Nagata Hiroko, Umeda Masahiro, Murase Tomokazu
Tomita Acupuncture & Massage Therapy Clinic, Izunokuni Shizuoka, Japan.
School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Meiji University of Integrative Medicine, Nantan Kyoto, Japan.
Magn Reson Med Sci. 2025 Jun 20. doi: 10.2463/mrms.mp.2024-0128.
Acupuncture is believed to significantly modify neural circuits in the brain. However, the effects of moxibustion stimulation remain unclear. Therefore, we used functional MRI to investigate brain activation sites induced by moxibustion stimulation using an electric moxibustion device that mimics Japanese Tonetsu-kyu half-grain-sized direct moxibustion.
Twenty-two healthy adult participants underwent 6 rounds of 7-s moxibustion stimulations on the right acupuncture point ST36 using electric moxibustion during functional MRI measurement. The maximum output temperature of electric moxibustion was 67.5°C. However, the contact surface temperature was adjusted to 58.6 ± 0.1°C using cooking wrap to avoid small burns caused by heating. The ON time was divided into 3 periods: ON1, 2s from the start of moxibustion stimulation (<45°C); ON2, 5s from 2s after the start of output to the end of stimulation (>45°C); and ON3, 3s after the completion of stimulation. Each block was designed with all options other than ON set to OFF.
Common and different activations were observed in all ON times. During stimulation, common activation was observed in the insula, S1, and supramarginal gyrus. Activation in the central operculum, frontal operculum and supplementary motor area was observed only in the ON1 condition, while activation in the frontal pole, cerebellum, and right S2 was observed only in the ON2 condition. Using electric moxibustion that mimics a grain-sized direct moxa cone, common and different activations were confirmed from the start of output to 45°C and above 45°C, and the activation was sustained after the completion of stimulation.
This study showed that moxibustion could affect almost the same areas of pain-related regions. Based on the findings of this study, further research on moxibustion-induced brain activation may help elucidate the mechanism of its therapeutic effects.
人们认为针刺可显著改变大脑中的神经回路。然而，艾灸刺激的效果仍不明确。因此，我们使用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）来研究使用模拟日本温灸术半粒大小直接灸的电子艾灸装置进行艾灸刺激所诱发的脑激活位点。
22名健康成年参与者在功能磁共振成像测量期间，使用电子艾灸在右侧穴位足三里进行6轮每次7秒的艾灸刺激。电子艾灸的最大输出温度为67.5°C。然而，使用烹饪保鲜膜将接触表面温度调整至58.6±0.1°C，以避免加热引起的轻微灼伤。开启时间分为3个时段：开启1，艾灸刺激开始后2秒（<45°C）；开启2，输出开始后2秒至刺激结束（>45°C）的5秒；开启3，刺激结束后3秒。每个模块的设计是除开启外的所有选项均设为关闭。
在所有开启时段均观察到共同激活和不同激活。在刺激期间，在岛叶、初级体感皮层（S1）和缘上回观察到共同激活。仅在开启1条件下观察到中央岛盖、额岛盖和辅助运动区的激活，而仅在开启2条件下观察到额极、小脑和右侧次级体感皮层（S2）的激活。使用模拟粒状直接艾炷的电子艾灸，从输出开始至45°C及45°C以上确认了共同激活和不同激活，并且在刺激完成后激活持续存在。
本研究表明艾灸可影响几乎相同的疼痛相关区域。基于本研究的结果，对艾灸诱发脑激活的进一步研究可能有助于阐明其治疗作用机制。
