An fMRI Cerebral Functional Imaging Comparison on Needling in Waiguan (SJ5) vs a Sham Point

Objective: To observe the cerebral activating effects of needling in Waiguan(SJ5) vs a sham point of healthy volunteers.Methods:Sixteen healthy volunteers were randomly divided into SJ5 group and sham point group,and received needling in the different points on the right hand respectfully.Super nuclear magnetic resonance(1.5T,GE Co.) was used to scan the brain and the obtained experimental data of the regional brain were processed and analyzed by method of Region of Interest(ROI).Results:The bilateral parietal,frontal,occipital and temporal lobes,basal ganglia,cingulate gyri,hippocampus,cerebellum,and pons were activated in varying degrees in both groups.The comparison of ROIs activating rate and number showed that needling in SJ5 could activate the cerebellum specially(P0.01),while the comparison of ROIs activating strength showed that there was not any difference between the two groups(P0.05).Conclusion:Compared with that of sham point group,needling in SJ5 could specially activate the cerebellum,which might be its center nerve basis for the clinical applications.