Neural plasticity
Effects of Acupuncture on Cerebral Blood Flow in Episodic Migraine Patients Investigated by Arterial Spin Labeling MRI
By Kikuchi T, Yamaguchi S, Matsuda H and 2 others.
Abstract
Objective
To investigate the temporal dynamics of cerebral blood flow (CBF) responses to Japanese-style acupuncture in patients with episodic migraine using arterial spin labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to compare these responses with those of healthy controls.
Methods
Patients with episodic migraine were recruited according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-3), and healthy volunteers without migraine served as controls. Japanese-style acupuncture was administered for 10 min at four clinically relevant cranio-cervical acupoints (ST8, ST6, GB21, and GB12) using nonmagnetic silver needles (0.2 mm in diameter). All acupuncture procedures were performed by the same licensed acupuncturist. CBF was assessed during the interictal period using repeated ASL MRI at baseline, during acupuncture stimulation (early and late phases), immediately after needle removal, and 15 and 30 min after stimulation.