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Dimitrova A, Harrington A, Memmott T, Sisley J, Oken B. Acupuncture-Induced Changes in Nociception, Measured by Pain-Related Evoked Potentials: A Pilot Mechanistic Study. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE 2022; 28:862-869. [PMID: 35895503 PMCID: PMC9700342 DOI: 10.1089/jicm.2021.0369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Objective: The nociceptive system has been implicated in acupuncture analgesia, although acupuncture's precise mechanism of action remains unknown. Electric pain-related evoked potentials (PREPs) have emerged as an effective and reliable electrophysiologic method for evaluation of the human nociceptive system by electric stimulation of nociceptive Aδ and C fibers. This pilot mechanistic study aims to assess the feasibility of using advanced PREP techniques together with electroacupuncture and to use PREPs to characterize acupuncture's effect on nociception. Methods: Seven healthy volunteers underwent a previously designed electroacupuncture protocol using acupoints in the legs bilaterally, which has been demonstrated to induce systemic analgesia. Advanced PREP techniques involving tripolar stimulating electrode, varying interstimulus interval, and incorporating a cognitive task during PREPs were used. PREPs were assessed before electroacupuncture, during electroacupuncture, and 30 min after electroacupuncture. Subjective pain perception in response to the PREP-related electric pain stimuli delivered to the nondominant hand was assessed on the visual analog scale (VAS) at baseline, during electroacupuncture, and 30 min postelectroacupuncture. Results: Reliable PREP N1, P1, and N2 waves were obtained from all subjects at the following average latencies: N1 = 131.5 msec, P1 = 189.4 msec, and N2 = 231.1 msec. Electroacupuncture caused a significant reduction in PREP N1P1 wave amplitudes from 25.6 to 15.4 μV (p = 0.006) and electric pain perception on the VAS-from 2.86 to 2.14 (p = 0.008), compared to baseline. These effects were sustained at 30 min postacupuncture with N1P1 wave amplitude 17.2 μV (p = 0.030) and VAS 2.28 (p = 0.030), compared to baseline. Conclusions: Electroacupuncture causes significant changes in objective nociception, measured by PREP N1P1 wave amplitudes, and in subjective nociception, measured by the VAS, and these effects are sustained for 30 min after electroacupuncture. Planned future studies will involve chronic pain populations and will aim to assess acupuncture's longer term analgesic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Dimitrova
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Alisha Harrington
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Tab Memmott
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Jonathan Sisley
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Barry Oken
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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Qin C, Liang W, Xie D, Bi S, Chou CH. EEG Features of Evoked Tactile Sensation: Two Cases Study. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:904216. [PMID: 35754770 PMCID: PMC9221836 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.904216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Sensory feedback for prosthetics is an important issue. The area of forearm stump skin that has evoked tactile sensation (ETS) of fingers is defined as the projected finger map (PFM), and the area close to the PFM region that does not have ETS is defined as the non-projected finger map (NPFM). Previous studies have confirmed that ETS can restore the tactile pathway of the lost finger, which was induced by stimulation of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on the end of stump skin. This study aims to reveal EEG features between the PFM and the NPFM regions of the stumps under the same TENS stimulation condition. Methods: The PFM and NPFM regions of the two subjects were stimulated with the same intensity of TENS, respectively. TENS as target stimuli are modulated according to the Oddball paradigm to evoke the P300 components. Result: The PFM regions of both subjects were able to elicit P300 components, while their NPFM regions were not able to elicit P300 components. However, this P300 appears early (249 ms for subject 1,230 ms for subject 2) and has continuous positive peaks (peak 1,139 ± 3 ms, peak 2,194 ± 0.5 ms) in front of it. Discussion: N30 and P300 can prove that the two subjects with PFM can perceive and recognize ETS. The heteromorphisms of the P300 waveform may be related to the difficulty in subjects' cognition of ETS or caused by the fusion of P150, P200, and P300.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyu Qin
