Evidence of timing effects on acupuncture: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Gao,Yanling; Lin,Zhicheng; Tao,Jing; Yang,Shanli; Chen,Ri; Jiang,Cai; Dong,Keng; Huang,Jia; Chen,Lidian

doi:10.3892/etm.2014.2056

Evidence of timing effects on acupuncture: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Authors:
- Yanling Gao
- Zhicheng Lin
- Jing Tao
- Shanli Yang
- Ri Chen
- Cai Jiang
- Keng Dong
- Jia Huang
- Lidian Chen
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Affiliations: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation Hospital, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, P.R. China, College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P.R. China, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Hospital of Quanzhou, Quanzhou, Fujian 362000, P.R. China, Fujian Provincial Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P.R. China
Published online on: November 7, 2014 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2014.2056
Pages: 59-64

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Abstract

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine there is an optimum time to administer acupuncture at a particular acupoint. The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the timing effects of acupuncture at the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint. A total of 10 healthy volunteers and 10 post‑stroke patients were recruited. The subjects received acupuncture stimulation at ST36 during two time periods: between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. (the AM condition) and between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. (the PM condition), seven days later. Blood oxygenation level-dependent signals were captured while the patient was receiving the acupuncture stimulation. The results showed a stronger activation in the AM condition than in the PM condition in both healthy and stroke subjects. The significant regions in the healthy subjects included the prefrontal cortex, cingulum, thalamus and cerebellum; for the stroke patients, the significant regions were the cuneus, supplementary motor area and inferior parietal gyrus. Timing can therefore modulate brain activation patterns during acupuncture in healthy subjects and stroke patients; however, the modulation effect appears to differ between the two subject groups. Further studies are required to explore the timing effects of acupuncture at different acupoints in different populations.

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