Electrical Potential of Acupuncture Points: Use of a Noncontact Scanning Kelvin Probe
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...
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doaj-1f97df873f5a4a0599e17a29f86ab0d42020-11-25T00:21:37ZengHindawi LimitedEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine1741-427X1741-42882012-01-01201210.1155/2012/632838632838Electrical Potential of Acupuncture Points: Use of a Noncontact Scanning Kelvin ProbeBrian J. Gow0Justine L. Cheng1Iain D. Baikie2Ørjan G. Martinsen3Min Zhao4Stephanie Smith5Andrew C. Ahn6Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 900 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USASchool of Engineering and Applied Sciences and East Asian Programs, Harvard University, Harvard Yard, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAKP Technology Ltd., Wick KW1 5LE, UKDepartment of Physics, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, NorwayDepartments of Dermatology & Ophthalmology, Research Institute for Regenerative Cures, UC Davis School of Medicine, 2921 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95817, USAMartinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 Thirteenth Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USAMartinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 Thirteenth Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USAObjective. 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 overcoming these confounding effects. In this study, we evaluated the electrical potential profiles of acupoints LI-4 and PC-6 and their adjacent controls. We hypothesize that acupuncture point sites are associated with increased variability in potential compared to adjacent control sites. Methods. Twelve healthy individuals were recruited for this study. Acupuncture points LI-4 and PC-6 and their adjacent controls were assessed. A 2 mm probe tip was placed over the predetermined skin site and adjusted to a tip-to-sample distance of 1.0 mm under tip oscillation settings of 62.4 Hz frequency. A surface potential scan spanning a 1.0 cm × 1.0 cm area was obtained. Results. At both the PC-6 and LI-4 sites, no significant differences in mean potential were observed compared to their respective controls (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and 0.79, resp.). However, the LI-4 site was associated with significant increase in variability compared to its control as denoted by standard deviation and range ( and 0.0005, resp.). At the PC-6 site, no statistical differences in variability were observed. Conclusion. Acupuncture points may be associated with increased variability in electrical potential.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/632838 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Brian J. Gow Justine L. Cheng Iain D. Baikie Ørjan G. Martinsen Min Zhao Stephanie Smith Andrew C. Ahn |
spellingShingle |
Brian J. Gow Justine L. Cheng Iain D. Baikie Ørjan G. Martinsen Min Zhao Stephanie Smith Andrew C. Ahn Electrical Potential of Acupuncture Points: Use of a Noncontact Scanning Kelvin Probe Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine |
author_facet |
Brian J. Gow Justine L. Cheng Iain D. Baikie Ørjan G. Martinsen Min Zhao Stephanie Smith Andrew C. Ahn |
author_sort |
Brian J. Gow |
title |
Electrical Potential of Acupuncture Points: Use of a Noncontact Scanning Kelvin Probe |
title_short |
Electrical Potential of Acupuncture Points: Use of a Noncontact Scanning Kelvin Probe |
title_full |
Electrical Potential of Acupuncture Points: Use of a Noncontact Scanning Kelvin Probe |
title_fullStr |
Electrical Potential of Acupuncture Points: Use of a Noncontact Scanning Kelvin Probe |
title_full_unstemmed |
Electrical Potential of Acupuncture Points: Use of a Noncontact Scanning Kelvin Probe |
title_sort |
electrical potential of acupuncture points: use of a noncontact scanning kelvin probe |
publisher |
Hindawi Limited |
series |
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine |
issn |
1741-427X 1741-4288 |
publishDate |
2012-01-01 |
description |
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 overcoming these confounding effects. In this study, we evaluated the electrical potential profiles of acupoints LI-4 and PC-6 and their adjacent controls. We hypothesize that acupuncture point sites are associated with increased variability in potential compared to adjacent control sites. Methods. Twelve healthy individuals were recruited for this study. Acupuncture points LI-4 and PC-6 and their adjacent controls were assessed. A 2 mm probe tip was placed over the predetermined skin site and adjusted to a tip-to-sample distance of 1.0 mm under tip oscillation settings of 62.4 Hz frequency. A surface potential scan spanning a 1.0 cm × 1.0 cm area was obtained. Results. At both the PC-6 and LI-4 sites, no significant differences in mean potential were observed compared to their respective controls (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and 0.79, resp.). However, the LI-4 site was associated with significant increase in variability compared to its control as denoted by standard deviation and range ( and 0.0005, resp.). At the PC-6 site, no statistical differences in variability were observed. Conclusion. Acupuncture points may be associated with increased variability in electrical potential. |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/632838 |
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