title: Waiguan Stimulation May Kindle Anticorrelated Brain Networks: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data Revisited.
abstract: Subtraction of functional magnetic resonance imaging activity data results in a loss of information regarding possible general patterns of brain activation under experimental conditions. We, hence, reanalyzed previous Waiguan acupuncture data to qualitatively elucidate patterns of cerebral correlations to acupuncture and placebo conditions. Healthy individuals (n=24) were randomly allocated to true and sham Waiguan acupuncture and to true and sham needling of a nonacupuncture point (nonacupoint), and functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed during stimulation. Statistical parametric mapping group comparisons revealed clearly different patterns of activation between Waiguan stimulation and the corresponding stimulation of a nonacupoint. The former condition produced less neocortical activation than the nonacupoint stimulation. Cerebellar activation was typically seen only during true Waiguan acupuncture. The reduced neocortical activity during both true and sham Waiguan acupuncture may indicate that this point activates anticorrelated networks, with possible intrinsic healing properties. Cerebellar activation during true Waiguan acupuncture implies the region's influence on healing networks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; The First People's Hospital of Shunde, Shunde, China. Electronic address: gustav.wik@k1.uib.no.
authors.forename: Gustav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wik
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; The First People's Hospital of Shunde, Shunde, China.
authors.forename: Tongjun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jiping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Meridian Studies, School of Acupuncture and Massage, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: lai1023@163.com.
authors.forename: Xinsheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Meridian Studies, School of Acupuncture and Massage, Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chunzhi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Baoci
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shan
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Waiguan; acupoint; brain imaging; cognition; default-mode network