Acupuncture mechanism studies employing task-based fMRI: a scoping review protocol

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Acupuncture is a prevalent complementary and alternative therapy.
• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is crucial for investigating acupuncture's neurological underpinnings.
• Task-based fMRI specifically captures real-time and lasting brain effects of acupuncture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and characterize studies that use task-based fMRI to explore acupuncture mechanisms.
• To establish a foundational reference for future research in this interdisciplinary field.
• To critically evaluate existing study designs and propose quality standards for upcoming investigations.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review adhering to the Guidance for Conducting Scoping Reviews.
• Literature search across seven databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, CNKI, WanFang, VIP, CBM) for English and Chinese articles published between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2021.
• Keywords: "Acupuncture" and "fMRI". Data extraction and descriptive qualitative analysis following PRISMA-ScR guidelines.

Main Results:

• The review will present a comprehensive overview of the characteristics of task-based fMRI studies on acupuncture.
• Findings will be organized in tables and narrative summaries.
• The analysis will highlight trends, methodologies, and key findings from the eligible studies.

Conclusions:

• This review clarifies the scope of current research on acupuncture mechanisms using task-based fMRI.
• It aims to provide directional suggestions and quality recommendations for future studies.
• The findings will guide researchers in designing more robust and informative investigations into acupuncture's effects on the brain.