Li Lin, Liu Hua, Li Yong-Zhong, Xu Jian-Yang, Shan Bao-Ci, Gong Dan, Li Kun-Cheng, Tang Xiao-Wei
Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analysis Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Jul;14(6):673-8. doi: 10.1089/acm.2008.0036.
Stimulation of acupuncture points (acupoints) located on meridians has been proven to activate specific areas of the human brain, as evidenced by functional imaging studies. To date, the specificity of acupoints located on different meridians has been investigated with functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI). The present fMRI study explored the effects of stimulating 4 acupoints on 2 different meridians for the purpose of researching the characteristic response of acupoints on the same meridian.
The acupoints studied were LR3 (Taichong) and LR6 (Zhongdu), which belong to the Liver meridian of Foot-Jueyin; ST36 (Zusanli) and ST43 (Xiangu), which belong to the Stomach meridian of Foot-Yangming; and 2 nearby sham acupoints. Fifty-three (53) healthy right-handed subjects were divided randomly into 6 groups. Each group only received acupuncture at one acupoint. All the acupoints in this study were stimulated only on the right side of the subject's body. Through analysis of fMRI data from all subjects, we obtained the activation patterns in the central nervous system (CNS) evoked by acupuncture.
In contrast to the CNS activation by sham acupoint, the results showed that all 4 real acupoints under consideration had the common effect of activating 2 specific areas of the brain: the bilateral primary somatosensory area and the ipsilateral cerebellum. Acupuncture stimulation of both acupoints LR3 and LR6 evoked activation at the ipsilateral superior parietal lobe (BA7). Acupuncture stimulation of both acupoints ST36 and ST43 evoked activation at the ipsilateral middle frontal gyrus (BA10).
These results suggest that different acupoints on the same meridian may activate certain similar areas of the brain. In addition, acupoints that are commonly used in clinical practice might modulate a greater extent of cortical areas than uncommonly used acupoints.
功能成像研究证明，刺激经络上的穴位已被证实可激活人脑的特定区域。迄今为止，已通过功能磁共振成像（fMRI）研究了位于不同经络上穴位的特异性。本fMRI研究探讨了刺激两条不同经络上的4个穴位的效果，以研究同一经络上穴位的特征性反应。
所研究的穴位为属于足厥阴肝经的LR3（太冲）和LR6（中都）；属于足阳明胃经的ST36（足三里）和ST43（陷谷）；以及2个附近的假穴位。53名健康右利手受试者被随机分为6组。每组仅在一个穴位接受针刺。本研究中的所有穴位仅在受试者身体的右侧进行刺激。通过分析所有受试者的fMRI数据，我们获得了针刺诱发的中枢神经系统（CNS）激活模式。
与假穴位刺激引起的CNS激活相比，结果显示，所考虑的所有4个真穴位都具有激活大脑2个特定区域的共同作用：双侧初级体感区和同侧小脑。针刺LR3和LR6穴位均诱发同侧顶上叶（BA7）激活。针刺ST36和ST43穴位均诱发同侧额中回（BA10）激活。
这些结果表明，同一经络上的不同穴位可能激活大脑的某些相似区域。此外，临床实践中常用的穴位可能比不常用的穴位调节更大范围的皮质区域。
