The action of needling in acupoint therapy has to first be regulated and integrated by the brain, and then it affects the target organ and manifests its therapeutic effects, which is dependent on the specificity of th...The action of needling in acupoint therapy has to first be regulated and integrated by the brain, and then it affects the target organ and manifests its therapeutic effects, which is dependent on the specificity of the acupoints. The authors put forward the hypothesis of the ＂acupoint-related brain＂. Single-photon emission computed tomography was used to explore the activation of brain regions following true needling in true acupoint Waiguan （SJ 5）, sham needling in true acupoint Waiguan, true needling in a sham point, and sham needling in a sham point. The relative specificity of Waiguan in normal persons was analyzed by observing changes in regional cerebral blood flow. Compared with the sham needling in true acupoint group and sham needling in the sham point group, acupuncture at Waiguan can activate brain regions controlling movement. Compared with true needling in the sham point group, acupuncture at Waiguan can also activate brain regions controlling movement. The results suggest that the specificity of needling at an acupoint is related to certain activated cerebral functional regions, which are associated with the clinical application of the acupoint.展开更多
Functional brain imaging studies of the specificity of acupoint stimulation have revealed that needling at particular acupoints can induce activation of corresponding brain areas, examined in physiological and patholo...Functional brain imaging studies of the specificity of acupoint stimulation have revealed that needling at particular acupoints can induce activation of corresponding brain areas, examined in physiological and pathological states. The present study examined Waiguan （SJ 5） as the acupoint of interest. We tested five conditions： a true needling at true acupoint group, a sham needling at true acupoint group, a true needling at sham acupoint group, a sham needling at sham acupoint group, and a healthy control group. We examined changes in glucose metabolism in different functional cortical regions to determine the specific brain activation elicited by acupuncture at Waiguan. The results revealed that true and sham acupuncture at the same acupoint activated different brain regions. In addition, applying acupuncture at a genuine acupoint and a neighboring sham acupoint activated different brain regions. These findings suggest that acupuncture at Waiguan causes activation in some brain regions.展开更多
Acupoint combination is a method used for acupoint treatment of patients. Traditionally, acupoints are matched along the meridian distribution, which is a common rule in clinical practice, but the underlying mechanism...Acupoint combination is a method used for acupoint treatment of patients. Traditionally, acupoints are matched along the meridian distribution, which is a common rule in clinical practice, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Cerebral scans with functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） have been used in the study of acupuncture and acupoint specifically. In this study, fMRI was used to detect the activation of the brain areas under different acupoints, matched along different meridians, to elucidate the acupoint combination via a modern medical approach. Forty healthy volunteers were randomly divided into the following groups： Waiguan point （SJ 5）, Waiguan （SJ 5） ＋ Zhigou （SJ 6） （2 acupoints come from the same meridian）, Waiguan （SJ 5） ＋ Neiguan （PC 6） （2 acupoints come from 2 meridians with the relationship of interior-exterior）, Waiguan （SJ 5） ＋ Yanglingquan （GB 34） （2 acupoints come from 2 meridians with the same name-Shaoyang Meridian）, and sham point groups （needling in different points on the right hand）. A real-time cerebral fMRI scan was simultaneously performed. The cerebral activation rate, and the number and strength of different regions of interest were compared among the groups. The fMRI cerebral imaging confirmed that there were some differences in the activation of cerebral areas by the needlings in SJ 5, and in combination with other acupoints. Needling at SJ 5 alone greatly activated the right cerebellum, while needling at both SJ 5 and different co-needling points activated different cerebral functional areas.展开更多
The needling sensation of Deqi during acupuncture is a key factor of influencing acupuncture outcome.Recent studies have mainly focused on the brain function effects of Deqi in a physiological state.Functional magneti...The needling sensation of Deqi during acupuncture is a key factor of influencing acupuncture outcome.Recent studies have mainly focused on the brain function effects of Deqi in a physiological state.Functional magnetic resonance imaging（f MRI）on the effects of acupuncture at Waiguan（SJ5）in pathological and physiological states is controversial.In this study,12 patients with ischemic stroke received acupuncture at Waiguan（SJ5）and simultaneously underwent f MRI scanning of the brain,with imaging data of the activated areas obtained.Based on the patient＇s sensation,imaging data were allocated to either the Deqi group or non-Deqi group.In the Deqi group,the activated/deactivated areas were the left superior temporal gyrus（BA39）/right anterior lobe of the cerebellum and left thalamus.In the non-Deqi group,the activated areas included the medial frontal gyrus of the right frontal lobe（BA11）,right limbic lobe（BA30,35）,and left frontal lobe（BA47）,while the only deactivated area was the right parietal lobe（BA40）.Compared with the non-Deqi group,the Deqi group exhibited marked activation of the right anterior lobe of the cerebellum and right limbic lobe（BA30）.These findings confirm that the clinical effect of Deqi during acupuncture is based on brain functional changes.Cerebellar activation may be one of the central mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of ischemic stroke.展开更多
基金supported by the National 973 Program of China,No.2006CB504505the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.90709027
文摘The action of needling in acupoint therapy has to first be regulated and integrated by the brain, and then it affects the target organ and manifests its therapeutic effects, which is dependent on the specificity of the acupoints. The authors put forward the hypothesis of the ＂acupoint-related brain＂. Single-photon emission computed tomography was used to explore the activation of brain regions following true needling in true acupoint Waiguan （SJ 5）, sham needling in true acupoint Waiguan, true needling in a sham point, and sham needling in a sham point. The relative specificity of Waiguan in normal persons was analyzed by observing changes in regional cerebral blood flow. Compared with the sham needling in true acupoint group and sham needling in the sham point group, acupuncture at Waiguan can activate brain regions controlling movement. Compared with true needling in the sham point group, acupuncture at Waiguan can also activate brain regions controlling movement. The results suggest that the specificity of needling at an acupoint is related to certain activated cerebral functional regions, which are associated with the clinical application of the acupoint.
