Modulation of temporal and occipital cortex by acupuncture in non-menstrual MWoA patients: a rest BOLD fMRI study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and degree centrality (DC) values before and after acupuncture in young women with non-menstrual migraine without aura (MWoA) through rest blood-oxygen-level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD fMRI). METHODS: Patients with non-menstrual MWoA (Group 1, n = 50) and healthy controls (Group 2, n = 50) were recruited. fMRI was performed in Group 1 at 2 time points: before acupuncture (time point 1, TP1); and after the end of all acupuncture sessions (time point 2, TP2), and performed in Group 2 as a one-time scan. Patients in Group 1 were assessed with the Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire (MIDAS) and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) at TP1 and TP2 after fMRI was performed. The ALFF and DC values were compared within Group 1 at two time points and between Group 1 and Group2. The correlation between ALFF and DC values with the statistical differences and the clinical scales scores were analyzed. RESULTS: Brain activities increased in the left fusiform gyrus and right angular gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, and bilateral prefrontal cortex and decreased in left inferior parietal lobule in Group 1, which had different ALFF values compared with Group 2 at TP1. The bilateral fusiform gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus and right middle temporal gyrus increased and right angular gyrus, right superior marginal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule, right middle occipital gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, right anterior central gyrus, and right supplementary motor area decreased in activity in Group 1 had different DC values compared with Group 2 at TP1. ALFF and DC values of right inferior temporal gyrus, right fusiform gyrus and right middle temporal gyrus were decreased in Group1 at TP1 compared with TP2. ALFF values in the left middle occipital area were positively correlated with the pain degree at TP1 in Group1 (correlation coefficient r, r = 0.827, r = 0.343; P < 0.01, P = 0.015). The DC values of the right inferior temporal area were positively correlated with the pain degree at TP1 in Group 1 (r = 0.371; P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Spontaneous brain activity and network changes in young women with non-menstrual MwoA were altered by acupuncture. The right temporal area may be an important target for acupuncture modulated brain function in young women with non-menstrual MwoA.

Cerebral abnormalities in HIV-infected individuals with neurocognitive impairment revealed by fMRI.

Although the combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) has considerably lowered the risk of HIV associated dementia (HAD), the incidence of neurocognitive impairments (NCI) has not decreased likely due to the insidious and slow progressive nature of HIV infection. Recent studies showed that the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is a prominent technique in helping the non-invasive analysis of neucognitive impairment. Our study is to explore the neuroimaging characteristics among people living with HIV (PLWH) with or without NCI in terms of cerebral regional and neural network by rs-fMRI, based on the hypothesis that HIV patients with and without NCI have independent brain imaging characteristics. 33 PLWH with NCI and 33 PLWH without NCI, recruited from the Cohort of HIV-infected associated Chronic Diseases and Health Outcomes, Shanghai, China (CHCDO) which was established in 2018, were categorized into the HIV-NCI and HIV-control groups, respectively, based on Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) results. The two groups were matched in terms of sex, education and age. Resting-state fMRI data were collected from all participants to analyze the fraction amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and functional connectivity (FC) to assess regional and neural network alterations in the brain. Correlations between fALFF/FC values in specific brain regions and clinical characteristics were also examined. The results showed increased fALFF values in the bilateral calcarine gyrus, bilateral superior occipital gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, and left cuneus in the HIV-NCI group compared to the HIV-control group. Additionally, increased FC values were observed between the right superior occipital gyrus and right olfactory cortex, bilateral gyrus rectus, and right orbital part of the middle frontal gyrus in the HIV-NCI group. Conversely, decreased FC values were found between the left hippocampus and bilateral medial prefrontal gyrus, as well as bilateral superior frontal gyrus. The study concluded that abnormal spontaneous activity in PLWH with NCI primarily occurred in the occipital cortex, while defects in brain networks were mostly associated with the prefrontal cortex. The observed changes in fALFF and FC in specific brain regions provide visual evidence to enhance our understanding of the central mechanisms underlying the development of cognitive impairment in HIV patients.

