Cortical Network Response to Acupuncture and the Effect of the Hegu Point: An fNIRS Study.

Acupuncture is a practice of treatment based on influencing specific points on the body by inserting needles. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the aim of acupuncture treatment for pain management is to use specific acupoints to relieve excess, activate qi (or vital energy), and improve blood circulation. In this context, the Hegu point is one of the most widely-used acupoints for this purpose, and it has been linked to having an analgesic effect. However, there exists considerable debate as to its scientific validity. In this pilot study, we aim to identify the functional connectivity related to the three main types of acupuncture manipulations and also identify an analgesic effect based on the hemodynamic response as measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The cortical response of eleven healthy subjects was obtained using fNIRS during an acupuncture procedure. A multiscale analysis based on wavelet transform coherence was employed to assess the functional connectivity of corresponding channel pairs within the left and right somatosensory region. The wavelet analysis was focused on the very-low frequency oscillations (VLFO, 0.01⁻0.08 Hz) and the low frequency oscillations (LFO, 0.08⁻0.15 Hz). A mixed model analysis of variance was used to appraise statistical differences in the wavelet domain for the different acupuncture stimuli. The hemodynamic response after the acupuncture manipulations exhibited strong activations and distinctive cortical networks in each stimulus. The results of the statistical analysis showed significant differences ( p < 0.05 ) between the tasks in both frequency bands. These results suggest the existence of different stimuli-specific cortical networks in both frequency bands and the anaesthetic effect of the Hegu point as measured by fNIRS.

Effect of moxibusting at sanyinjiao hegu on the active period of the first stage of labor and the de livery analgesia / 中国综合临床

Objective To observe the effect of moxibustion on Sanyinjiao, Hegu acupoint first active phase of labor contractions pain.Methods One hundred and sixty cases of primipara were divided into test group by single blind, randomized methods (the Sanyinjiao acupoint group, Sanyinjiao acupoint and hegu point group) and control group(non-acupuncturev points group and the blank group).Each group with 40 cases.The patients were exerted mxibustion therapy 30 min in the Sanyinjiao acupoint group and Sanyinjiao acupoint and hegu point group, respectively in the maternal appear regularity uterine contraction pain, after ostium of uterus opened 3 cm.The women of the non-acupuncturev points group were exerted moxibustion therapy in the wrist horizontal stripes of radial side radial pulse place to elbow horizontal stripes biceps tendon of the midpoint of the radial side of attachment 30 min.The blank group women didn' t conduct notcarry moxibustion intervention.On the first active stage of labor time and uterine contraction pain were compared.Results The active labor time of Sanyinjiao group, Sanyinjiao and Hegu group,non acupoint group and blank control group patients were (116.11 ±65.89) min, (81.93 ± 53.45) min, (123.03 ± 7.67) min, (138.69 ± 104.01) min respectively, there was significant difference among Sanyinjiao and Hegu group, non acupoint group and blank group (P＜ 0.05), while the difference between the non acupoint group and blank group without statistical significance (P＞0.05).The first time of production process of 4 groups were (313.22± 141.15) min, (379.50± 182.82) min, (393.00 ±196.50) min, (488.08±236.61) min respectively, there was significant difference among Sanyinjiao group,Sanyinjiao and Hegu group and blank group differences (P ＜ 0.05).Moxibustion therapy after stopping, 2 h degree of cervical dilation of 4 groups were (8.37±2.19) cm, (8.14±2.74) cm, (7.64±2.91) cm, (6.29 ±3.05) cm respectively;contractions lasting time were (0.56±0.16) min, (0.52±0.13) min, (0.:48±0.17) min, (0.41± 0.09) min respectively;uterine contraction interval (2.98± 1.45) min, (2.56± 1.02) min, (3.89 ±1.54) min, (3.41 ± 1.32) min respectively;contraction strength enhaucement efficiency were 60.0％ (24/40) ,75.0％ (30/40), 17.5％ (7/40), 10.0％ (4/40) respectively, there were significant differences among Sanyinjiao group,Sanyinjiao and Hegu group,the non acupoint group and blank control group in terms of above indexes (P ＜ 0.05), while difference between the non acupoint group and blank group without statistical significance(P＞0.05).After the withdrawal of the moxibustion treatment 2 h, the pain reduction in childbirth of 4 groups were 52.5 ％ (21/40), 47.5％ (19/40), 22.5％ (9/40), 20％ (8/40) respectively, the pain reduction in childbirth of Sanyinjiao group, Sanyinjiao and Hegu Point Group were higher than that of non acupoint group and blank group, the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05);while non acupoint group and blank group compared without statistically significant (P＞0.05).Conclusion The effect of Moxibustion at Sanyinjiao and Sanyinjiao compatibility Hegu Acupoint moxibustion on maternal production process and uterine contraction are significant, but combine with Acupoint Moxibustion can shorten the time of the active phase of labor, increase contraction of the uterus, promote the production process.

