Changes in FMRI in the human brain related to different durations of manual acupuncture needling.
OBJECTIVE
The present study is aimed at evaluating the effects of manual acupuncture with different durations on the human brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging.


METHODS
Eighteen healthy right-handed volunteers were divided into three groups randomly. Each group received only one kind of acupuncture on the right LI4 (Hegu) point, which lasted 30 sec, 60 sec, or 180 sec, respectively. Fix-effect and conjunction analysis were used to compare the effects of the three kinds of acupunctures.


RESULTS
The results indicated that the stimulation of manual acupuncture with different durations could induce different effects in the central nervous system on the human brain. The longer duration of manual acupuncture might induce more significant areas.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study provided not only neuroimaging evidence for manual acupuncture, but also a useful guide for clinical applications of acupuncture. In addition, the results might be helpful to understand the relationship between the central nervous system responses and the durations of acupuncture.
Li
Ke
K
Key Laboratory of Nuclear Analysis Techniques, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Shan
Baoci
B
Xu
Jianyang
J
Liu
Hua
H
Wang
Wei
W
Zhi
Lianhe
L
Li
Kuncheng
K
Yan
Bin
B
Tang
Xiaowei
X
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011859:Radiography; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results