Functional MRI Studies Of Acupuncture Analgesia Modulating With Cervical Spondylosis Patients

ObjectivesUse resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging(fMRI) to explore the cental mechanism of acupuncture treatment for cervical spondylosis patients with functional connection.MethodsAll20cervical spndylosis patients are divided randomly into2groups which are bailao(EX-HN15)group and bailao(EX-HN15)&zhongzhu(SJ3) group. Each group includes10patients.First the patients need fill in NPQ and McGill tables and then take examination in resting-state with fMRI. After examination all patients shoud take the first electroacupuncture(EA) treatment which will lasts30mins, using dilatational wave in their own groups. Every3days take once. Every patient need take10times EA threatment. At the day after the last threatment, they take the fMRI scan in resting-state. then, the patients fill in NPQ and McGill tables again. Finally, we evaluate therapeutic effect by tables and analyze the functional connectivity in both groups with fMRI data obtained before and after10times EA threatment with two-sample t test.Posterior cingutate of bilateral were the regions of interest.MRI scan use Siemens Avanto1.5T MRI system, using the standard quarature head coil. Head and axial magnetic resonance scan, locate cable in connection eyebrow level, three-dimensional anatomical image using fast T1-weighted spoiled gradient inversion recovery (3D-SPGR) sequence parameters TR/TE=24ms/6ms, FA35°, slice thickness0.9mm, FOV=240mm×240mm, matrix=256×256; fMRI scanning sequence using T2-EPI-GRE sequence parameters:TR/TE=2000ms/30ms, FA90°, slice thickness4mm, spacing1mm, FOV=240mm×240mm, matrix=64×64, scan time was6min. ResultAfter10times EA treatment,20patients all have easement of trachelodynia, Both NPQ scores and McGill Scale seores declined significantly in the2graoups(P<0.05), functional connectivity in resting-state of each group include decreased functional connectivity and increased functional connectivity.In EX-HN15group, the brain regions of decreased functional conectivity included bilateral cerebellum posterior lobe、declive、 bilateral fusiform gyrus、left precuneus、left superior parietal lobule、 left paracentral lobule、left postcentral Gyrus;The brain regions of increased functional connectivity included bilateral calcarine、left culmen、left lingual、right middle occipital gyrus.In EX-HN15&SJ3group, the brain regions of decreased functional conectivity functional connectivity included bilateral rectus、bilateral anterior cingulate、bilateral orbital gyrus、hypothalamus、left insula、 precentral gyrus、left limbic lobe、right precuneus、right medial frontal gyrus、right angular gyrus;The brain regions of increased functional connectivity included right cerebellum posterior lobe、bilateral calcarine、 right superior frontal gyrus、right middle frontal gyrus、right middle temporal gyrus, right occipital midlle、right fusiform gyrus、right limbic lobe.ConclusionAcupuncture analgesic function produce a marked effect by a complex brain network which associated with plenty of regions of the brain. Meanwhile, acupuncture poin compatibility can evoke brain functional connectivity.