PET imaging of brain function while puncturing the acupoint ST36.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the experimental method of obtaining position emission tonogiaphy (PET) imaging evidence of changes in cerebral function by puncturing the Stomach 36 (ST36, Zusanli) acupoint.


METHODS
Data on changes of cerebral glycometabolism were obtained from six healthy male volunteers with positron emission tomography. Visual experimental evidence, as well as statistical parametric mapping (SPM), was gathered while puncturing the ST36 (Zusanli, right leg) acupoint.


RESULTS
There was increased glycometabolism in the hypothalamus, head of the caudate nucleus, temporal lobe, the sinistral cerebellum, postcentral gyrus, and brain stem while the acupoint ST36 was being punctured.


CONCLUSIONS
Acupuncture on ST36 can lead to increase in glycometabolism in the vegetative nerve centers, which is correlated with gastric function. Visual experimental evidence of ST36 acupuncturing on functional gastrointestinal disorder was obtained in our study.
Yin
Ling
L
Neuroinformatics Center, PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China. yinling1955@sina.com
Jin
Xianglan
X
Qiao
Weian
W
Sun
Jinping
J
Shi
Xian
X
Tian
Jiahe
J
Yin
Dayi
D
Yao
Shulin
S
Shao
Mingzhe
M
Zeng
Haining
H
Shan
Baoci
B
Tang
Yiyuan
Y
Zhu
Ke
K
D026881:Acupuncture; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D005947:Glucose