Evidence of a Synergistic Effect of Acupoint Combination: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Jiping Zhang

Yu Zheng

Yanjie Wang

Shanshan Qu

Shaoqun Zhang

Chunxiao Wu

Junqi Chen

Huailiang Ouyang

Chunzhi Tang

Yong Huang

Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine

2016

22(10)

800-809

RCT

BRAIN -- Physiology

CEREBELLUM -- Physiology

CEREBRAL cortex -- Physiology

Acupuncture

ACUPUNCTURE points

ALTERNATIVE medicine

MAGNETIC resonance imaging

PROBABILITY theory

RESEARCH -- Finance

SAMPLING (Statistics)

Statistics

T-test (Statistics)

DATA analysis

BODY mass index

RANDOMIZED controlled trials

PRE-tests & post-tests

BLIND experiment

DATA analysis -- Software

DESCRIPTIVE statistics

ONE-way analysis of variance

China

Objective: This study aimed to find evidence of a synergistic effect of acupoint combinations by analyzing different brain regions activated after acupuncture at different acupoint combinations. Methods: A total of 57 healthy subjects were randomly distributed into three groups: LR3 plus KI3 acupoints, LR3 plus sham acupoint, or LR3 alone. They underwent a magnetic resonance imaging scan before and after acupuncture. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) values of different brain regions were analyzed to observe changes in brain function. Results: ALFF and ReHo produced an activated area in the cerebellum posterior lobe after acupuncture at LR3 plus KI3 acupoints versus LR3 alone. ALFF and ReHo revealed altered activity in Brodmann area 10 (BA10), BA18, and brainstem pons after acupuncture at LR3 plus sham acupoint compared with at LR3 alone. A comparison of acupuncture at LR3 plus KI3 acupoints with LR3 plus sham acupoint demonstrated an increase in BA6 of ALFF and a downregulation of ReHo. Conclusions: The increased number of brain regions with altered brain activity after acupuncture at acupoint combinations versus a single acupoint are evidence of the synergistic effect of acupoint combinations. BA6 was significantly activated after acupuncture at LR3 plus KI3 acupoints compared with at LR3 plus sham acupoint, suggesting that BA6 is the specific region of synergistic effect of acupoint combinations of LR3 plus KI3 acupoints. Affected brain regions were different between acupuncture at LR3 plus sham acupoint and LR3 alone, which indicates that the sham acupoint may have some psychological effect. However, the specific mechanism of acupoint combinations requires further research.

Accession Number: 118649823; Source Information: Oct2016, Vol. 22 Issue 10, p800; Subject Term: BRAIN -- Physiology; Subject Term: CEREBELLUM -- Physiology; Subject Term: CEREBRAL cortex -- Physiology; Subject Term: ACUPUNCTURE; Subject Term: ACUPUNCTURE points; Subject Term: ALTERNATIVE medicine; Subject Term: MAGNETIC resonance imaging; Subject Term: PROBABILITY theory; Subject Term: RESEARCH -- Finance; Subject Term: SAMPLING (Statistics); Subject Term: STATISTICS; Subject Term: T-test (Statistics); Subject Term: DATA analysis; Subject Term: BODY mass index; Subject Term: RANDOMIZED controlled trials; Subject Term: PRE-tests & post-tests; Subject Term: BLIND experiment; Subject Term: DATA analysis -- Software; Subject Term: DESCRIPTIVE statistics; Subject Term: ONE-way analysis of variance; Subject Term: ; Geographic Subject: CHINA; Geographic Subject: ; Number of Pages: 10p; ; Illustrations: 5 Diagrams, 3 Charts; ; Document Type: Article;

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