Acupuncture meridians traditionally are believed to constitute channels connecting the surface of the body to internal organs. We hypothesize that the network of acupuncture points and meridians can be viewed as a representation of the network formed by interstitial connective tissue. This hypothesis is supported by ultrasound images showing connective tissue cleavage planes at acupuncture poin...

Acupuncture at certain points on the body has been shown to have therapeutic effects in the treatment of various diseases [1–4]. Effect mechanism of acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and physical agents and their connections with the central nervous system have been the interest of many researchers. Integrity of the peripheral and central nervous systems is essential for acupuncture to be effect...

The 12th Five-Year Plan outline (2011-2015) of the National Economy and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China is referred as 12th Five-Year Plan. This paper analyzed and summarized the approved funded projects on approval of acupuncture and moxibustion science by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (NSFC) including the total number of the funding projects, the distr...

BACKGROUND Recently, increasing evidence has indicated that the primary acupuncture effects are mediated by the central nervous system. However, specific brain networks underpinning these effects remain unclear. RESULTS In the present study using fMRI, we employed a within-condition interregional covariance analysis method to investigate functional connectivity of brain networks involved in a...

The mechanism of acupuncture, whilst not known with certainty, has previously been considered to be stimulatory. A novel hypothesis is presented here in which C fiber tactile afferent axons bifurcate at acupuncture points and then diverge, running along acupuncture meridians, to subsequently communicate with Merkel cells. It is proposed that acupuncture disrupts the bifurcation of these axons, ...

The anatomical basis for the concept of meridians in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has not been resolved. This paper reviews the evidence supporting a relationship between acupuncture points/meridians and fascia. The reviewed evidence supports the view that the human body's fascia network may be the physical substrate represented by the meridians of TCM. Specifically, this hypothesis is su...

Electrical skin resistance (ESR) measurements were performed with a four-electrode impedance detector at 10 points bilaterally on the first day of and the third day after menstruation in 48 healthy volunteers and 46 primary dysmenorrhea (PD) patients, to assess whether ESR changes of acupuncture points can reflect menstrual pain or not. The results showed statistical reductions in ESR imbalance...

Acupuncture is an ancient Eastern healing modality with putative therapeutic applications. Unfortunately, little is known about the central mechanisms by which acupuncture may exert its effects. In this study, 16 [corrected] healthy subjects were evaluated with magnetoencephalography (MEG) to map the location and timing of brain activity during low-frequency electroacupuncture (EA) and mechanic...

Pain is one of the most important sensations in daily life, and the traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture has shown great potential in pain relief. The principle research of acupuncture anesthesia has been the focus of modern science. In this paper the noninvasive brain imaging technique fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) was used. Eight volunteers were enrolled and receive...

Objective. Acupuncture points are reportedly distinguishable by their electrical properties. However, confounders arising from skin-to-electrode contact used in traditional electrodermal methods have contributed to controversies over this claim. The Scanning Kelvin Probe is a state-of-the-art device that measures electrical potential without actually touching the skin and is thus capable of ove...