By Stimulating Luo-connecting Point FMRI Study On The Exterior-interior Relationship

ObjectiveUsing the functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) technique to observe the activated regions in brain by stimulating Guangming point that was Luo-connecting point of Gallbladder Meridian and Ligou point that was Luo-connecting point of Liver Meridian, in order to find out common regions in brain for the theory of the exterior-interior relationship.Methods34healthy volunteers (age22-28years old, average age25±1.4years,20males,14females), were divided into two groups,re-spectively, to stimulate Guangming point (Guangming group) and L-igou point(Ligou group).Guangming group had17cases, in which10were males and7were females. Ligou group also had17cases, in which10were males and7were females. We used blood oxygen-ation level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) te-chnology. Each volunteer received first scaning before acupunct-ure and second scaning after stimulating the acupoint in order to dividing into the control group and the experimental group. Statistical prametric mapping(SPM8) was chosed for post-proces-sing and analysing.One sample t-test was used on a single test data and two sample t-test was used on a group data and the xj-view8software displayed the results.Fisher probabilities was used between two experimental groups by spssl6.0.Results1.Data of three cases were excluded in each group.Guangming group and Ligou group actually had14cases each.2. Guangming group:Compared with resting images, stimulating Guangming point activated the right anterior cingulate and par-acigulate gyri,superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus,pre-cental gyrus,postcentral gyrus,supramarginal gyrus and inferior parietal, the left anterior cingulate and paracigulate gyri,sup-erior frontal gyrus,middle frontal gyrus,middle occipital gyrus and calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex.It also had negti-ve activation on bilateral posterior cigulate gyrus,cuneus,pre-cuneus,middle temporal gyrus,supplementary motor area and cere-be lum.3.Ligou group:Compared with resting images,stimulating Lig-ou point activated the right precental gyrus, middle temporal g-yrus,postcentral gyrus,middle cingulate and paracingulate gyri, calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex, the left caudatum and postcentral gyrus. It also had negtive activation on the left supramarginal gyrus.4. The right precental gyrus and postcentral gyrus were activated by stimulating Guangming point and Ligou point. Discussion1. Acupuncture on Guangming point mainly activated the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe cortex, and mainly activated visual cortex in the view of function, and had negative activation on bilateral precuneus, cuneus,supplementary motor area and cerebelum at the same time which may have the relationship with effection of the acpoint.2.Acupuncture on Ligou point mainly activated the frontal lobe, temporal lobe,parietal lobe,occipital lobe cortex, and activated the primary somatosensory cortex and primary motor cortex.3.Stimulating the Luo-connecting point of Gallbladder Meri-dian of Foot-Shaoyang, Guangming point can treat eye disease a-nd lower limbs disease. Stimulating the Luo-connecting point of Liver Meridian of Foot-Jueyin, Ligou point can treat senital s-ystem disease that there are no overlapping treatments between. But Stimulating Guangming point and Ligou point activated the calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex.This result may provid e new evidence for theory of traditional Chinese medcine.