Dynamic Brain Activity Following Auricular Point Acupressure in Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy: A Pilot Longitudinal...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Integrative Medicine
• Oncology Supportive Care

Background:

• Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIN) is a common and debilitating side effect of cancer treatment.
• Current management strategies for CIN have limitations, necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic approaches.
• Auricular point acupressure (APA) is a non-invasive technique that stimulates specific points on the ear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the dynamic changes in brain activity and functional connectivity following APA in patients with CIN.
• To assess the efficacy of APA in alleviating subjective and objective symptoms of CIN.
• To explore the neural mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of APA on CIN.

Main Methods:

• An open-pilot trial with repeated observations was conducted over 4 weeks.
• Participants received APA treatment.
• Clinical outcomes (CIN symptoms) and objective physiological measures including quantitative sensory testing (QST) for pain thresholds and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were assessed.

Main Results:

• APA treatment led to clinically significant improvements in CIN symptoms, including reduced lower extremity stiffness, decreased foot sensitivity, and increased pain threshold.
• fMRI revealed trends toward altered connectivity between key brain networks: basal ganglia network (BGN) with salience network (SAL) and language network.
• Increased within-network connectivity was observed in the executive control network (ECN) and SAL from pre- to post-APA treatment.

Conclusions:

• APA treatment demonstrates potential for alleviating CIN symptoms.
• Observed changes in brain network connectivity (ECN, SAL, BGN) suggest that APA modulates neural pathways involved in pain processing, memory, and cognitive function.
• Specific brain regions like the insula, anterior cingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices show alterations in activity and connectivity, highlighting APA's impact on pain and cognitive circuits.