Acupuncture For Treatment Of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder:an FMRI Study

Objective:To analyze the changes of regional homogeneity by puncturing at the acupoints on the involved meridian and explore the central mechanisms of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Methods:12patients with post-traumatic stress disorder are matched the inclusion criteria as a group. Each patient received electric acupuncture for12weeks. Clinical evaluation and resting state fMRI scans were performed before and after treatment. The characteristics of regional homogeneity after treatment were investigated, and the correlation analysis between clinical effects and the change of regional homogeneity were detected.Results:The study was well completed and the effect of treatment is definite. CAPS、 HAMD> HAMA were statistical significance before and after treatment (P<0.05). Compared to the before treatment, the patients showed increased regional homogeneity in left middle front, left superior temporal, right inferior front, right middle temporal, right insular, right thalamus, cingulate, parahippocampal, ligual, cuneus, precuneus, caudate nucleus and cerebellum and so on.(p<0.05, corrected) Conclusion:with electric acupuncture it was effect to treat PTSD patients. The central mechanism may be correlated with front, temporal, insular, and occipital, cerebellum and limbic system. They may be relative to reward pathways.