Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 19, 2026
07:07
A Novel Scalp Acupuncture-based Method to Target the Hand Motor Hotspot for Non-invasive Brain Stimulation
Published on: December 19, 2025
291
Functional Connectivity Modulation by Acupuncture in Patients with Bell's Palsy
Yunpeng Bian1, Xiaoxuan He1, Sheng Hu1
1Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China.
Summary
Acupuncture may help Bell's palsy (BP) recovery by modulating brain functional connectivity (FC). This study observed that acupuncture treatment normalized abnormal FC patterns in BP patients, suggesting a potential therapeutic mechanism for facial paralysis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Acupuncture
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Bell's palsy (BP) is a common cause of acute unilateral facial paralysis.
- Acupuncture is a widely used treatment for BP, but its underlying mechanism remains unclear.
- Understanding the neurobiological effects of acupuncture is crucial for optimizing BP treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) changes associated with acupuncture treatment in Bell's palsy patients.
- To explore the potential mechanism of acupuncture in promoting recovery from Bell's palsy by analyzing brain functional connectivity (FC).
Main Methods:
- Recruited 22 healthy volunteers and 17 BP patients.
- Conducted resting-state fMRI scans before and after acupuncture at LI4 (Hegu).
- Compared BP-induced FC changes with acupuncture-induced FC changes to identify specific modulations.
Main Results:
- Identified abnormal increased FC in BP patients that was reduced by acupuncture.
- Observed that acupuncture's FC modulation was specific and aligned with recovery patterns.
- Demonstrated a correlation between FC modulation and the tendency towards recovery in BP patients.
Conclusions:
- Acupuncture treatment demonstrates specific functional connectivity modulation in Bell's palsy.
- These FC changes induced by acupuncture are consistent with the natural recovery process.
- FC modulation by acupuncture is proposed as a beneficial mechanism for Bell's palsy recovery.
