An FMRI study of neuronal specificity in acupuncture: the multiacupoint siguan and its sham point
Item
Title
An FMRI study of neuronal specificity in acupuncture: the multiacupoint siguan and its sham point
Author(s)
Journal Publication
Date
2014
volume
2014
Research Type
RCT
Keywords
Abstract
Clarifying the intrinsic mechanisms of acupuncture's clinical effects has recently been gaining popularity. Here, we choose the Siguan acupoint (a combination of bilateral LI4 and Liv3) and its sham point to evaluate multiacupoint specificity. Thirty-one healthy volunteers were randomly divided into real acupoint (21 subjects) and sham acupoint (10 subjects) groups. Our study used a single block experimental design to avoid the influence of posteffects. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired during acupuncture stimulation. Results showed extensive increase in neuronal activities with Siguan acupuncture and significant differences between stimulation at real and sham points. Brain regions that were activated more by real acupuncture stimulation than by sham point acupuncture included somatosensory cortex (the superior parietal lobule and postcentral gyrus), limbic-paralimbic system (the calcarine gyrus, precuneus, cingulate cortex, and parahippocampal gyrus), visual-related cortex (the fusiform and occipital gyri), basal ganglia, and the cerebellum. In this way, our study suggests Siguan may elicit specific activities in human brain.
doi
10.1155/2014/103491
pmid
Date of Input: 6/25/2015; Date Modified: 10/8/2015; Priority: Normal; Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, 45 Changchunjie, Xicheng District, Beijing 100053, China ; Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing 100053, China.; Department of Radio; eng; Web: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=25525442
has health condition studied
Healthy Subjects
has study population number
31
has duration
1 Day