Petar Papuga
Biography
Petar Papuga, MD, M.Sc., specialist for acupuncture and moxibustion Born on July 14, 1962 in Ruma, Serbia. Graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Zagreb, Croatia. He specialized acupuncture and moxibustion between 1989 and 1992 during a three-year study in Beijing and Shanghai. Afterwards, he completed master's degree in the field of epidemiological research on the impact of non-ionizing radiation on humans in 1997 at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana. Between 1994 and 1998, he represented Slovenia in the EU COST B4 (Cooperation of science and technology – Unconventional medicine in Europe). At the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia, he participated in regulating education and legislation in the field of Integrative and unconventional medicine. For many years, he has been participating in European attempts to integrate and improve research protocols, education in the field of complementary treatment methods and prevention. He lives and works in Slovenia, practices acupuncture and advises on natural methods for improving the quality of life. From the very beginning of his professional career, he has strived for a critical and high-quality combination of in-depth knowledge of the medical systems of the Far and Middle East with modern medical doctrine. He has lectured at professional meetings at home and abroad on several occasions, he is active as associate member and the teaching stuff member for the Acupuncture Section of the Slovenian Medical Association.
Research Interest
Slovenian Acupuncture Association
Abstract
Neurophysiological research about degeneration cervical ganglia chain (CGC) and it’s interactions with inner organs, especially heart, lungs, trachea, upper respiratory pathways and thyroid gland is bringing numerous facts that support clinical thinking in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In addition to above-mentioned facts, the superior cervical ganglia (SCG) provide innervation of the pineal gland, cephalic blood vessels, the choroid plexus, the eye, carotid body and the salivary glands. Removal of SCG brings about several neuroendocrine changes in mammals, which are partly attributed to pineal denervation (disruption of water balance and alteration of photoperiodic reproductive control in rodents). However ganglionectomy does not always mimic pinealectomy and vice versa. The signaling message is then relayed via dorsal root ganglia to the spinal cord and subsequently through inter-neuronal pathways to the brain stem, which contains motor neurons that control the functions of gut, lung, heart, arteries and reproductive organs, all major targets for acupuncture. Signals also travel to the brain stem and the brain cortex, where they interfere with the visceral and sensory afferent signaling. A functionally relevant link between SCG and hypothalamus may occur in rats inasmuch as ganglionectomy depresses norepinephrine uptake and increases the number of responses of alpha-adrenoreceptors in medial basal hypothalamus. SCG are also active points that receive influence of hormone signals induced by steroid and anterior pituitary hormones even in the absence of intact preganglionic connections. Therefore, we may propose that SCG a parallel peripheral neuroendocrine center. The pathology of corresponding CGC viscerotomes tipically exhibit lymphatic or blood congestion. The examination of the vertebral viscerotomes status can be performed by an cupping method, which has a long tradition in TCM.
