Exploration on the Collective Brain Responses of Acupuncture Treatment for Thalamic Stroke Patients with Numbness Based on Inter-subject Correlation
10.19879/j.cnki.1005-5304.202309488
- VernacularTitle:基于被试间相关性探究针刺治疗丘脑卒中后麻木患者的群体脑效应
- Author:
Xunqi QIAN
1
;
Xing CHEN
;
Weihua JIA
;
Yanhong MA
;
Lei SONG
;
Qiuyi LYU
;
Jing PENG
;
Zhiyu SHAN
;
Hua ZHANG
Author Information
1. 北京中医药大学东直门医院,北京 100700
- Keywords:
acupuncture;
thalamic stroke;
limb numbness;
functional magnetic resonance imaging;
inter-subject correlation;
collective brain responses
- From:
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine
2024;31(7):148-155
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the efficacy and the collective brain responses of acupuncture for post-stroke limb numbness.Methods A total of 24 patients with post-stroke limb numbness and 23 matched healthy participants were recruited.Both groups received coordinated acupuncture treatment to regulate their physical and mental state,three times a week for 4 weeks.Changes in limb numbness assessed by the visual analog scale(VAS)were observed before and after acupuncture.Functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)scans were conducted on the participants during the scanning process with acupuncture intervention.Blood oxygen level-dependent(BOLD)data were collected in three states:resting state,acupuncture task state,and needle retention state.Data processing was performed using software such as fMRIPrep and brainIAK.Intersubject correlation(ISC)analysis was conducted to compare the ISC values of different brain regions between the two groups under different conditions.Results Acupuncture treatment significantly reduced the VAS scores of limb numbness.No significant changes in ISC values in both groups during resting state.Under acupuncture conditions,the patient group exhibited significantly increased ISC values in the left precentral gyrus,left paracentral lobule,left postcentral gyrus,left insula,left anterior cingulate gyrus,right middle frontal gyruss and right anterior cingulate gyrus.Under the needle retention condition,a slight negative activation was observed in the bilateral precentral gyrus of the control group.In the patient group,the ISC values of the left superior frontal gyrus,left precentral gyrus,left paracentral lobule,left precuneus,left postcentral gyrus,left insula,left anterior cingulate gyrus,left thalamus,right superior frontal gyrus,right middle frontal gyrus,right precentral gyrus,and right anterior cingulate gyrus showed a significant increase compared to the resting state.Conclusion Acupuncture can improve post-stroke limb numbness symptoms and induce a specific pattern of collective brain activation in patients.This activation involves the precentral gyrus,postcentral gyrus,thalamus,insula,frontal lobe and cingulate gyrus.Acupuncture may enhance the processing of sensory information by activating the somatosensory-motor network and the cortical-thalamic-cortical loop.It may also modulate the central executive network and the descending pain control pathway to promote the relief of pain symptoms.
