Acupuncture at LR3 and KI3 shows a control effect on essential hypertension and targeted action on cerebral regions related to blood pressure regulation: a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
Acupunct Med
; 39(1): 53-63, 2021 02.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32529884
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acupuncture at LR3 and KI3 on hypertension at different time points and on related cerebral regions using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).METHODS:
We randomly divided 29 subjects into two groups Group A (receiving acupuncture at LR3 + KI3; 15 subjects) and group B (receiving acupuncture at LR3 and a sham location not corresponding to any traditional acupuncture point; 14 subjects). Acupuncture was performed. Blood pressure (BP) changes were recorded and analyzed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software. We used a 3.0T MRI scanner and standard GE 8 channel head coil to collect whole brain fMRI data in both groups. Data analysis and processing was based on the R2009a MATLAB platform. REST 1.8 software was used to analyze the whole brain amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF).RESULTS:
After acupuncture, a statistically significant reduction in BP at different time points was observed in group A. In group B, a statistically significant reduction was found only in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and was not sustained. Acupuncture at LR3 + KI3 specifically affected brain areas involved in BP regulation, as well as those involved in auditory sense, speech, vision, movement and sensation.CONCLUSION:
Acupuncture at LR3 + KI3 showed positive immediate and long-term effects on BP, particularly systolic blood pressure (SBP). After ALFF analysis, we concluded that LR3 + KI3 activates brain areas related to BP regulation. In addition, after acupuncture at LR3 + KI3, a highly targeted effect was observed in brain areas associated with BP. In addition, extracerebral areas involving vision, motion control, cognition and hearing were activated, which could potentially contribute to the mitigation of hypertensive complications in patients in an advanced stage of the disease.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Acupuncture Therapy
/
Essential Hypertension
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Acupunct Med
Journal subject:
TERAPIAS COMPLEMENTARES
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
China