BDNF and allergic rhinitis: Our 2013 model proposed that, in allergic rhinitis, acupuncture downregulated proinflammatory neuropeptides, substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP); downregulated neurotrophins, nerve growth factor (NGF), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); and downregulated Th2 and proinflammatory cytokines and possibly upregulated Th1 cytokines, thereby shifting Th1/Th2 balance away from Th2 dominance [1].