Exploration of Key Brain Regions Involved in Acupuncture and Moxibustion Analgesia: An Imaging-Based Study
Liuxuan He,1– 3,* Ruizhu Zhou,1– 3,* Shuai Hou,1– 4 Dan Huang,1– 3 Xiaoxiao Zhao,1– 3 Miaomiao Wang,1– 3 Mengying Huang,1– 3 Tao Yin,1– 3 Haiyan Yin,1– 3 Shuguang Yu1– 3 1School of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s R...
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Dove Medical Press
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Pain Research |
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| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/exploration-of-key-brain-regions-involved-in-acupuncture-and-moxibusti-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JPR |
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| author | He L Zhou R Hou S Huang D Zhao X Wang M Huang M Yin T Yin H Yu S |
| author_facet | He L Zhou R Hou S Huang D Zhao X Wang M Huang M Yin T Yin H Yu S |
| author_sort | He L |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Liuxuan He,1– 3,* Ruizhu Zhou,1– 3,* Shuai Hou,1– 4 Dan Huang,1– 3 Xiaoxiao Zhao,1– 3 Miaomiao Wang,1– 3 Mengying Huang,1– 3 Tao Yin,1– 3 Haiyan Yin,1– 3 Shuguang Yu1– 3 1School of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease (Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 3Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Rehabilitation, Xianning Central Hospital, Xianning, Hubei, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Haiyan Yin, School of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, NO. 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611137, People’s Republic of China, Email yinhaiyan@cdutcm.edu.cn Shuguang Yu, School of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, NO. 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611137, People’s Republic of China, Email ysg@cdutcm.edu.cnBackground: Acupuncture and moxibustion, as traditional therapies in Chinese medicine, are widely recognized for their therapeutic effects, particularly in pain relief. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms underlying their analgesic effects remain to be fully elucidated. Advancements in neuroimaging techniques have opened a novel pathway for investigating alterations in brain function resulting from acupuncture and moxibustion analgesia.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the brain regions activated during acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for pathological pain using neuroimaging, to better understand the underlying analgesic mechanisms.Patients and Methods: An electronic search of PubMed was conducted using the keywords “acupuncture”, “moxibustion”, “analgesia”, and “neuroimaging”. A total of 37 articles, focusing on 14 diseases, were identified and analyzed.Results: Acupuncture primarily activated regions in the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes, with key areas including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insula, prefrontal cortex (PFC), and primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Different stimulation modes and disease types produced distinct patterns of brain region activation.Conclusion: Acupuncture and moxibustion modulate key brain regions involved in pain perception, emotional regulation, and cognitive functions. Acupuncture predominantly affects the sensory cortex, enhancing pain perception, while moxibustion has a more pronounced effect on the limbic system and thalamus, influencing emotional and cognitive aspects of pain. The findings indicate that acupuncture and moxibustion serve as effective non-pharmacological therapies for pain management, offering valuable insights into their underlying analgesic mechanisms. Future research should focus on further elucidating these mechanisms and optimizing clinical applications.Keywords: acupuncture, moxibustion, analgesia, neuroimaging, brain regions |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e2f2bcd384574d91b5d0b65604d2fb12 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1178-7090 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Pain Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-e2f2bcd384574d91b5d0b65604d2fb122025-08-20T02:26:22ZengDove Medical PressJournal of Pain Research1178-70902025-04-01Volume 1820512067102105Exploration of Key Brain Regions Involved in Acupuncture and Moxibustion Analgesia: An Imaging-Based StudyHe LZhou RHou SHuang DZhao XWang MHuang MYin TYin HYu SLiuxuan He,1– 3,* Ruizhu Zhou,1– 3,* Shuai Hou,1– 4 Dan Huang,1– 3 Xiaoxiao Zhao,1– 3 Miaomiao Wang,1– 3 Mengying Huang,1– 3 Tao Yin,1– 3 Haiyan Yin,1– 3 Shuguang Yu1– 3 1School of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease (Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 3Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Rehabilitation, Xianning Central Hospital, Xianning, Hubei, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Haiyan Yin, School of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, NO. 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611137, People’s Republic of China, Email yinhaiyan@cdutcm.edu.cn Shuguang Yu, School of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, NO. 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611137, People’s Republic of China, Email ysg@cdutcm.edu.cnBackground: Acupuncture and moxibustion, as traditional therapies in Chinese medicine, are widely recognized for their therapeutic effects, particularly in pain relief. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms underlying their analgesic effects remain to be fully elucidated. Advancements in neuroimaging techniques have opened a novel pathway for investigating alterations in brain function resulting from acupuncture and moxibustion analgesia.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the brain regions activated during acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for pathological pain using neuroimaging, to better understand the underlying analgesic mechanisms.Patients and Methods: An electronic search of PubMed was conducted using the keywords “acupuncture”, “moxibustion”, “analgesia”, and “neuroimaging”. A total of 37 articles, focusing on 14 diseases, were identified and analyzed.Results: Acupuncture primarily activated regions in the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes, with key areas including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insula, prefrontal cortex (PFC), and primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Different stimulation modes and disease types produced distinct patterns of brain region activation.Conclusion: Acupuncture and moxibustion modulate key brain regions involved in pain perception, emotional regulation, and cognitive functions. Acupuncture predominantly affects the sensory cortex, enhancing pain perception, while moxibustion has a more pronounced effect on the limbic system and thalamus, influencing emotional and cognitive aspects of pain. The findings indicate that acupuncture and moxibustion serve as effective non-pharmacological therapies for pain management, offering valuable insights into their underlying analgesic mechanisms. Future research should focus on further elucidating these mechanisms and optimizing clinical applications.Keywords: acupuncture, moxibustion, analgesia, neuroimaging, brain regionshttps://www.dovepress.com/exploration-of-key-brain-regions-involved-in-acupuncture-and-moxibusti-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JPRacupuncturemoxibustionanalgesianeuroimagingbrain regions |
| spellingShingle | He L Zhou R Hou S Huang D Zhao X Wang M Huang M Yin T Yin H Yu S Exploration of Key Brain Regions Involved in Acupuncture and Moxibustion Analgesia: An Imaging-Based Study Journal of Pain Research acupuncture moxibustion analgesia neuroimaging brain regions |
| title | Exploration of Key Brain Regions Involved in Acupuncture and Moxibustion Analgesia: An Imaging-Based Study |
| title_full | Exploration of Key Brain Regions Involved in Acupuncture and Moxibustion Analgesia: An Imaging-Based Study |
| title_fullStr | Exploration of Key Brain Regions Involved in Acupuncture and Moxibustion Analgesia: An Imaging-Based Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploration of Key Brain Regions Involved in Acupuncture and Moxibustion Analgesia: An Imaging-Based Study |
| title_short | Exploration of Key Brain Regions Involved in Acupuncture and Moxibustion Analgesia: An Imaging-Based Study |
| title_sort | exploration of key brain regions involved in acupuncture and moxibustion analgesia an imaging based study |
| topic | acupuncture moxibustion analgesia neuroimaging brain regions |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/exploration-of-key-brain-regions-involved-in-acupuncture-and-moxibusti-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JPR |
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