Acupuncture: The Search for Biologic Evidence with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography Techniques

Cho, Zang-Hee; Oleson, Terry; Alimi, David; Niemtzow, Richard C.

doi:10.1089/107555302760253577

Cited by 72 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…For example, both verum and sham acupuncture have been found to reduce fMRI pain responses in the thalamus and insula of fibromyalgia patients; PET data using carfentanil in this same population also supports μ-opioid receptor involvement in acupuncture and/or sham analgesia (Harris et al 2005). Other studies demonstrate similar fMRI activity reductions in pain response within the sensory thalamus, ACC and premotor cortex after acupuncture stimulation at either real or sham (non-classical) acupoints (Cho et al 2002). Furthermore, EEG studies have found that acupuncture modulates painful somatosensory evoked potential amplitude at both short and long latencies following stimulation, suggesting that acupuncture may have both humorally and neurally mediated effects on pain (Xu et al 1993).…”

Section: Therapeutic Acupuncture Is At Least Partially Mediated By Enmentioning

confidence: 82%

Do the neural correlates of acupuncture and placebo effects differ?

Dhond

Kettner

Napadow

2007

Pain

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The neurophysiological basis of therapeutic acupuncture is not well understood but is likely to consist of both specific and non-specific (e.g. placebo) effects. Data from animal studies suggest that endogenous anti-nociceptive networks may play a large role in therapeutic acupuncture. These networks have also been demonstrated to support placebo analgesia making differentiation between acupuncture specific and non-specific networks challenging. However, modern neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET), electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) provide a means to safely monitor brain activity in humans and may be used to help map the neural correlates of acupuncture. Recent neuroimaging studies have explored brain activity during acupuncture stimulation and/or the analgesic effects of acupuncture on pain stimulus processing. Although controversy regarding appropriate control methodology (e.g. sham acupuncture) continues, data suggest that modulation of certain limbic brain networks may differentiate between specific and placebo components of acupuncture.

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Section: Therapeutic Acupuncture Is At Least Partially Mediated By Enmentioning

confidence: 82%

Do the neural correlates of acupuncture and placebo effects differ?

Dhond

Kettner

Napadow

2007

Pain

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Needle insertion at traditional and control locations can elicit similar physiologic responses (22)(23)(24)(25), including release of endorphins that can be blocked by opioid antagonists (26). Furthermore, functional magnetic resonance imaging has demonstrated that stimulation of both acupoint and sham points reduces activation in cortical areas of the brain believed to be involved with processing of pain signals (27).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Acupuncture Compared with Sham Acupuncture in Fibromyalgia

et al. 2005

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“…Although the control points were not acupoints, the same needle manipulations were performed at these locations. Despite the fact that the presence or absence of de-qi sensations was unknown, previous brain imaging studies with such needle manipulation at sham points reported that, regardless of whether acupoints or sham points were stimulated, BOLD signal intensities decreased in the sensory cortex, thalamus, anterior cingulate cortex, and the premotor area when compared with non-stimulated conditions (Cho et al 2002). On the other hand, when multiple acupoints (Liv3, Lv2, ST44) and sham points in areas innervated by the same peripheral nerves were subjected to acupuncture stimulation that resulted in de-qi sensations, the BOLD signal intensity decreased in the limbic system (anterior cingulate, hippocampus, amygdala, etc.…”

Section: Significance Of De-qi Sensations In Acupuncturementioning

confidence: 99%

Cerebral Hemodynamic Responses Induced by Specific Acupuncture Sensations During Needling at Trigger Points: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Study

et al. 2010

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Acupuncture stimulation at specific points, or trigger points (TPs), elicits sensations called "de-qi". De-qi sensations relate to the clinical efficacy of the treatment. However, it is neither clear whether de-qi sensations are associated with TPs, nor clear whether acupuncture effects on brain activity are associated with TPs or de-qi. We recorded cerebral hemodynamic responses during acupuncture stimulation at TPs and non-TPs by functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The acupuncture needle was inserted into both TPs and non-TPs within the right extensor muscle in the forearm. Typical acupuncture needle manipulation was conducted eight times for 15 s. The subjects pressed a button if they felt a de-qi sensation. We investigated how hemodynamic responses related to de-qi sensations induced at TPs and non-TPs. We observed that acupuncture stimulations producing de-qi sensations significantly decreased the Oxy-Hb concentration in the supplementary motor area (SMA), pre-supplementary motor area, and anterior dorsomedial prefrontal cortex regardless of the point stimulated. The hemodynamic responses were statistically analyzed using a general linear model and a boxcar function approximating the hemodynamic response. We observed that hemodynamic responses best fit the boxcar function when an onset delay was introduced into the analyses, and that the latency of de-qi sensations correlated with the onset delay of the best-fit function applied to the SMA. Our findings suggest that de-qi sensations favorably predict acupuncture effects on cerebral hemodynamics regardless of the type of site stimulated. Also, the effect of acupuncture stimulation in producing de-qi sensation was partly mediated by the central nervous system including the SMA.

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Acupuncture: The Search for Biologic Evidence with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography Techniques

Cited by 72 publications

References 2 publications

Do the neural correlates of acupuncture and placebo effects differ?

Do the neural correlates of acupuncture and placebo effects differ?

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Acupuncture Compared with Sham Acupuncture in Fibromyalgia

Cerebral Hemodynamic Responses Induced by Specific Acupuncture Sensations During Needling at Trigger Points: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Study

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