针刺穴位和非穴位对脑功能连接影响的MR研究

Study on the effects of acupuncture at acupoint and non-acupoint on functional connectivity of different brain regions with functional magnetic resonance imaging

目的:观察穴区与非穴区对脑功能连接的影响,以探讨腧穴作用特异性的基础。方法:选择21名健康志愿者,随机分为穴位组(12例)和非穴位组(9例),分别针刺受试者双侧足三里和足三里外侧3～4mm处,采用捻针手法,分别于针刺前、出针后25min进行功能磁共振扫描,以双侧扣带回作为种子点,分析穴位组和非穴位组脑功能连接情况。结果:穴位组和非穴位组均能产生广泛的脑功能连接,穴位组与非穴位组相比,穴位组在双侧小脑扁桃体、右侧小脑齿状核、双侧小脑悬雍垂、左侧小脑山坡、右侧小脑结节、左侧额下回、双侧颞中回、双侧旁中央小叶、左侧扣带回、右侧颞上回、右侧前扣带回等区域与后扣带回存在功能连接增强,而穴位组双侧额内侧回、右侧额下回与后扣带回的脑功能连接强度较非穴位组减弱。结论:穴位和非穴位所引发脑功能连接的脑区大部分相同,但穴位组在脑内的脑功能连接强度总体上高于非穴位组。

Objective To investigate the basis of distinctive function of acupoint through observing the effects of acupuncture at the areas of acupoint and non-acupoint on functional connectivity of different brain regions. Methods Twenty-one healthy volunteers were randomly divided into two groups： 12 cases in the acupoint group and 9 cases in the non-acupoints group. Bilateral Zusanli （ST 36） and its lateral 3--4 mm were punctured with twirling manipulation in the acupoint group and the non-acupoints group respectively. Before and after 25 minutes treatment, data of functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） scanning was taken from bilateral cingulate gyrus （seed point） to analyze the functional connectivity in both groups. Results Brain functional connectivity was demonstrated widely in both acupoint group and non-acupoint group after acupuncture. Comparing with the non-acupoint group, in the acupoint group, brain functional connectivity with posterior cingulate gyrus was found more intensively in the bilateral tonsil, right dentate nucleus, bilateral uvula, left declive and right tuber of cerebellum, as well as in the left inferior frontal gyrus, right middle temporal gyurs, bilateral paracentral lobule, left cingulate cortex, right superior temporal gyrus, right anterior cingulate gyrus etc. , however, its connectivity＂ was less in the bilateral medial frontal gyrus and right inferior frontal gyrus. Conclusion Both acupoint and non-acupoint can evoke brain functional connectivity that is similar on the most of regions, but the intensity of this connectivity in the acupoint group is higher than that in the non-acupoint group.