Two Distinct Neural Mechanisms Underlying Acupuncture Analgesia
Acupuncture analgesia is a traditional treatment with a long history, although it lacks scientific evidence. It is reportedly associated with the central nervous system, including various brain regions, from the cortices to the brain stem. However, it remains unclear whether the distributed regions...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Pain Research |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpain.2022.869884/full |
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| author | Yasutaka Kato Yasutaka Kato Kazuhiro Yachi Kazuhiro Yachi Hideyuki Hoshi Toyoji Okada Yoshihito Shigihara |
| author_facet | Yasutaka Kato Yasutaka Kato Kazuhiro Yachi Kazuhiro Yachi Hideyuki Hoshi Toyoji Okada Yoshihito Shigihara |
| author_sort | Yasutaka Kato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Acupuncture analgesia is a traditional treatment with a long history, although it lacks scientific evidence. It is reportedly associated with the central nervous system, including various brain regions, from the cortices to the brain stem. However, it remains unclear whether the distributed regions behave as a single unit or consist of multiple sub-units playing different roles. Magnetoencephalography is a neuroimaging technique that can measure the oscillatory frequency of neural signals and brain regions. The frequency band of neural signals allows further understanding of the characteristics of the acupuncture-related neural systems. This study measured resting-state brain activity using magnetoencephalography in 21 individuals with chronic pain before and after acupuncture treatment. The subjective level of pain was assessed using a visual analog scale, and brain activity was compared to identify the brain regions and the frequencies associated with acupuncture analgesia. Here, we categorized the changes in resting-state brain activity into two groups: low-frequency oscillatory activity (<3 Hz) in the left middle occipital and right superior partial lobule and high-frequency oscillatory activity (81–120 Hz) on both sides of the prefrontal, primary sensory, and right fusiform gyri. These findings suggest that acupuncture analgesia influences two or more sub-units of the neural systems, which helps us understand the neural mechanisms underlying acupuncture analgesia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:40:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6d2802959acd400faf25b11ed5ff78a3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-561X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:40:45Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Pain Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-6d2802959acd400faf25b11ed5ff78a32022-12-22T00:39:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pain Research2673-561X2022-05-01310.3389/fpain.2022.869884869884Two Distinct Neural Mechanisms Underlying Acupuncture AnalgesiaYasutaka Kato0Yasutaka Kato1Kazuhiro Yachi2Kazuhiro Yachi3Hideyuki Hoshi4Toyoji Okada5Yoshihito Shigihara6Department of Pathology and Genetics, Hokuto Hospital, Obihiro, JapanAcupuncture Centre, Hokuto Hospital, Obihiro, JapanAcupuncture Centre, Hokuto Hospital, Obihiro, JapanAcupuncture Clinic Kaikido, Sapporo, JapanPrecision Medicine Centre, Hokuto Hospital, Obihiro, JapanClinical Laboratory, Hokuto Hospital, Obihiro, JapanPrecision Medicine Centre, Hokuto Hospital, Obihiro, JapanAcupuncture analgesia is a traditional treatment with a long history, although it lacks scientific evidence. It is reportedly associated with the central nervous system, including various brain regions, from the cortices to the brain stem. However, it remains unclear whether the distributed regions behave as a single unit or consist of multiple sub-units playing different roles. Magnetoencephalography is a neuroimaging technique that can measure the oscillatory frequency of neural signals and brain regions. The frequency band of neural signals allows further understanding of the characteristics of the acupuncture-related neural systems. This study measured resting-state brain activity using magnetoencephalography in 21 individuals with chronic pain before and after acupuncture treatment. The subjective level of pain was assessed using a visual analog scale, and brain activity was compared to identify the brain regions and the frequencies associated with acupuncture analgesia. Here, we categorized the changes in resting-state brain activity into two groups: low-frequency oscillatory activity (<3 Hz) in the left middle occipital and right superior partial lobule and high-frequency oscillatory activity (81–120 Hz) on both sides of the prefrontal, primary sensory, and right fusiform gyri. These findings suggest that acupuncture analgesia influences two or more sub-units of the neural systems, which helps us understand the neural mechanisms underlying acupuncture analgesia.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpain.2022.869884/fullacupunctureanalgesiaoscillatory frequencypainresting-stateregional activity |
| spellingShingle | Yasutaka Kato Yasutaka Kato Kazuhiro Yachi Kazuhiro Yachi Hideyuki Hoshi Toyoji Okada Yoshihito Shigihara Two Distinct Neural Mechanisms Underlying Acupuncture Analgesia Frontiers in Pain Research acupuncture analgesia oscillatory frequency pain resting-state regional activity |
| title | Two Distinct Neural Mechanisms Underlying Acupuncture Analgesia |
| title_full | Two Distinct Neural Mechanisms Underlying Acupuncture Analgesia |
| title_fullStr | Two Distinct Neural Mechanisms Underlying Acupuncture Analgesia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Two Distinct Neural Mechanisms Underlying Acupuncture Analgesia |
| title_short | Two Distinct Neural Mechanisms Underlying Acupuncture Analgesia |
| title_sort | two distinct neural mechanisms underlying acupuncture analgesia |
| topic | acupuncture analgesia oscillatory frequency pain resting-state regional activity |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpain.2022.869884/full |
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