- National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, China
| | - Wenyuan Liang
- National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids for Old-Age Disability, Beijing, China
| | - Dian Xie
- Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng Bi
- National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, China
| | - Chih-Hong Chou
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
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Peihong M, Yuzhu Q, Tao Y, Zhaoxuan H, Shirui C, Yuke T, Kunnan X, Shenghong L, Ruirui S, Fang Z. Neuroimaging in the Understanding of Acupuncture Analgesia: A Review of Acupuncture Neuroimaging Study Based on Experimental Pain Models. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:648305. [PMID: 34093111 PMCID: PMC8172961 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.648305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With the development of real-time and visualized neuroimaging techniques, the studies on the central mechanism of acupuncture analgesia gain increasing attention. The experimental pain models have been widely used in acupuncture-analgesia neuroimaging studies with quantitative and controlled advantages. This review aimed to analyze the study design and main findings of acupuncture neuroimaging studies to provide reference for future study. The original studies were collected and screened in English databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library) and Chinese databases (Chinese Nation Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the Chongqing VIP Database, and Wanfang Database). As a result, a total of 27 articles were included. Heat stimulation and electroacupuncture were the mostly used pain modeling method and acupuncture modality, respectively. The neuroimaging scanning process can be divided into two models and five subtypes. The anterior cingulate cortex and insula were the most commonly reported brain regions involved in acupuncture analgesia with experimental pain models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ma Peihong
- Acupuncture and Tuina School/The Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Qu Yuzhu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School/The Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yin Tao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School/The Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - He Zhaoxuan
- Acupuncture and Tuina School/The Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Cheng Shirui
- Acupuncture and Tuina School/The Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Teng Yuke
- Acupuncture and Tuina School/The Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xie Kunnan
- Acupuncture and Tuina School/The Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Shenghong
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Sun Ruirui
- Acupuncture and Tuina School/The Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zeng Fang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School/The Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Zarei AA, Jadidi AF, Lontis ER, Jensen W. Short-Term Suppression of Somatosensory Evoked Potentials and Perceived Sensations in Healthy Subjects Following TENS. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2021; 68:2261-2269. [PMID: 33439833 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2021.3051307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has been reported to alleviate pain in chronic pain patients. Currently, there is limited knowledge how TENS affects can cause cortical neuromodulation and lead to modulation of non-painful and painful sensations. Our aim was therefore to investigate the effect of conventional, high-frequency TENS on cortical activation and perceived sensations in healthy subjects. We recorded somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and perceived sensations following high-frequency TENS (100 Hz) in 40 healthy subjects (sham and intervention group). The effect of TENS was examined up to an hour after the intervention phase, and results revealed significant cortical inhibition. We found that the magnitude of N100, P200 waves, and theta and alpha band power was significantly suppressed following the TENS intervention. These changes were associated with a simultaneous reduction in the perceived intensity and the size of the area where the sensation was felt. Although phantom limb pain relief previously has been associated with an inhibition of cortical activity, the efficacy of the present TENS intervention to induce such cortical inhibition and cause pain relief should be verified in a future clinical trial.
