OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of puncturing at Sanyinjiao (SP6) on modulatory function of central nerve system.

METHODSPositron emission tomography (PET) was performed, using 18F-FDG as contrast medium, in six healthy female volunteers before and after puncturing right SP6 to detect the cerebral districts with changed glucose metabolism, using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analysis.

RESULTSGlucose metabolism was increased in contralateral primary somatosensory cortex, primary somatic motor cortex, pre-supplementary motor cortex (BA8), and medial prefrontal cortex (BA10), bilateral supplementary motor cortex (BA6), anterior cingulate gyrus (BA24, BA32), and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA9), while glucose metabolism was decreased in lingual gyrus (BA17,18), hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus (BA28, BA35, BA30).

CONCLUSIONFunctions of cerebral districts with changed glucose metabolism after puncturing SP6 was well parallels to the clinical effect of puncturing SP6, illustrating the brain plays a great role in the body regulation of acupuncture at SP6, which possibly was the central foundation of acupuncture therapy.