[Functional magnetic resonance imaging on acupuncturing Yuan-Source and He-Sea acupoints of stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the functional brain localization with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after acupuncturing the Yuan-Source and He-Sea acupoints of Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming (ST).


METHODS
The study was performed in 30 healthy volunteers who underwent acupuncture at Yuan-Source acupoint (Chongyang, ST42) and He-Sea acupoint (Zusanli, ST36) (ST group). Ten of these were also underwent acupuncture at the non-acupoints as the control group. Blood oxygenation level dependent functional MRI was performed.


RESULTS
In the ST group, signal increasing areas were demonstrated in bilateral superior temporal gyri (Broadmann 22), bilateral supramarginal gyri (Broadmann 40), bilateral cerebellar hemispheres, bilateral cingulate gyri and isthmus of cingulate gyri (Broadmann 32, 30), bilateral superior parietal lobules (Broadmann 7); signal decreasing areas were shown in bilateral orbital gyri (Broadmann 11), bilateral temporal pole (Broadmann 38), right inferior frontal gyrus (Broadmann 47) and right medial occipitotemporal gyrus (Broadmann 36). In the control group, signal increases areas were demonstrated in superior temporal gyri, precentral gyri, cingulate gyri, thalamus, insula and cerebellum. The size, signal intensity and number of increasing areas in control group are less than in ST group.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined acupuncture of Yuan-Source and He-Sea acupoints of ST can activate and decrease the multiple brain regions of "splanchnic brain" and thus reach a new functional balance to relieve pain.
Wang
Guang-Bin
GB
Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Jinan 250021, China.
Liu
Cheng
C
Wu
Le-Bin
LB
Yan
Bin
B
Gao
Shu-Zhong
SZ
Shao
Guang-Rui
GR
Lü
Qing-Chao
QC
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016740:Meridians; D055815:Young Adult