Brain activation of acupuncture stimulation at Zusanli acupoint on heroin addicts / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

0bjective To observe the different brain activation of acupuncture and electroacupuncture on healthy subjects and healthy subjects.Methods The different brain activation involved in heroin addiction between healthy subjects and addicts was detected by fMRI.Acupuncture point used in present study Was Zusanli (ST 36).Results Different brain activations between healthy subjects and addicts during electroacupuncture were hypothalamus(X0,Y2,Z9,t=7.36,P<0.01),anterior cingulate(X5,Y49,Z8,t=4.11,P<0.01),tempo-ral gyrus(X61,Y12,Z8,t=3.05,P<0.01).The difference of activated regions during conventional acupuncture between healthy subjects and heroin addicts was thalamus(X2,Y16,Z12,t=2.87,P<0.01),parahippocampus (X17,Y52,Z3,t=3.14,P<0.01),and hypothalamus(X0,Y2,Z9,t=6.98,P<0.01).Conclusion Regions with significant activation detected by fMRI are different during acupuncture in heroin addicts and in the healthy subjects.Notably,the hypothalamus activation is more robust in the addicts than in the healthy subjects during ac-upuncture stimulation.