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Chen T, Zhang WW, Chu YX, Wang YQ. Acupuncture for Pain Management: Molecular Mechanisms of Action. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2020; 48:793-811. [DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x20500408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Acupuncture reduces pain by activating specific areas called acupoints on the patient’s body. When these acupoints are fully activated, sensations of soreness, numbness, fullness, or heaviness called De qi or Te qi are felt by clinicians and patients. There are two kinds of acupuncture, manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture (EA). Compared with non-acupoints, acupoints are easily activated on the basis of their special composition of blood vessels, mast cells, and nerve fibers that mediate the acupuncture signals. In the spinal cord, EA can inhibit glial cell activation by down-regulating the chemokine CX3CL1 and increasing the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10. This inhibits P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathways, which are associated with microglial activation of the C-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathway and subsequent astrocyte activation. The inactivation of spinal microglia and astrocytes mediates the immediate and long-term analgesic effects of EA, respectively. A variety of pain-related substances released by glial cells such as the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor [Formula: see text], interleukin-1[Formula: see text], interleukin-6, and prostaglandins such as prostaglandins E2 can also be reduced. The descending pain modulation system in the brain, including the anterior cingulated cortex, the periaqueductal gray, and the rostral ventromedial medulla, plays an important role in EA analgesia. Multiple transmitters and modulators, including endogenous opioids, cholecystokinin octapeptide, 5-hydroxytryptamine, glutamate, noradrenalin, dopamine, [Formula: see text]-aminobutyric acid, acetylcholine, and orexin A, are involved in acupuncture analgesia. Finally, the “Acupuncture [Formula: see text]” strategy is introduced to help clinicians achieve better analgesic effects, and a newly reported acupuncture method called acupoint catgut embedding, which injects sutures made of absorbable materials at acupoints to achieve long-term effects, is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Chen
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Institutes of Integrative Medicine School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Wen Wen Zhang
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Institutes of Integrative Medicine School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Yu-Xia Chu
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Institutes of Integrative Medicine School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Yan-Qing Wang
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Institutes of Integrative Medicine School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University Shanghai, P. R. China
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Perri RL, Rossani F, Di Russo F. Neuroelectric evidences of top-down hypnotic modulation associated with somatosensory processing of sensory and limbic regions. Neuroimage 2019; 202:116104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
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Xiang A, Yu Y, Jia X, Ma H, Liu H, Zhang Y, Rong J, Liu S. The low-frequency BOLD signal oscillation response in the insular associated to immediate analgesia of ankle acupuncture in patients with chronic low back pain. J Pain Res 2019; 12:841-850. [PMID: 30881095 PMCID: PMC6400126 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s189390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The present study evaluated the modulation effect of a painless acupuncture technique, ankle acupuncture (AA), on resting-state functional change in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Patients and methods Fourteen participants diagnosed with CLBP received AA and underwent one brain functional image scan after tactile stimulation and another one following the insertion of the needle. The needling sensations and clinical pain intensities were evaluated after the end of each functional image scan. The significance levels of Visual Analog Scales/Scores (VASs) before and after acupuncture were determined using paired t-test. The brain areas showing differences in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and fractional ALFF (fALFF) between the two scans were identified. We also explored the relationship between mean ALFF values in brain areas identified and VAS scores based on Pearson correlation coefficient. Results A complete-case analysis was performed on 12 participants. Neither different needling sensations nor any local sensations during the two scans was found. The clinical findings indicated that the scores of VAS scores were significantly lower after AA intervention (P<0.001). Compared with those after tactile stimulation, ALFF decreased in the left insular and increased in the left precuneus and right precentral gyrus, and fALFF decreased in the left insular, during retaining of AA (corrected). Moreover, there was a positive correlation found between mean ALFF change in the left insular and that of VAS values (P<0.05). Conclusion The present study demonstrated the low-frequency BOLD signal oscillation response in the left insular in brain activity was associated with an immediate analgesia of AA in patients with CLBP, which provides new insights into intrinsic connections between low-frequency brain signals and analgesic effects of acupuncture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anfeng Xiang
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,
| | - Yang Yu
- Department of Psychiatry, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xize Jia
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Institutes of Psychological Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairments, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huibin Ma
- School of Information and Electronics Technology, Jiamusi University, Heilongjiang, China.,Integrated Medical Research School, Jiamusi University, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hui Liu
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,
| | - Jun Rong
- Department of Sports Rehabilitation, Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Zhejiang, China,
| | - Sheng Liu
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,
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Applications of pain-related evoked potentials and short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials in acupuncture research: a narrative review. J TRADIT CHIN MED 2015; 35:606-12. [PMID: 26591694 DOI: 10.1016/s0254-6272(15)30147-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review and discuss the Chinese and English literature on the use of pain-related evoked potentials (PREP) and short-latency somatosensory EP (SLSEP) in acupuncture research. METHODS China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database and MEDLINE were searched for the following key words: acupuncture and PREP or SLSEP. RESULTS Thirty-seven articles were included in the review. Researchers usually use PREPs to study the analgesic effect of acupuncture, observe influential factors, or for mechanistic exploration. In the SLSEP studies, researchers focused on response characteristics of acupuncture, acupoint specificity, and influential factors of the treatment. There were some problems with the study design and conclusions. CONCLUSION Researchers could use PREP and SLSEP to objectively validate the effects of acupuncture and explore its mechanisms using nerve electrophysiology. Further studies can benefit from observing more acupoints' effects using PREPs or SLSEPs and investigating the placebo effect of acupuncture.
