[A fMRI observation on different cererbral regions activated by acupuncture of Shenmen (HT 7) and Yanglao (SI 6)].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the influence of acupuncture of Shenmen (HT 7) and Yanglao (SI 6) on neuro-images in different cerebral regions in volunteer subjects.

METHODS

Twelve healthy young volunteer participants were enrolled in this research. fMRI scans were taken in random order in a block design (one for baseline and two for acupuncture stimulations). During stimulation phase, an acupuncture needle inserted in right HT7 or S16 was twirled at an angle of 180 degrees and a frequency of about 1.5 Hz for 35. 6 ms. Main parameters for fMRI were TR/TE/FA = 3560 ms/50 ms/90 degrees. Acupuncture sensations were evaluated by means of visual analog scale (VAS). The collected images were analyzed by using SPM 2 for exploring inter-group differences in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses.

RESULTS

When manipulating the needle, both the operator and the subject had a feeling of Deqi. Increases in BOLD signal (group analysis, corrected, 0.05, K > or =10) were found mainly in right postcentral gyrus of frontal lobe (BA 2, BA 1, BA 43), left inferior frontal gyrus (BA 47), secondarily, in the right inferior parietal lobule (BA 40), right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 44), left superior temporal gyrus (BA 22) and right insula (BA 40) after acupuncture at HT7; and chiefly in left inferior parietal lobule (BA 40), right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 45, BA 46), secondarily in the left middle temporal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus (BA 37) as well as the left superior frontal gyrus (BA 10) after acupuncture of S16.

CONCLUSION

Acupuncture of HT7 and SI6 elicite different BOLD responses in some related cerebral regions.