Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI
Published on: April 8, 2010
Acupressure on the extra 1 acupoint: the effect on bispectral index, serum melatonin, plasma beta-endorphin, and
Argyro Fassoulaki1, Anteia Paraskeva, Georgia Kostopanagiotou
1Department of Anesthesiology, Aretaieio Hospital, Medical School, Athens, Greece. afassou1@otenet.gr
Background:
Acupressure on the "extra 1" point decreases bispectral index (BIS) values and stress.
Methods:
We investigated the BIS, melatonin, beta-endorphin, and verbal stress score values before, after 10 min of acupressure application on the extra 1 point, on a sham point, after no acupressure, and 1 h after completion of each intervention in 12 volunteers.
Results:
The BIS and verbal stress score values were decreased after acupressure on the extra 1 point (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.008, respectively), but melatonin and beta-endorphin did not change.
Conclusion:
Acupressure on the extra 1 point has no effect on melatonin and beta-endorphin levels.