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Pulse analysis in bipolar disordered and nonpsychotic human subjects
Fun-Jou Chen1, Hong-Song Wang, Chih-Yang Huang
1Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. fjchen@mail.cmu.edu.tw
The American Journal of Chinese Medicine
|June 30, 2012
Summary
This study found significant differences in arterial pulse wave harmonics between patients with bipolar disorder (BPD) and healthy individuals, suggesting objective constitutional variations detectable by pulse analysis.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Bipolar disorder (BPD) is associated with physiological differences compared to healthy individuals.
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognizes distinct patterns in individuals with BPD.
- Objective methods are needed to identify these differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze pulse spectra in BPD patients and compare them to nonpsychotic healthy controls.
- To investigate potential objective markers for BPD using TCM principles.
- To explore the integration of TCM diagnostics with modern technology.
Main Methods:
- Sphygmography was used to record radial arterial pulse waves.
- Fourier transformation converted pulse waveforms into frequency spectra.
- Harmonic analysis identified differences in pulse wave components between groups.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in harmonic values were observed for C4 (Lung Meridian) and C3 (Spleen Meridian) on the right hand between BPD patients and controls (p < 0.05).
- These spectral differences were consistent across both right and left hands.
- The findings indicate objective constitutional variations detectable via arterial pulse analysis.
Conclusions:
- Arterial pulse analysis can objectively differentiate individuals with BPD from healthy controls.
- Pulse spectrum analysis offers a non-invasive tool integrating scientific technology with TCM.
- Further research is warranted to enhance diagnostic accuracy in TCM through pulse analysis.
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