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Previous studies showed that an acupuncture analgesia effect on visceral pain(VP) induced by CRD is mediated by neurons in the spinal dorsal horn and thalamus.The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) plays a role in parasympathetic regulation of VP.We examined the activity of NTS neurons during EA in a VP rat model induced by CRD.The experiment was performed on 57 Sprague-Dawley rats.A balloon was placed in the rectum to give stepping CRD stimulations.NTS neurons were identified if their spontaneous activity was excited (ON cell) or inhibited (OFF cell) by CRD, and EA (2 mA, 0.5 ms, 10 Hz) on auricular acupoint Heart, Neiguan, Zusanli was also conducted.During stepping CRD conditioning stimulation, 21 ON cells showed a gradient increase of spontaneous activity, and 12 OFF cells a gradient decrease.A majority of the ON cells was inhibited and OFF cells were excited by EA stimulation.There was no statistical difference among the acupoints in changes of neuronal activity.NTS neurons mediate the effect of EA on CRD induced VP in anesthetized rats.Our findings suggest a potential cross-talk polysynaptic mechanism.