Electro-acupuncture up-regulates the expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1α mRNA and its protein and promotes revascularization in the brain after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which electro-acupuncture (EA) promotes revascularization in the brain after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.Methods The Sprague-Dawley rat model of focal cerebral ischemia was made by filament occlusion. The rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, and an EA group. The model and EA groups were each divided into 5 subgroups receiving reperfusion 1, 3,7, 14 or 21 days after ischemia. EA was given at the bilateral Hegn point (LI 4) in the EA group. The expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1α(SDF-1α) mRNA was detected using a RT-PCR in the 3, 7 and 14 day subgroups.The immunohistochemical method was employed to detect the expression of SDF-1α protein. Results Compared with the control group, expression of SDF-1α protein increased significantly in the model and EA groups. Compared with the model group, the expression of SDF-1α mRNA increased significantly in the 3, 7 and 14 day subgroups.SDF-1α protein expression and microvessel count increased slightly but not significantly in the 1d subgroup, but the increases were significant in the 3, 7, 14 and 21 day subgroups.Conclusions EA may promote angiogenesis in an ischemic area of the cortex by increasing the expression of SDF-1αmRNA and its protein after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.

Some characteristics of Hegu (L14) in children of age from 6-14

The study was carried out in 102 children (52 males, 50 females). The investigatived parameters were the Hegu’s location, the intensity, and the relation between the area of point and dermic area. The results are following: The Hegu in 58 - 66% children in the same location and 42% of them had different location (about 2.2- 2.8mm) in comparision between two methods (traditional medicine’s method and used neurometer, RB - 65 made in Japan). The intensity inside Hegu was 95- 100 A and the outside was 20-25 A. There was significiant difference between inside and outside of point (P0.05). Hegu is described as a round point, the area from 2.7-3.7mm2. There was no difference of Hegu’s area between the males and females (P>0.05). There was the crrelation between the area of point and the dermic area in both hands (r= 0.38 for males; r= 0.54 for females).

Study on some characteristics of Hegu (L14) in persons of age of 15-24

The study was carried out in 217 persons (129 males, 88 females). The investigative parameters were: the hegu's location, the intensity, the area, the relation between the area of point and the dermal area. The results showed that the hegu in 30-34% persons was in the same location and 60-68% of them had different location (about 3-4.5mm) in comparison between two methods (traditional medicine's method and used Neurometer, RB-65 made in Japan). The intensity inside hegu was 111.1913.46A and the outside was 10.138.23A. There was significant difference between inside and outside of point (P0.05). Hegu is described as a round point, the mean area was 5.011.40mm2. There was no difference between males and females (P>0.05). There was no the correlation between the area of point and the dermal area in both hands and sex (r = 0.25 for males, r=0.15 for females).

Association between Endogenous Analgesia and Meridians in LI4 (Hegu, Gokoku) point Electro-acupuncture / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

There have been many studies of electro-acupuncture analgesia (EAA), but whether EAA develops mainly on the stimulated meridians or irrespective of these meridians has not yet been clarified. We evaluated the association between endogenous analgesia (plasma β-endorphin), and meridians in electro-acupuncture of the large intestine meridian of the hand-yangming LI4 (Hegu, Gokoku) point. LI4 electro-acupuncture resulted in EAA on the meridians associated with LI4, other meridians, and acupuncture points in the forehead glabella (Yintang, Indou), abdomen CV 12 (Chungwan, Chukan), and crus ST36 (Zsusanli, Ashi no Sanri) point. Simultaneously, LI4 electro-acupuncture significantly increased plasma β-endorphin level. These results suggest that analgesia observed after LI4 electroacupuncture is not associated with meridians, and is caused by the increases in the plasma β-endorphin level.