Effects and safety of auricular acupressure on depression and anxiety in isolated COVID-19 patients: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Psychological distress such as depression and anxiety resulted from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have attracted increasing attention. The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effects and safety of auricular acupressure on depression and anxiety in isolated COVID-19 patients. Methods: 68 participants diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia (18-80 years old, SDS ≥ 50, SAS ≥ 45) were recruited and randomly allocated to the auricular acupressure group and the sham auricular acupressure group by a computer-generated random number sequence from 9th June to 30th June 2022. The group allocation was only blinded to the participants. Those in the auricular acupressure group were attached magnetic beads against 4 auricular points Shenmen, Subcortex, Liver and Endocrine, while sham group used four irrelevant auricular points. Outcomes were measured by Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SAS) before and after treatment in both groups through electronic questionnaire in mobile phones. Results: After treatment, statistically significant differences were found in scores of SAS in both groups (P < 0.001 in auricular acupressure group; P = 0.003 in sham group), and SDS scores reduced significantly in the auricular acupressure group (P = 0.002). Significant reduced SAS and SDS scores were achieved in the auricular acupressure group than that in the sham group (F = 4.008, P = 0.049, MD -7.70 95% CI: -9.00, -6.40, SMD -2.79 95% CI: -3.47, -2.11 in SDS; F = 10.186, P = 0.002, MD -14.00 95% CI: -15.47, -12.53, SMD -4.46 95% CI: -5.37, -3.56 in SAS). No adverse events were found in either group during the whole study. Conclusion: Auricular acupressure is an effective and safe treatment for alleviating symptoms of depressive and anxiety in patients with COVID-19. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn//, identifier ChiCTR2200061351.

Functional connectivity changes during migraine treatment with electroacupuncture at Shuaigu (GB8).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in the functional connectivity (FC) in the right insula between migraine without aura (MWoA) and healthy controls by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), and to observe the instant alteration of FC in MWoA during electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation at Shuaigu (GB8). METHODS: A total of 30 patients with MWoA (PM group) and 30 healthy controls (HC group) underwent rs-fMRI scans. The PM group underwent a second rs-fMRI scan while receiving EA at GB8. The right insula subregions, including the ventral anterior insula (vAI), dorsal anterior insula (dAI) and posterior insula (PI), were selected as the seed points for FC analysis. RESULTS: Aberrant FC, including dAI with right postcentral gyrus, PI with left precuneus, was found among PM before EA (PMa), PM during EA (PMb) and HC. Meanwhile, decreased FC between dAI and the right postcentral gyrus was found in the PMa compared to the HC and PMb. Increased FC between the PI and left precuneus was found in the PMa compared to the HC and PMb. Correlation analysis showed that the FC value of the right postcentral gyrus in PMa was negatively correlated with the scores of Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety. The FC value of the left precuneus in PMa was positively correlated with the visual analogue scale score. CONCLUSION: The alteration of FC between the right insula subregions and multiple brain regions may be an important index for MWoA. EA at GB8 was able to adjust the FC between the right insula subregions and parietal lobe, namely, the right dAI and right postcentral gyrus, and the right PI and left precuneus, thereby rendering an instant effect in the management of MWoA.

[Effect of acupuncture on migraine without aura: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance study].

OBJECTIVE: To observe therapeutic effect of acupuncture on migraine without aura and the changes of brain functional connectivity (FC) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). METHODS: Thirty-four patients with migraine without aura were included into an observation group and treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Xuanlu (GB 5), Shuaigu (GB 8), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), etc. Using G6805-Ⅱ electric acupuncture apparatus, the ipsilateral Fengchi (GB 20) and Shuaigu (GB 8) were connected and stimulated with continuous wave, 2 Hz in frequency and 0.1 mA to 1.0 mA in current intensity, depending on patient's tolerance. Acupuncture stimulation lasted 20 min each time, twice weekly (at the interval>2 days). A total of 6 weeks of treatment (12 times) was required. Matching the gender and age as those of the observation group, 16 healthy subjects were recruited into a control group and no any intervention was provided. The headache days, the score of visual analogue scale (VAS) for headache severity, the total score of headache symptoms, the score of migraine-specific quality of life questionnaire (MSQ), the score of self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), and the score of self-rating depression scale (SDS) were compared before and after acupuncture, and the clinical efficacy was assessed in the observation group. The data of the resting-state functional magnetic resonance were collected in the observation group before and after treatment as well as the control group at baseline. The periaqueductal gray (PAG) was taken as the seed to analyze the effect of acupuncture on the brain FC and the correlation between FC and VAS scores, headache days in the patients of migraine without aura. RESULTS: After treatment, the headache days, VAS score, the total score of headache symptoms, SAS score and SDS score were all reduced (P<0.01); and the scores of the restrictive, preventive, and emotional functional domains of the MSQ were increased (P<0.01) in the observation group compared with those before treatment. The total effective rate was 94.1% (32/34). Compared with the control group, FC between PAG and the right cerebellum Ⅷ was decreased in the observation group before treatment (P<0.05). FC of PAG with the bilateral cerebellum Ⅷ and the left precuneus was increased in the observation group after treatment compared with those before treatment (P<0.05). In the observation group, the FC intensity of PAG and the right cerebellum Ⅷ was negatively correlated with VAS score (r =-0.41, P<0.05) before treatment, while the FC intensity of PAG and the left precuneus was positively correlated with the improvement in headache days (r =0.40, P<0.05) after treatment. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture is effective on migraine without aura. The brain functional connectivity is abnormal in the patients. The effect onset of acupuncture is obtained probably by regulating the abnormal brain regions and activating brain regions relevant with pain and emotions.