基金the National Basic Research Program of China (973 program), No.2006CB504505the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.90709027
文摘Functional brain imaging studies of the specificity of acupoint stimulation have revealed that needling at particular acupoints can induce activation of corresponding brain areas, examined in physiological and pathological states. The present study examined Waiguan （SJ 5） as the acupoint of interest. We tested five conditions： a true needling at true acupoint group, a sham needling at true acupoint group, a true needling at sham acupoint group, a sham needling at sham acupoint group, and a healthy control group. We examined changes in glucose metabolism in different functional cortical regions to determine the specific brain activation elicited by acupuncture at Waiguan. The results revealed that true and sham acupuncture at the same acupoint activated different brain regions. In addition, applying acupuncture at a genuine acupoint and a neighboring sham acupoint activated different brain regions. These findings suggest that acupuncture at Waiguan causes activation in some brain regions.
基金the National 973 Program of China, No. 2006CB504505the National Nature Science Foundation of China, No. 90709027
文摘Acupoint combination is a method used for acupoint treatment of patients. Traditionally, acupoints are matched along the meridian distribution, which is a common rule in clinical practice, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Cerebral scans with functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） have been used in the study of acupuncture and acupoint specifically. In this study, fMRI was used to detect the activation of the brain areas under different acupoints, matched along different meridians, to elucidate the acupoint combination via a modern medical approach. Forty healthy volunteers were randomly divided into the following groups： Waiguan point （SJ 5）, Waiguan （SJ 5） ＋ Zhigou （SJ 6） （2 acupoints come from the same meridian）, Waiguan （SJ 5） ＋ Neiguan （PC 6） （2 acupoints come from 2 meridians with the relationship of interior-exterior）, Waiguan （SJ 5） ＋ Yanglingquan （GB 34） （2 acupoints come from 2 meridians with the same name-Shaoyang Meridian）, and sham point groups （needling in different points on the right hand）. A real-time cerebral fMRI scan was simultaneously performed. The cerebral activation rate, and the number and strength of different regions of interest were compared among the groups. The fMRI cerebral imaging confirmed that there were some differences in the activation of cerebral areas by the needlings in SJ 5, and in combination with other acupoints. Needling at SJ 5 alone greatly activated the right cerebellum, while needling at both SJ 5 and different co-needling points activated different cerebral functional areas.
基金supported by the National Key Basic Research and Development Plan of China(973 Program),No.2006CB504505,2012CB518504the"University Students Innovation Experiment Project"in Guangdong Province of China,No.1212112038
文摘The needling sensation of Deqi during acupuncture is a key factor of influencing acupuncture outcome.Recent studies have mainly focused on the brain function effects of Deqi in a physiological state.Functional magnetic resonance imaging（f MRI）on the effects of acupuncture at Waiguan（SJ5）in pathological and physiological states is controversial.In this study,12 patients with ischemic stroke received acupuncture at Waiguan（SJ5）and simultaneously underwent f MRI scanning of the brain,with imaging data of the activated areas obtained.Based on the patient＇s sensation,imaging data were allocated to either the Deqi group or non-Deqi group.In the Deqi group,the activated/deactivated areas were the left superior temporal gyrus（BA39）/right anterior lobe of the cerebellum and left thalamus.In the non-Deqi group,the activated areas included the medial frontal gyrus of the right frontal lobe（BA11）,right limbic lobe（BA30,35）,and left frontal lobe（BA47）,while the only deactivated area was the right parietal lobe（BA40）.Compared with the non-Deqi group,the Deqi group exhibited marked activation of the right anterior lobe of the cerebellum and right limbic lobe（BA30）.These findings confirm that the clinical effect of Deqi during acupuncture is based on brain functional changes.Cerebellar activation may be one of the central mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of ischemic stroke.
