Using Nonlinear Dynamics and Multivariate Statistics to Analyze EEG Signals of Insomniacs with the Intervention of Superficial Acupuncture

Abstract

Objective. As a noninvasive and nonpharmacological therapeutic approach, superficial acupuncture (SA) is a special method of acupuncture. In this study, using nonlinear dynamics and multivariate statistics, we studied the electroencephalography (EEG) of primary insomnia under SA intervention to investigate how brain regions change. Method. This study included 30 adults with primary insomnia. They underwent superficial acupuncture at the Shangen acupoint. The EEG signals were collected for 10 minutes at each state, including the resting state, the intervention state, and the postintervention state. The data were conducted using nonlinear dynamics (including approximate entropy (ApEn) and correlation dimension (CD)) and multivariate statistics. Result. The repeated-measures ANOVA results showed that both ApEn and CD values were not significantly different at the three states p > 0.05 . The paired t-test results showed that the ApEn values of electrodes O2 (the right occipital lobe) at the postintervention state have decreased, compared with the resting state p < 0.05 , and no difference was detected in CD p > 0.05 . The cluster analysis results of ApEn showed that patients’ EEG has changed from the right prefrontal lobe (electrode Fp2) to the right posterior temporal lobe (electrode T6) and finally to the right occipital lobe (electrode O2), before, during, and after the SA intervention. In addition, the factor analysis results of CD revealed that patients’ EEG of all brain regions except for the occipital lobes has changed to the frontal lobes and anterior temporal and frontal lobes from pre- to postintervention. Conclusion. SA activated the corresponding brain regions and reduced the complexity of the brain involved. It is feasible to use nonlinear dynamics analysis and multivariate statistics to examine the effects of SA on the human brain.

Effects of Sleep Reactivity on Sleep Macro-Structure, Orderliness, and Cortisol After Stress: A Preliminary Study in Healthy Young Adults

“…It has been shown that after superficial acupuncture treatment for patients with primary insomnia, the value of ApEn was lowered relative to in the resting state. 59 In another study, the MSE value decreased in people with insomnia symptoms during wakefulness and stage 1 of NREM sleep after experiencing beat frequency vibrations. 60 Interestingly, in the current study, we found that N3 may be more stable than other sleep stages.…”

Clinical Experience of Acupuncture Treatment for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

“…Shallow acupuncture can treat a variety of diseases, and its method of flattening, replenishing, and reducing is unique in the treatment of NAFLD. e principle of shallow acupuncture is to stimulate the meridian blood circulation through the physical stimulation of the meridian points by the needle tip, adjust the functional balance of the meridians and viscera, and play the role of strengthening the body, eliminating pathology and curing diseases [12,13]. is is basically the same as the principle of acupuncture treatment.…”

A true response of the brain network during electroacupuncture stimulation at scalp acupoints: An fMRI with simultaneous EAS study

“…Therefore, real‐time scanning of brain areas during EAS is the best means to exclude interference by these factors. More recently, current acupuncture theory has suggested that changes in functional connectivity (FC) during acupuncture are dynamic (Qi et al., 2020 ). fMRI with simultaneous EAS may add relevant information to understand the effects of EAS as it more accurately represents the dynamic nature of the brain connectivity produced by EAS.…”