Department of Cardiovascular & Neurologic Disease (Stroke Center), East-West Neo Medical Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Apr;16(4):489-95. doi: 10.1089/acm.2009.0395.
The objective of this study was to assess differences in brain responses between pressure and acupuncture stimulation at the same acupoint using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
A total of 10 healthy right-handed volunteers were studied.
fMRI was performed with two different paradigms; namely, pressure and acupuncture stimulation at acupuncture points LI11 and ST36 on the left. fMRI data were analyzed using SPM2.
In comparison with the left LI11 pressure stimulation, both sides of the parahippocampal gyrus, cerebellum, left side of thalamus, and right side of posterior cingulate regions were more activated by the left LI11 acupuncture stimulation. In comparison with the left ST36 pressure stimulation, the secondary motor cortex, limbic system (cingulate gyrus, posterior cingulate), primary visual cortex, pons, and medulla regions were more activated by left ST36 acupuncture stimulation. In comparison with the left ST36 pressure stimulation, both side of BA 4 and BA 6 were more activated by the LI11 pressure stimulation. In comparison with the left LI11 acupuncture stimulation, left BA 6, BA 8, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were more activated by the left ST36 acupuncture stimulation.
In conclusion, brain signal activation patterns according to the stimulation methods and acupoints were observed to differ. Acupuncture stimulation activated more regions than pressure at the same acupoint. In particular, acupuncture stimulation activated the limbic system, such as the parahippocampal gyrus and ACC.
本研究旨在利用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）评估同一穴位的按压刺激与针刺刺激的脑反应差异。
共 10 名健康右利手志愿者参与研究。
采用两种不同的范式进行 fMRI 检查，即左侧 LI11 和 ST36 穴位的按压刺激和针刺刺激。使用 SPM2 分析 fMRI 数据。
与左侧 LI11 按压刺激相比，左侧 LI11 针刺刺激时双侧海马旁回、小脑、左侧丘脑和右侧后扣带回区域更为活跃。与左侧 ST36 按压刺激相比，左侧 ST36 针刺刺激时次级运动皮层、边缘系统（扣带回、后扣带回）、初级视觉皮层、脑桥和延髓区域更为活跃。与左侧 ST36 按压刺激相比，LI11 按压刺激时双侧 BA4 和 BA6 更为活跃。与左侧 LI11 针刺刺激相比，左侧 ST36 针刺刺激时 BA6、BA8 和前扣带皮层（ACC）更为活跃。
综上所述，根据刺激方法和穴位的不同，观察到脑信号激活模式存在差异。针刺刺激在同一穴位上比按压刺激激活更多的区域。特别是，针刺刺激激活了边缘系统，如海马旁回和 ACC。
