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Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI
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Gender differences in brain activity underlying acupuncture sensations at LR3: a task-based fMRI study.

Hao Chu1,2, Bin-Jian Jiang1,2,3, Dong-Na Li4

  • 1School of Acupuncture and Tuina, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|September 25, 2025
PubMed
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Sex differences in acupuncture sensation processing exist. Task-based fMRI revealed distinct brain activation patterns and thalamic connectivity in men and women stimulated at the LR3 (Taichong) acupoint.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Medical Acupuncture
  • Neuroimaging

Background:

  • Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine technique, involves stimulating specific acupoints like LR3 (Taichong).
  • Previous research on the central mechanisms of acupuncture has often overlooked potential sex-based differences.
  • This study addresses the gap by investigating sex-specific brain responses to LR3 acupoint stimulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare sex differences in brain activation patterns during acupuncture at the LR3 acupoint.
  • To investigate sex differences in thalamic functional connectivity following LR3 acupoint stimulation.
  • To explore potential correlations between acupuncture sensations and neural responses.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a block-design paradigm.
Keywords:
acupuncturefMRIfunctional connectivitygender differencetask-based magnetic resonance imaging

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  • Recruited 30 men and 25 women for the acupuncture task.
  • Assessed acupuncture sensations using the Massachusetts Acupuncture Sensation Scale (MASS).

    • Main Results:

    • Significant differences (p < 0.001) were found in 12 acupuncture sensation scores between sexes.
    • Distinct brain regions were activated by LR3 stimulation in women (e.g., left inferior cerebellar gyrus) versus men (e.g., left central sulcus).
    • Women exhibited enhanced bilateral thalamic functional connectivity, involving areas like the caudate nucleus and precuneus.

    Conclusions:

    • Observed sex differences in brain activation and thalamic functional connectivity may underlie variations in acupuncture sensory processing.
    • The right superior marginal gyrus shows potential as a key brain region for LR3 acupoint activation.
    • Findings highlight the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in acupuncture research.