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Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI
Published on: April 8, 2010
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Peripheral ERK modulates acupuncture-induced brain neural activity and its functional connectivity
Ji-Yeun Park1, Seong-Jin Cho2, Soon-Ho Lee3
1College of Korean Medicine, Daejeon University, 62 Daehak-ro, Dong-gu, Daejeon, 34520, Republic of Korea.
Scientific Reports
|March 5, 2021
Summary
Acupuncture activates brain functional connectivity through peripheral ERK signaling. This pathway initiates central nervous system responses, impacting key brain regions and networks involved in therapeutic effects.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Integrative Medicine
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Acupuncture is a widely used therapeutic intervention.
- The brain network is crucial for acupuncture's neural mechanisms.
- Understanding the peripheral-to-central pathway is key to elucidating acupuncture's effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural mechanisms of acupuncture from peripheral to central.
- To identify how peripheral molecular signals induced by acupuncture affect brain neural responses and functional connectivity.
- To determine the role of peripheral ERK activation in acupuncture-induced changes.
Main Methods:
- Mice were used to study acupuncture's effects.
- Peripheral MEK/MAPK inhibition was employed to assess the role of ERK signaling.
- Brain neural activities and functional connectivity were analyzed using neuroimaging and network analysis techniques, including PLS analysis and centrality measures.
Main Results:
- Peripheral ERK activation by acupuncture initiates peripheral proteomic changes.
- Acupuncture significantly altered neural activity in multiple brain regions, including the neocortex, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, periaqueductal grey, and nucleus of the solitary tract (Sol).
- Peripheral MEK/MAPK inhibition altered these acupuncture-induced brain changes, with the arcuate nucleus and lateral hypothalamus being most affected. The hypothalamus was a major contributing region. Acupuncture induced extensive functional connectivity changes, with the posterior hypothalamus showing high betweenness centrality. The Sol and cingulate cortex were identified as key brain hubs.
Conclusions:
- Acupuncture activates brain functional connectivity.
- Peripheral ERK signaling initiated by acupuncture plays a role in central neural activation and functional connectivity.
- These findings elucidate the peripheral-to-central mechanisms underlying acupuncture's therapeutic effects.