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Jun MH, Kim YM, Kim JU. Modern acupuncture-like stimulation methods: a literature review. Integr Med Res 2015; 4:195-219. [PMID: 28664127 PMCID: PMC5481834 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2015.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Revised: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Acupuncture therapy has been proved to be effective for diverse diseases, symptoms, and conditions in numerous clinical trials. The growing popularity of acupuncture therapy has triggered the development of modern acupuncture-like stimulation devices (ASDs), which are equivalent or superior to manual acupuncture with respect to safety, decreased risk of infection, and facilitation of clinical trials. Here, we aim to summarize the research on modern ASDs, with a focus on featured devices undergoing active research and their effectiveness and target symptoms, along with annual publication rates. We searched the popular electronic databases Medline, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, and analyzed English-language studies on humans. Thereby, a total of 728 studies were identified, of which 195 studies met our inclusion criteria. Electrical stimulators were found to be the earliest and most widely studied devices (133 articles), followed by laser (44 articles), magnetic (16 articles), and ultrasound (2 articles) stimulators. A total of 114 studies used randomized controlled trials, and 109 studies reported therapeutic benefits. The majority of the studies (32%) focused on analgesia and pain-relief effects, followed by effects on brain activity (16%). All types of the reviewed ASDs were associated with increasing annual publication trends; specifically, the annual growth in publications regarding noninvasive stimulation methods was more rapid than that regarding invasive methods. Based on this observation, we anticipate that the noninvasive or minimally invasive ASDs will become more popular in acupuncture therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jaeuk U. Kim
- Corresponding author. KM Fundamental Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 1672 Yuseongdaero, Yuseong-Gu, Deajeon 305-811, Korea.
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Scheffold BE, Hsieh CL, Litscher G. Neuroimaging and Neuromonitoring Effects of Electro and Manual Acupuncture on the Central Nervous System: A Literature Review and Analysis. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2015; 2015:641742. [PMID: 26339269 PMCID: PMC4538975 DOI: 10.1155/2015/641742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the different effects of manual and electroacupuncture on the central nervous system in studies with different neuroimaging interventions. The Database PubMed was searched from 1/1/2000 to 1/6/2014 with restriction to human studies in English language. Data collection for functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) studies was restricted to the period from 1/1/2010 to 1/6/2014 due to a recently published review which included all published randomized and nonrandomized controlled clinical studies as well as observational studies with control groups, no blinding required. Only studies comparing manual or electroacupuncture with sham acupuncture were eligible. All participants were healthy adult men and women. A majority of 25 studies compared manual versus sham, a minority of 7 trials compared electro versus sham and only 1 study compared electro versus manual acupuncture. In 29 out of 33 studies verum acupuncture results were found to present either more or different modulation effects on neurological components measured by neuroimaging and neuromonitoring methods than sham acupuncture. Only four studies reported no effects of verum in comparison to sham acupuncture. Evaluation of the very heterogeneous results shows evidence that verum acupuncture elicits more modulation effects on neurological components than sham acupuncture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Elisabeth Scheffold
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, International Master Program, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Liang Hsieh
- Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
| | - Gerhard Litscher
- China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan
- Research Unit for Complementary and Integrative Laser Medicine, Research Unit of Biomedical Engineering in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, and TCM Research Center Graz, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
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Otti A, Noll-Hussong M. Acupuncture-induced pain relief and the human brain's default mode network - an extended view of central effects of acupuncture analgesia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 19:197-201. [PMID: 22964986 DOI: 10.1159/000341928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
