Cerebral fMRI study of the normal adult on electro-acupuncture Guangming point (GB37) under the vision stimulation condition / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM:To study the human brain hemodynamics responses induced by acupuncturing foot shaoyang gallbladder meridian point GB37 and visual stimulation,and to analyze the effect of acupuncture to activate the cerebral functional area in visual stimulus. METHODS:Twenty five normal subjects were divided into two groups15 subjects for electro -acupuncture GB37 in visual stimulus group and 10 subjects for electro-acupuncture GB37 groups. The blood oxygen level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) was carried out under the condition of two dif-ferent stimulation patterns (including a vision stimulation task and point GB37 acupuncture under the vision stimulation condition). A scintillating chessboard grid was applied as the vision stimulation task and the frequency was 8 Hz. The activation of cerebral functional areas of tested people under the conditions of the vision stimulation task and acupuncture were analyzed,respectively. RESULTS:Out of 15 subjects of electro -acupuncture GB37 in visual stimulus groups,twelve health volunteers were enrolled. When the vision stimulation task was carried out,the alarge area of brainstem and posterior lobe of cerebellum was seen to be activated. The areas of limbic lobe,hippocampus,middle temporal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus were also activated. Under the condition of acupuncture only,the areas of posterior central gyrus,inferior parietal lobule,parietal lobe precuneus and the middle frontal gyrus were activated. When doublesided points of gallbladder meridian of foot-shao-yang were electroacupunctured under the visual stimulus status,the areas of superior frontal gyrus,inferior frontal gyrus,parietal precuneus and occipital gyrus lingualis were activated. CONCLUSION:The functional MRI shows the activation of cerebral functional area after acupuncture. Visual stimulus causes significant changes of brain conduction path connection. Under the visual stimulus status,the acupuncture to the points of gallbladder meridian of foot -shao -yang,GB37 has an extent of influence to conduction path conformity of the vision system and with the treat-ment of ophthalmocace. Furthermore,the external stimulation has prominent influence to the acupuncture therapy possibly.