexcitatory substances.

动态运动合成软件——Endorphin在3D游戏动画中的应用

Endorphin动态运动合成系统是基于人工智能控制器来模仿人体神经系统的角色动画模拟软件,它不依赖传统关键帧和动作捕捉技术就可让3D角色产生互动行为或按照设定的状态自行产生真实的动作,并可在实时状态下对角色的运动进行合成,这在游戏角色动画制作领域具有极高的实用价值。文章主要从Endorphin的原理、功能、传统动作捕捉存在的问题以及Endorphin在游戏动画制作域的应用等几个方面进行了探讨。

Regulation of hepatic function by brain neuropeptides

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THE ROLE OF β-ENDORPHIN IN THE MECHANISMS OF ISCHEMIC ARRHYTHMIA IN RATS

We evaluated the effects of β-endorphin (β-EP) antiserum administrated intravenously and intracisternally on the ischemic arrhythmia induced by coronary ligation in SD rats. It was found that β-EP antiserum given intracisternally but not intravenousllyreduced the severity of ischemic arrhythmia. These results indicate that central β -EP may be involved in the mechanisms of ischemic arrhythmia.

New mechanisms of the TCM spleen-based treatment of immune thrombocytopenia purpura from the perspective of blood neurotransmitters

Objective:To explore new mechanisms of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)spleen-based treatment of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) from the perspective of blood neurotransmitters.Methods:In this randomized controlled multi-center clinical study,271 ITP patients who met the diagnostic criteria of 'syndrome of spleen failing to manage blood' were randomized into three groups:group A administered Jianpi Yiqi Shexue (JYS) granules,1 bag per treatment,bid;group C administered prednisone as a draught at an initial dose of 1.0-1.5 mg/kg/day at 8:00 AM;and group B administered a combination of the interventions in groups A and C.Each treatment cycle lasted 21 days.Results:After treatment,scores of platelet distribution width (PDW) were significantly decreased in groups B and C,and there were significant differences among the three groups (P =.0131).Pairwise comparisons showed that PDW was significantly different between group A and group B (P =.005) and between group A and group C (P =.041) but not between group B and group C.Hemorrhage grading scores were significantly different between day 1 and day 7 in group A and group B (P <.001) but not in group C.The hemorrhage grading scores on day 14 and day 21 were significantly different from that on day 1 in all three groups (P <.001).Serum 5-hydroxytryptaminelevels did not change significantly before and after treatment in the three groups (P >.05).Serum β-endorphin and vasoactive intestinal peptide levels were significantly different between group A and group B (both P <.001).Conclusions:The JYS prescription may regulate the expression levels of blood neurotransmitters via the brain-gut axis in patients with 'spleen deficiency' ITP and thus activate hemostatic mechanisms to promote hemostasis.β-EP and VIP are key neurotransmitters of the JYS-induced functional regulation.

3dsmax与Endorphin的数据调用

本文重点介绍3Dsmax与Endorphin之间的联系,确保两者间生成的动作可以互用,和专题研究动作文件BVH在Endorphin下正常使用的问题。

令人眼界大开的虚拟动作捕捉系统——Endorphin

对于今天的游戏影视界人士来说，“动作捕捉”（Motion Capture．或简称Mo CaP）是个使用频率极高的时尚词汇，它代表着特技动作制作的最新潮流。从好莱坞大片到PC游戏，动作捕捉为动画师／美工提供了高效率、高品质的（人体骨骼）动画数据，给影、视、游作品制作开创了一条移花接木的高科技之路。目前，动作捕捉除用于人物动画绘制外，还可以把数据安置在动物或虚拟角色的骨架上，使那些动物甚至怪兽可以像演员一样听导演指挥，配合剧情演戏。电影”指环王”中怪物Gullum的绝色表演就是一经典例证。在游戏制作里，动作捕捉得到的动画数据一般被储存于数据库中，当玩家操纵游戏按钮时．游戏系统会自动从数据库里选出最合适的动画片段（一般短则几秒，长则几十秒），然后将其绘制于屏幕之上。至于动作捕捉设备和一般原理，《游戏创造》9月号已有专文详细介绍．本文不再在此赘述。

Effects of wrist-ankle acupuncture on associated factors in uterus tissue and serum in rats with primary dysmenorrhea

Objective：To observe effects of wrist-ankle acupuncture （WAA） onβ-endorphin （EP）, nitric oxide （NO） in uterus tissue and prostaglandin F2α （PGF2α）, substance P （SP） in serum of rats with primary dysmenorrhea. Methods：A total of 45 non-pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group and a WAA group, 15 rats in each group. Rats in the model group and the WAA group received continuous abdominal subcutaneous injection of Diethylstilbestrol to establish dysmenorrhea rat models. On the first day after modeling, rats in the WAA group began to receive acupuncture on Point Lower 1 and Point Lower 2, once a day for 10 d. The control group and the model group didn’t receive any treatment. Writhing latencies and frequencies were recorded.β-EP and NO in uterus tissue homogenates and PGF2α, SP in serum were detected. Results：In the model group,β-EP and NO levels were the lowest among the groups, the serum PGF2α level was the highest, and serum SP level was the lowest. These measurements showed significantly difference between the model group and the control group （P〈0.05）. PGF2α in the WAA group was lower than that in the model group;β-EP, NO and SP levels were higher than those in the model group, with inter-group statistically significant differences （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： WAA may achieve analgesic effect through decreasing PGF2α, increasingβ-EP, NO and SP to relieve uterine cramps, increase blood flow and promote functional improvement.