As a complementary medical procedure, acupuncture has a significant impact on the treatment of acute and chronic pain. Though the physiological mechanisms behind this method are still unclear, acupuncture has been claimed to rely also on changes in the central nervous system. Recent functional imaging studies indicate that the so-called default mode network (DMN) which consists of cortical midline structures and lateral parietal regions plays an important role in these processes. This brief overview describes the effects of analgesic acupuncture on the DMN architecture. The stronger interplay between systems dedicated to endogenous analgesia (periaqueductal gray), affective processing (anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala), memory (hippocampus), and self-projective thinking (DMN) following this therapy supports the notion that acupuncture is a mind-body therapy which helps to reintegrate important neural dimensions of inner life and to establish psychophysical pain homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Otti
- Abteilung für Neuroradiologie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Deutschland
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Chen MJL, Thompson T, Kropotov J, Gruzelier JH. Beneficial effects of electrostimulation contingencies on sustained attention and electrocortical activity. CNS Neurosci Ther 2010; 17:311-26. [PMID: 20950324 DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-5949.2010.00190.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chinese acupuncture therapy has been practiced for more than 3000 years. According to neuroimaging studies, electroacupuncture has been demonstrated to be effective via control of the frequency parameter of stimulation, based on the theory of frequency modulation of brain function. AIMS To investigate the following: (1) possible sustained effects of acustimulation in improving perceptual sensitivity in attention by comparing before, during, and 5 min following stimulation; (2) relations between commission errors and the motor inhibition event-related potential (ERP) component measured with independent component analysis (ICA); (3) whether habituation would be demonstrated in the sham control group and would be militated by acustimulation in the experimental groups. RESULTS Twenty-seven subjects were divided into three groups (n = 9). d-Prime (d') derived from signal detection theory was used as an index of perceptual sensitivity in the visual continuous performance attention test. Increased d' was found during both alternating frequency (AE) and low frequency (LE) stimulation, but with no change in the sham control group (SE). However, only following AE was there a sustained poststimulation effect. Spatial filtration-based independent components (ICs) in the AE group revealed significantly decreased amplitudes of the motor inhibition ICs both during and poststimulation. There was a significant habituation effect from task repetition in the sham group with decreased amplitudes of ICs as follows: the visual comparison component difference between go (correct response) and nogo cues (correct withheld response), the P400 action monitoring and the working memory component in the nogo condition, and the passive auditory component on control trials. CONCLUSION The results showed associations between acustimulation and improved perceptual sensitivity with sustained improvements following AE, but not LE stimulation. Improvements in commission errors in the AE group were related to the motor inhibition IC. The activational effects of acustimulation apparently attenuated the across-task habituation that characterized the control group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Jean-Lon Chen
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK.
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Yu H, Xu G, Yang R, Yang S, Geng Y, Chen Y, Li W, Sun H. Somatosensory-evoked potentials and cortical activities evoked by magnetic stimulation on acupoint in human. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2009; 2009:3445-3448. [PMID: 19964982 DOI: 10.1109/iembs.2009.5334641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Two acupuncture manipulations are clinically used: manual manipulation and electrical acupuncture. There is little published on the EEG changes during magnetic stimulation on an acupuncture site. In this study, EEG data in response to magnetic stimulation on HeGu (LI 4) acupoint were measured to determine whether magnetic acupoint stimulation might modulate ongoing EEG or not. Eighteen healthy volunteers (13 male, 5 female) 20 to 35 years old were chosen in this experiment, with consent obtained before the study. The highest evoked potential was recorded in FCZ electrode, at about 140-170 ms (P150) after acupoint stimulation, but not mock point stimulation. Comparison of the somatosensory-evoked potentials in response to acupoint stimulation and mock point stimulation showed that P150 was specific to acupoint stimulation. With regard to the location of P150 in the human brain, we suggest that magnetic stimulation on HeGu acupoint would affect specific brain areas compared with the mock point. The difference in the anatomical structure of acupoint and non-acupoint may explain the specific acupoint-brain correlation, and P150 may be a characteristic activation in response to acupoint afferent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongli Yu
- Province-Ministry Joint Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Field and Electrical Apparatus Reliability, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, China.
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