The FMRI Study On The Electroacupuncture Threatment For Patients With Cervical Spondylosis

ObjectivesEvaluating the therapeutic effect about the cervical spondylosis patients. On this basis, analyze the changes of the fMRI images and observe the activated or negatived regions of brain. Researching weather the activated or nagetived regions are the same in pathologic state and physiological conditions. Whether the result approves to the hypothesis that acupuncture stimulation evoking deactivation of limbic-paralimbic-neocortical network (LPNN) and LPNN plays a main role in acupuncture analgesia.MethodsAccording to random number table, patients are divided into two groups. They are bailao(EX-HN15) group and bailao(EX-HN15)&zhongzhu (SJ3) group. Each group includes 10 people. All the patients should take 10 times electroacupuncture(EA) threatment.The EA threatment will last 30mins. Every 3 days take once.At the first threatment, the patients would be scaned at resting state and post-EA resting state by using fMRI scan. At the day after the last threatment, they need be taken images by using fMRI scan again. At the beginning of the treatment, the patients should fill in the NPQ and MPQ. Finally, when the threatment is over, they should fill in these tables again.Then,we will integrate and analysis the dates and images.ResultAfter one treatment course, NPQ scores and Mcgill Scale scores both. declined significantly in the 2 graoups (P<0.05), means these 2 groups of treatment are all effective for neck pain due to cervical spondylosis. As after one treatment course,NPQ scores and Mcgill Scale scores between the bailao group and the bailao&zhongzhu group have no significance(P>0.05), the therapeutic effect of this 2 group are the same. After a course of treatment, in the bailao group, the activated structures were motor area, somatosensory area,frontal lobe, temporafrontal lobe,limbic system.cerebellum and some other regions. In the bailao&zhongzhu group, the activated structures were frontal lobe, occipital lobe, the limbic system, cerebellum and so on. The deactivated regions were Calcarine.ConclusionMany different regions of the brain compose a network to adjust the brain functions. The limbic-paralimbic-neocortical network(LPPN)'s negative activation may play a major role in acupuncture analgesia. Acupuncture can cause extensive area of the brain function activated or inhibitioned. Which is a complex network to makes the treatment effective.