Divergent neural processes specific to the acute and sustained phases of verum and SHAM acupuncture

Abstract

Purpose: To discuss which brain region potentially functioned and switched between the immediate and delayed response of acupuncture. Materials and Methods:A nonrepeated event-related functional MRI (fMRI) design was used to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of acupuncture effects induced by needling an acupoint ST36 (ACU) and a nonmeridian point (SHAM). The standard general linear model was used to detect the immediate neural responses of acupuncture. Graph theory analysis was used to characterize the functional integrated network of the acupuncture delayed effect.Results: Acupuncture induced significant signal changes in the limbic/paralimbic areas, neocortical regions, brainstem, and cerebellum for immediate effect both in ACU and SHAM. Some of these brain regions showed strong functional connectivity for a delayed effect in ACU. Conjunction analysis showed that the insula played a critical role during the overall process of ACU. No overlapping brain regions were found in SHAM. Conclusion:The findings of this study suggested that the delayed effects may reflect a more significant characteristic underlying acupuncture. Given that the insula as a relay station switched between the immediate and delayed response, it suggested that divergent functional connectivity patterns may mediate the acupuncture-related effects for ACU and SHAM.

Acupuncture Induces Divergent Alterations of Functional Connectivity within Conventional Frequency Bands: Evidence from MEG Recordings

“…One intriguing finding here is the increased degree of connectivity recorded by sensors overlying the left temporal cortex within the delta, theta and gamma bands. Compared to recent fMRI studies in which the temporal gyrus as well as the underlying amygdala and hippocampus were indicated as network hubs following verum acupuncture, with the advantage of MEG we observed that such modulation effects existed specifically within the above-mentioned three bands, among which delta was the most dominant [58], [59]. Another thought-provoking result is that in addition to previous investigations which illustrated enhanced interactions of the temporal gyrus with the frontal gyrus and prefrontal cortex following acupuncture either at ST36 or NAP, we further pinpointed that such an effect occurred only in the delta band for sham acupuncture, compared with the additional modulation effect in the beta band of the verum group [60].…”

“…Acupuncture-induced modulations on functional connectivity have already been illustrated in previous fMRI investigations [58], [59], [60]. Given that fMRI is naturally an indirect imaging tool, we attempted to seek whether or not such alterations would be directly observed using an electrophysiological imaging modality, among which MEG being the most suitable for estimating functional connectivity [40], [61], [62].…”

Modulatory Effect of Acupuncture at Waiguan (TE5) on the Functional Connectivity of the Central Nervous System of Patients with Ischemic Stroke in the Left Basal Ganglia

“…Several studies demonstrated that acupuncture not only regulates the functional state and connectivity of sensorimotor areas of normal people [9], [14], [29] but also affects the functional state of the bilateral sensorimotor cortex of stroke patients [30], [31].…”

Effectiveness of Physical Therapy as an Adjunctive Treatment for Trauma-induced Chronic Torticollis in Raptors

“…24 Acupuncture points were chosen in consideration of studies on functional brain imaging research that link activation in the cerebellum with stimulation of pelvic limb points. 25,26 These areas were chosen to neuromodulate cerebellar activity given the role of the cerebellum and its role in balance and coordination.…”