A FMRI Study Of The Effects Of Acupuncture On Cerebral Function Activities Of Subjects With Ischemic Apoplexy During Index Finger Movement

Objective:Through observing effects of acupuncture on cerebral function activities of patients with ischemic apoplexy during finger movement using fMRI, we try to evaluate the relation between acupuncture treatment and motor recovery of stroke patients, and try to supply a foundation for the therapeutical function of acupuncture.Methods:15 patients with ischemic apoplexy and hand muscle strength = 4+ were examined in a Block design by hemiparetic hand finger tapping and finger tapping with acupuncture at acupoints of QUCHI(Lll)and SHOUSANLI(LIO) on the hemiparetic body. The dynamic Tl WI raw images were postprocessed offline to form functional images. The distribution to brain functional activation was analyzed. The size of the activation region and the intension of signal were measured.Results:15 subjects in both stimulus patterns could active contralateral primary somatomotor area (Ml). In the tapping finger task, we also found 4 subjects with contralateral premotor area (PMA) and 3 subjects with contralateral first somatosensory area (SI) activated. In the acupuncture task, we found 10 subjects with contralateral Ml, 7 subjects with contralateral S1, 2 subjects with insilateral Ml,l subject with focus area and some other areas were activated. The size of the activation region and the minimum signal in the acupuncture task were both statistically larger than in the finger tapping task (p < 0.05).Conclusion:1 .It was feasible to explore acupuncture mechanisms by using fMRI.2.These results showed the positive relationship between acupoints and brainfunctional regions.3.In the acupuncture task, ischemic apoplexy patients' finger tapping could activate more intensively and larger functional regions. This showed that acupuncture is a very useful treatment for stroke patients' movement recovery.