| Purpose:To observe the effect of specific brain functions on magnetoencephalography (MEG) by acupuncturing Zusanli acupoint and non-acupoint near Zusanli of healthy volunteers,and to preliminary analysis of the relationship between Zusanli acupoint activated brain areas and attending functions.Material and Methods:The five cases of healthy volunteers were all students from Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Nanjing Medical University, two males and three females, aged from24to25years (mean age24.6years), all right-handed. None of them had nervous system disease or a psychiatric history. And they did not take any sedatives within three months or receive acupuncture treatment in two weeks before the trial. There are no contraindications for MEG, MRI or acupuncture, with mental relaxation. The stainless no-magnet acupuncture needles used in the experiment were brand of "Huatuo"(made in Suzhou, size:0.30mm×50mm). MEG we used was the275-channel whole head MEG imaging system type produced by the VSM medical technology company of Canada. MRI inspection equipment was the1.5T Signa Horizon MRI imaging system produced by the GE company of US. And using MEG processor software for data processing.At first, acupuncturing right Zusanli (ST36) and non-acupoint of the five healthy volunteers by turns, and the brain magnetic signal acquired before and after acupuncture is converted into real-time changes in MEG chart through computer software processing. Then with brain MRI images superimposed on the integration of information, forming MSI. Finally, obtain accurate positioning of brain functional areas, and then the different groups were compared activation of brain areas, observe and analyze the impact of acupuncture Zusanli on the presence or absence of specific brain functions.Results:l.The activated brain regions caused by acupuncturing right Zusanli included right central sulcus, right postcentral gyrus, right precentral gyrus, angular gyrus, the left postcentral gyms, inferior parietal lobule, middle temporal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, anterior limb, head of the caudate nucleus and the cerebellar tonsils, etc. And the strongest point of magnetic field appears in the right postcentral gyrus. Then came the second strengths, location in the vicinity of the left side of the limbic system, including the cingulate, insula, hook back, amygdala and next to the hippocampus, significantly greater than the first detection of the magnetic field strength values. 2.The activated brain regions caused by needling the non-acupoint included part of the postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus, angular gyrus, occipital, parietal lobule and the inferior temporal gyrus, etc., however, the magnetic field strength was weak and the differences between individuals was large.Conclusion:1. Acupuncture Zusanli caused activation of multiple brain regions, compared to non-acupoints activated wider range of brain regions, the magnetic field strength increases multiples, but there is a maximum time more concentrated. And this may prompt Zusanli presence of specific brain pathway, but needs to be confirmed by further studies.2.MEG can detect brain activation sites, intensity and time during acupuncture, which compared with other brain function detection method has obvious advantages, so it has important application prospect in the "Meridian-brain-related" research. |
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