The Instant and Sustained Effect of Electroacupuncture in Postgraduate Students with Depression: An fMRI Study.

OBJECTION: This study was a primary study to evaluate the instant and sustained effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at GV20 (Baihui) in postgraduate students with mild depression by using a special flexible head coil. METHODS: A total of 20 postgraduate students with mild depression underwent EA stimulation at GV20 and 3 phases of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scanning. Phase I: Preparation (before needle insertion); Phase II: during EA; Phase III: 15 minutes after needle removal. The Rs-fMRI data were processed using DPABI and SPSS 25. RESULTS: 1) ReHo values showed significantly differences in the right posterior cingulate cortex, right calcarine gyrus, right angular gyrus, right precuneus, right cuneus, and bilateral postcentral gyri among Phase I, Phase II and Phase III; 2) Relative to the Phase I, increased brain activity in the Phase II was observed in the bilateral postcentral gyri, right calcarine gyrus, right cuneus. Compared with the Phase II, decreased brain activity in the Phase III was observed in the right precuneus, right posterior cingulate cortex, right angular gyrus. Relative to the Phase I, Significantly increased brain activity in the Phase III was observed in the right calcarine gyrus, right cuneus, and bilateral postcentral gyri. While decreased ReHo values were found in the right posterior cingulate cortex, right angular gyrus, right precuneus; and 3) Correlation analysis showed that the ReHo values of multiple brain regions in Phase I and Phase III were significantly correlated with the VAS and HRSD-17 scores. CONCLUSION: This study focuses on the instant and sustained effect in postgraduate students with depression. Our study showed that instant effect produced by EA stimulation at GV20 firstly induced changes in somatosensory and visual area, and then, sustained effect (Phase III) have a higher intensity and more extensive than instant effects. Meanwhile, we provide a visualization way to study the instant effects of head acupoints by using a flexible head coil.

A zirconium-based metal-organic framework material for solid-phase microextraction of trace polybrominated diphenyl ethers from milk.

A zirconium-based metal-organic framework material (UiO-66-OH) was designed and applied for the first time as an adsorbent in food analysis for the solid phase microextraction of trace polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from milk. The materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analyses. Through response surface methodology, the optimal conditions for adsorption were determined to as follows: extraction time of 30 min, ionic strength of 15%, extraction temperature of 61 °C, and stirring speed of 880 r/min. Under the optimal conditions, the method showed excellent linearity with a high correlation coefficient (r ≥ 0.9994), low limits of detection in the range of 0.15-0.35 ng L-1, good interday precision ranging of 7.58%-9.48%, and satisfactory recoveries of 74.7%-118.0%. All these findings showed that the method was reliable and effective for detecting trace PBDEs in milk.

Microvascular Decompression Alone without Rhizotomy Is an Effective Way of Treating Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia: Clinical Analysis of 46 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular decompression (MVD) has been the right choice for glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) patients. However, whether glossopharyngeal/vagal nerve root rhizotomy should be combined with MVD is still controversial. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether glossopharyngeal/vagal nerve root rhizotomy during MVD is necessary for the treatment of GPN. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 46 GPN patients who underwent MVD surgery alone in our hospital, and their patient demographics, clinical presentations, and intraoperative findings are shown. The immediate and long-term follow-up outcomes were investigated to show the treatment's efficiency and safety; the outcome was also compared with our previous study. The relevant literature was reviewed to show complications for GPN patients undergoing glossopharyngeal/vagal nerve root rhizotomy with MVD. RESULTS: The most common offending vessel was the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (60.9%). 100% of the patients were pain-free (score of I on the Barrow Neurological Institute pain intensity [BNI-P] scale) immediately after MVD surgery, while 1 patient relapsed with occasional pain 12 months after the operation (score of III on the BNI-P scale). Poor wound healing and hearing loss were found in 1 case each. No complications related to the glossopharyngeal nerve/vagal nerve were reported. Some surgical techniques, such as thorough exploration of the CN IX-X rootlets, full freeing from arachnoid adhesions, and usage of a moist gelatin sponge, can improve the success rate of the operation. CONCLUSIONS: MVD alone without rhizotomy is an effective and safe method for patients with GPN.