title: Acupuncture does not influence brainstem auditory evoked potentials: a volunteer crossover study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although acupuncture is effective for treating several conditions, its site specificity is questionable.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether acupuncture influences the brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP).
  
  
  METHODS
  10 healthy volunteers were enrolled according to inclusion criteria. One of four acupuncture points-TE3, GB43 (both auditory system-specific, according to traditional Chinese medicine) and non-specific acupuncture points HT7 and ST44-was needled during each session. Each volunteer received four sessions of acupuncture, with a 1-week interval between the sessions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peak latencies and amplitudes of the BAEP were registered before and during each session of acupuncture. Pain intensity and the incidence of paraesthesia (Qi sensation) during acupuncture were also registered. The peak latencies and amplitudes of the BAEP registered during acupuncture had not changed from the baseline levels. Needling of acupoint HT7 was most painful and induced the maximal incidence of Qi sensation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest that monitoring the BAEP is not a suitable technique for studying the immediate effects of acupuncture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Friedrich Loeffler Strasse 23b, 17487 Greifswald, Germany. taras@uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: Taras I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Usichenko
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lietz
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavlovic
authors.forename: Reinhardt
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wendt
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mustea
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D055815:Young Adult