Acupuncture Modulates the Functional Connectivity of the Default Mode Network in Stroke Patients

Abundant evidence from previous fMRI studies on acupuncture has revealed significant modulatory effects at widespread brain regions. However, few reports on the modulation to the default mode network (DMN) of stroke patients have been investigated in the field of acupuncture. To study the modulatory...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yong Zhang, Kuangshi Li, Yi Ren, Fangyuan Cui, Zijing Xie, Jae-Young Shin, Zhongjian Tan, Lixin Tang, Lijun Bai, Yihuai Zou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2014-01-01
Series:Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/765413
Description
Summary:Abundant evidence from previous fMRI studies on acupuncture has revealed significant modulatory effects at widespread brain regions. However, few reports on the modulation to the default mode network (DMN) of stroke patients have been investigated in the field of acupuncture. To study the modulatory effects of acupuncture on the DMN of stroke patients, eight right hemispheric infarction and stable ischemic stroke patients and ten healthy subjects were recruited to undergo resting state fMRI scanning before and after acupuncture stimulation. Functional connectivity analysis was applied with the bilateral posterior cingulate cortices chosen as the seed regions. The main finding demonstrated that the interregional interactions between the ACC and PCC especially enhanced after acupuncture at GB34 in stroke patients, compared with healthy controls. The results indicated that the possible mechanisms of the modulatory effects of acupuncture on the DMN of stroke patients could be interpreted in terms of cognitive ability and motor function recovery.
ISSN:1741-427X
1741-4288