OBJECTIVETo probe the theoretical basis of acupuncture by investigating the relationship of 'true' acupuncture and 'sham' acupuncture, with the cerebral functions observed by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

METHODSEighteen healthy volunteers with normal vision were randomly divided into group A and B. Firstly, all the volunteers received 'sham' acupuncture, and then acupuncture was given at Guangming (GB 37) and Taichong (LR 3) in the group A, and Fenglong (ST 40) and Xiangu (ST 43) were given in the group Activation in the thalamus, B.A 1.5 Tesla Vision Scanner (Siemens, Erlangen) was used for imaging.

RESULTSActivation in the thalamus, the red nucleus, the sulcus lateralis and the parieto-temporal cortex proved that there was a significant difference between true acupuncture and sham acupuncture in the GLM test.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture does not have effects on the visual cortex, but it has active action on the insula sulcus lateralis and the parieto-temporal cortex, which are involved in painful and somatosensory stimulation.