Résumé
[Objective]The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of manual acupuncture stimulation (MA) on motor evoked potential (MEP) induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).<BR>[Methods]The subjects were 10 healthy volunteers who gave oral and written informed consent. Experiment 1. MEPs were induced from the right abductor digiti minimi muscle (rADM) by TMS with a circular coil to the left cortex motor area and were measured before and after MA to the right LI4 (right Hoku point), left LI4 (left Hoku point), right LR3(right Taichong point) or left LR3(left Taichong point). A sparrow pecking technique (1 Hz for 1 minute) with a stainless steel needle (40 mm long, 0.18 mm in diameter, Seirin co., Inc, Shizuoka) was used for MA. The subjects received the same experiments four times with MA to different acupoints on a different day. Experiment 2. MEPs were measured during imaging of rADM and lADM contraction and immediately after noxious pinch stimulation to the skin on the right LI4 and left LI4 and right LR3and left LR3respectively. Repeated measure two-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis to compare between all groups. Repeated measure one-way ANOVA and multiple comparison (Dunnett's test) were applied to time point data in each group.<BR>[Results]MA to the left LI4 or right LR3was significantly decreased MEP (P < 0.01, respectively). In the right LI4, there was a tendency to decrease of MEP, but not significantly (P = 0.26). Most subjects answered feeling severe or strong acupuncture needle sensation. MEPs were significantly increased by imaging of contraction and noxious stimulation (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively).<BR>[Conclusion]These results suggested a possibility that distant acupuncture stimulation would suppress motor activity via several roots and that an acupuncture inhibited effect was compensated by facilitation arising from the concentration to the stimulated hand.