Effects of Acupuncture Therapy on Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Ischemic Stroke / 中国中医药信息杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss the effects of acupuncture therapy on resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in patients with ischemic stroke; To explore the central mechanism of acupuncture therapy.Methods Ten is chemic stroke patients with hemiplegia limbs and ten matched control subjects were included. Treatment group was given anti-platelet aggregation, anticoagulation, and nutrition brain cell therapy. At the same time, acupuncture therapy was given, taking Jianyu, Quchi, Shousanli, Waiguan, Hegu, Zusanli, Fenglong, Yanglingquan, Sanyinjiao, and Taichong, with even reinforcing-reducing method, and retaining the needle 30 min, manipulating needle every 10 min, once a day, 5 times a week, needle stopping for 2 d, for continuous 30 d. The health group did not undergo any treatment. BOLD-fMRI imaging technique was used, and based on RSET1.8 software, the parameters of brain activity before and after treatment were observed by amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method. The Results were compared with healthy group. Results Before treatment, the ALFF value of left caudate nucleus, putamen and globus pallidus in the treatment group was lower than that in the health group, and the ALFF value of bilateral precentral and postcentral gyrus, left grus frontalis superior, gyrus frontalis medius, gyrus temporalis medius and precuneus was higher than the health group (P<0.05). After treatment, the ALFF value in left caudate nucleus, putamen and globus pallidus in the treatment group was higher than that before treatment, and the ALFF value in left gyrus frontalis superior, gyrus frontalis medius and precuneus decreased than before group (P<0.05).Conclusion In the resting state of the ischemic stroke patients with hemiplegia limbs, the principal injured brain regions are caudate nucleus, putamen and globus pallidus. Acupuncture has a regulatory role for these brain areas, presumably may be the central mechanism of efficacy.