Involvement of Opioid Peptides in the Analgesic Effect of Spinal Cord Stimulation in a Rat Model of Neuropathic Pain

Spinal cord stimulation(SCS)-induced analgesia was characterized,and its underlying mechanisms were examined in a spared nerve injury model of neuropathic pain in rats.The analgesic effect of SCS with moderate mechanical hypersensitivity was increased with increasing stimulation intensity between the 20%and 80%motor thresholds.Various frequencies(2,15,50,100,10000 Hz,and 2/100 Hz dense-dispersed)of SCS were similarly effective.SCS-induced analgesia was maintained without tolerance within 24 h of continuous stimulation.SCS at 2 Hz significantly increased methionine enkephalin content in the cerebrospinal fluid.The analgesic effect of 2 Hz was abolished byμorκopioid receptor antagonist.The effect of 100 Hz was prevented by aκantagonist,and that of 10 kHz was blocked by any of theμ,δ,orκreceptor antagonists,suggesting that the analgesic effect of SCS at different frequencies is mediated by different endorphins and opioid receptors.

Acupuncture-related techniques for the treatment of opiate addiction:a case of translational medicine

Drug addiction is a chronic brain disorder characterized by withdrawal symptoms that occur during drug abstinence and a high tendency of relapse.Compared with the currently available pharmacological interventions,acupuncture therapy has the potential to help drug addicts stay away from drugs without major adverse side effects.It has taken decades of research to optimize the parameters of electrical acupoint stimulation for detoxification and for relapse prevention,as well as to establish a safe and easy procedure by which drug addicts can use it on themselves.The discovery that acupuncture can trigger the release of opioid substances from the brain in the 1970s provided the inspiration.Following this,basic research on animals made it possible to understand the mechanisms of action and establish the procedure for treating drug addictions.This article reviews the past,present,and foreseeable future regarding the use of acupuncture-related technique for the treatment of opiate addiction from the perspective of translational medicine.

Experimental study on the effect of An-pressing and Rou-kneading Huantiao (GB 30) on certain brain nuclei of pleasure circuits in rats with chronic neuralgia

Objective:To explore the central neurobiological mechanisms of pleasure effect on rats with neuralgia treated by tuina manipulations of An-pressing and Rou-kneading Huantiao (GB 30).Methods:A total of 64 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used in this study.Eighteen rats were randomly selected as a normal group,and the other 46 rats were used to duplicate the chronic constriction injury (CCI) model.Ten rats failed in modeling and 36 rats succeeded.These 36 rats were then randomly divided into a model group and a tuina group,with 18 rats in each group.The rats in the normal group and the model group did not receive any interventions,while those in the tuina group received An-pressing and Rou-kneading Huantiao (GB 30),1 min for each time,once a day,3 weeks in total.Heating tests were evaluated to observe the change of pain-sensitivity score before intervention,1 week after intervention,2 weeks after intervention,and 3 weeks after intervention.After 1 week of intervention,2 weeks of intervention,and 3 weeks of intervention,6 rats were randomly selected from each group respectively for brain extraction.The change of Nissl's body and β-endorphin in the accumbens nucleus as well as amygdaloid nucleus of pleasure circuits,and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) in the arcuate nucleus were analyzed by methods of histochemistry and molecular biology.Results:After modeling,the pain-sensitivity scores of the tuina group and the model group were statistically different from the score of the normal group (both P<0.05).After An-pressing and Rou-kneading Huantiao (GB 30) for one week,the pain-sensitivity score of the tuina group had statistical difference compared with that of the model group (P<0.05).At each different time point:the amounts of Nissl's body in accumbens nucleus and amygdaloid nucleus of the tuina group were significantly more than those of the model group (all P<0.01).Besides,the numbers of β-endorphin immunoreactive cells in the accumbens nucleus and amygdaloid nucleus of the rats in the tuina group were significantly higher than those in the model group (all P<0.01),and so was the expression of POMC in arcuate nucleus (all P<0.01).Conclusion:An-pressing and Rou-kneading Huantiao (GB 30),where the sciatic nerve is ligated,can reduce pain-sensitivity score and increase pain tolerance value of rats with chronic neuralgia.It can increase the activity of neurons in accumbens nucleus and amygdaloid nucleus of pleasure circuits,which indicates that the analgesia effect of tuina therapy may correlate with pleasure effect,and also reveals a part of neurobiological mechanisms of neuralgia.

基于UDK的刑事案件虚拟人运动仿真研究

介绍了传统虚拟人动作控制的方法,针对目前软件仿真过程中存在的动作不自然、编辑功能差等缺陷,结合公安工作的实际情况,提出了结合3D人体动画软件Endorphin和虚拟现实开发平台UDK进行虚拟人动作生成的开发思路,给出了详细的开发过程。虚拟仿真的实验结果表明此方法简单实用,生成的动作逼真、形象,较好地提高了犯罪现场重建中动作控制的开发效率。