The Activation of Cerebral Areas under the State of Twirling in Waiguan Point(SJ5) by the Scan of fMRI

Objective Based on the hypothesis of specific acupoint—brain relationship,we observed 6 healthy volunteers by fMRI brain scan during needling in Waiguan(SJ5) and tried to analyze the relationship between needling SJ5 and the activation of cerebral functional areas.Methods The right side SJ5 of 6 healthy volunteers were needled as twirling 30s and 30 non-stimulating alternatively for 6 times under the design of Block.Meanwhile,scanned the whole brain by fMR BOLD technology.The cerebral functional changes were analyzed with SPM2 software.Results During puncturing SJ5,Brodmann area(BA)13,22,37,40,44,45 and 47,right Hippocampus,Amygdala and Substantia nigra,and bilateral cerebellum could be activated.Conclusion Needling in SJ5 can result in a certain activiation in different cerebral functional areas proved by the technology of fMRI,which indicated that there was a certain relationship between needling SJ5 and the brain.