Brain functional magnetic resonance imaging changes in patients with depression after acupuncture treatment: ALE meta-analysis
10.3760/cma.j.cn371468-20250413-00147
- VernacularTitle:针刺治疗后抑郁症患者脑功能磁共振成像的改变：ALE元分析
- Author:
Jing TANG
1
;
Juan YU
;
Ziyao GENG
;
Yating YUE
;
Jingxia ZHANG
Author Information
1. 甘肃中医药大学卫生管理学院，兰州 730000
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Depression;
Acupuncture;
Functional magnetic resonance imaging;
Activation likelihood estimation
- From:
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science
2025;34(11):1005-1011
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:Through the meta-analysis of activation likelihood estimation (ALE), the functional magnetic resonance imaging research evidence of acupuncture in the treatment of depression was systematically integrated to analyze the effect of acupuncture on brain activity in patients with depression and systematically reveal its potential neural mechanism.Methods:The literatures which used functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore brain image changes of patients with depression after receiving acupuncture intervention were retrieved from CNKI, VIP database, Wanfang database, PubMed, Embase, EBSCO host MEDLINE and Web of Science database. The retrieval time is from the establishment of the database to March 2025. Data processing was performed using the ALE method by the Ginger ALE 2.3 software. The coordinates of the subjects included in the study were extracted, and the brain regions with abnormal spontaneous brain activity in patients with depression were integrated and analyzed.Results:A total of 28 articles involving 770 subjects were included. Depressed patients receiving acupuncture exhibited increased brain activity in the bilateral medial frontal gyrus and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex. Exploratory analysis revealed that depressed patients receiving acupuncture exhibited reduced activation in the left posterior cerebellar lobe (MNI: x, y, z = -6, -68, -21; x, y, z = -9, -81, -9) compared to healthy controls (voxel sum=5 824 mm 3,P<0.05). Conclusion:Patients with depression who received acupuncture intervention exhibited relatively consistent activation in brain regions compared to depressed patients who did not receive acupuncture and healthy individuals. Compared to healthy individuals, patients with depression who received acupuncture showed reduced activation in the left posterior cerebellum. It is suggested that acupuncture intervention may play a therapeutic role by regulating the functional state of emotion-related brain regions and brain networks.
