ABSTRACT
Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese therapy, is gaining attention for its impact on the brain. While existing electroencephalogram and functional magnetic resonance image research has made significant contributions, this paper utilizes stereo-electroencephalography data for a comprehensive exploration of neurophysiological effects. Employing a multi-scale approach, channel-level analysis reveals notable $\delta $-band activity changes during acupuncture. At the brain region level, acupuncture modulated connectivity between the paracentral lobule and the precentral gyrus. Whole-brain analysis indicates acupuncture's influence on network organization, and enhancing $E_{glob}$ and increased interaction between the motor and sensory cortex. Brain functional reorganization is an important basis for functional recovery or compensation after central nervous system injury. The use of acupuncture to stimulate peripheral nerve trunks, muscle motor points, acupoints, etc., in clinical practice may contribute to the reorganization of brain function. This multi-scale perspective provides diverse insights into acupuncture's effects. Remarkably, this paper pioneers the introduction of stereo-electroencephalography data, advancing our understanding of acupuncture's mechanisms and potential therapeutic benefits in clinical settings.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Electroencephalography , Motor Cortex , Humans , Acupuncture Therapy/methods , Electroencephalography/methods , Motor Cortex/physiology , Male , Adult , Female , Somatosensory Cortex/physiology , Young Adult , Sensorimotor Cortex/physiology , Brain Mapping/methodsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the centromedian-parafascicular complex (CM-pf) has been reported as a potential therapeutic option for disorders of consciousness (DoC). However, the lack of understanding of its electrophysiological characteristics limits the improvement of therapeutic effect. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the CM-pf electrophysiological characteristics underlying disorders of consciousness (DoC) and its recovery. METHODS: We collected the CM-pf electrophysiological signals from 23 DoC patients who underwent central thalamus DBS (CT-DBS) surgery. Five typical electrophysiological features were extracted, including neuronal firing properties, multiunit activity (MUA) properties, signal stability, spike-MUA synchronization strength (syncMUA), and the background noise level. Their correlations with the consciousness level, the outcome, and the primary clinical factors of DoC were analyzed. RESULTS: 11 out of 23 patients (0/2 chronic coma, 5/13 unresponsive wakefulness syndrome/vegetative state (UWS/VS), 6/8 minimally conscious state minus (MCS-)) exhibited an improvement in the level of consciousness after CT-DBS. In CM-pf, significantly stronger gamma band syncMUA strength and alpha band normalized MUA power were found in MCS- patients. In addition, higher firing rates, stronger high-gamma band MUA power and alpha band normalized power, and more stable theta oscillation were correlated with better outcomes. Besides, we also identified electrophysiological properties that are correlated with clinical factors, including etiologies, age, and duration of DoC. CONCLUSION: We provide comprehensive analyses of the electrophysiological characteristics of CM-pf in DoC patients. Our results support the 'mesocircuit' hypothesis, one proposed mechanism of DoC recovery, and reveal CM-pf electrophysiological features that are crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of DoC, predicting its recovery, and explaining the effect of clinical factors on DoC.