BACKGROUND: The functional MRI(fMRI),a harmless research method,has brought new perspective to the understanding of ancient needling methods. The correlation between meridian points and cerebrum has been studied with fMRI in different cerebral regions.OBJECTIVE: To observe the correlation between Kuangming( Luo-Connection Point,GB37)and Taichong(Shu-Stream and Yuan-Source point,Liv3)with fMRI in different cerebral regions.DESIGN: Randomized controlled experimental study based on healthy volunteers of medical college.SETTING: Department of acupuncture in a medical university of traditional Chinese medicine,basic medical college in a medical university of traditional Chinese medicine,medical radiology center of medical college of University Freiburg in Germany.PARTICIPANTS: This study was conducted in Medical Radiology Center of Medical College of University Freiburg in Germany in June 1997. In this study,altogether 19 healthy volunteers,4 males and 15 females with normal vision,were selected. All of them were medical students without any previous acupuncture experience and history of neurology and psychosis. All healthy volunteers were randomly divided into three groups,including visual stimulation + one- sided needling group( n =7,2 males and 5 females),visual stimulation + double-sided needling group (n = 6,1 male and 5 females)and only double-sided needling group( n = 6,1 male and 5 females).METHODS: The response of visual cortex and the relative areas,and whether there comes inducing function were observed by fMRI during puncturing at kuangming and taichong. All subjects were informed about the range of possible acupuncture sensation they might experience during needle manipulation before entering the magnet field. For acupuncture,a stainless immagnet acupuncture needle(with a diameter of 0.25 mm and a length of 30 mm. Huatuo Brand. Made in Suzhou Medical Inc. ) was used. All subjects were performed by one experienced acupuncturist.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The changes,extent,delayed response,and time fluctuation of the cerebral cortex hemoglobin saturation level(BOLD).Whether the cerebral visual cortex domain was activated or not.RESULTS: There were no change of BOLD in visual cortex during visual stimulation and inserting needle at Kuangming and Taichong in visual stimulation +single sided needling group and visual stimulation +double-sided needling group. There were changes of BOLD of visual cortex in all subjects of the three groups during the period of manipulating needle. Among them six cases were found to have in the insular lobe,temporo-inferior parietal lobule,superior colliculus lobe,cuneate lobe and occipital mid-gyri.CONCLUSION: Single-sided or double-sided continuous needle stimulation can change the BOLD of the related regions of the cerebrum,but the change is unrelated with the insertion method and visual stimulation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Several motility disorders are associated with disruption of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), which provide important functions, such as pacemaker activity, mediation of neural inputs and responses to stretch in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Restoration of ICC networks may be therapeutic for GI motor disorders. Recent reports have suggested that Kit+ cells can be restored to the GI tract via bone marrow (BM) transplantation. We tested whether BM derived cells can lead to generation of functional activity in intestines naturally lacking ICC. METHODS: BM cells from Kit(+/copGFP) mice, in which ICC are labeled with a green fluorescent protein, were transplanted into W/W(V) intestines, lacking ICC. After 12 weeks the presence of ICC was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and functional analysis of electrical behavior and contractile properties. RESULTS: After 12 weeks copGFP+ BM derived cells were found within the myenteric region of intestines from W/W(V) mice, typically populated by ICC. Kit+ cells failed to develop interconnections typical of ICC in the myenteric plexus. The presence of Kit+ cells was verified with Western analysis. BM cells failed to populate the region of the deep muscular plexus where normal ICC density, associated with the deep muscular plexus, is found in W/W(V) mice. Engraftment of Kit+-BM cells resulted in the development of unitary potentials in transplanted muscles, but slow wave activity failed to develop. Motility analysis showed that intestinal movements in transplanted animals were abnormal and similar to untransplanted W/W(V) intestines. CONCLUSIONS: BM derived Kit+ cells colonized the gut after BM transplantation, however these cells failed to develop the morphology and function of mature ICC.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Bone Marrow* ; Colon* ; Electrophysiology ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal* ; Intestines* ; Mice ; Muscles ; Myenteric Plexus ; Negotiating