[Study on specificity of acupuncture effect of Shenmen (HT 7) and Daling (PC 7)].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of acupunture at Shenmen (HT 7) and Daling (PC 7) on different cerebral functional regions by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and discuss the relative specificity of effect of these two acupoints.


METHODS
Ten healthy right-handed volunteers were enrolled in this research. Under the scan of fMRI with the pattern of "rest-stimulation-rest-stimulation-rest", acupuncture stimulation was given at Shenmen (HT 7) and Daling (PC 7) on the right side, and all the data were analyzed with Matlab software and SPM5 package to observe the activated cerebral regions.


RESULTS
The activated brodmann areas by acupuncture at Shenmen (HT 7) were mainly BA10 BA13, BA47, BA22 on the left side and BA40 BA44 on the right side, while the activated areas by acupunoture at Daling (PC7) were BA46, BA47, BA22 BA10. BA45 on the left side and BA44 BA9, BA6. BA40 on the right side.


CONCLUSIONS
The activated cerebral functional regions of acupuncture stimulation at Shenmen (HT 7) and Daling (PC 7) are not exactly the same, which indicates that the acupuncture effects of the two acupoints are specific. With the same activated areas of language and cognitive function, the Shenmen (HT 7) specializes in emotion control while the Daling (PC 7) could active the autonomic nerve function area.
Heilongjiang University of CM, Harbin 150040, China.
Zhen-Jing
ZJ
Li
Zhong-Ren
ZR
Sun
Chen-Yi
CY
Sun
Xin
X
Tong
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D055815:Young Adult