Functional neuroimaging of acupuncture: A systematic review

Acupuncture, an ancient Chinese healing methodology, is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world. However, the mechanism by which acupuncture exerts its effects is not yet fully understood. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a widely used technique to observe brain activity noninvasively. In this chapter, the authors first review the existing literature on the effects of acupuncture on brain activity and connectivity. The authors next discuss some basic issues in the study of acupuncture with fMRI, including deqi, baseline and control measures, acupuncture modalities, and experimental paradigms. At the end of the chapter, future research directions in the study of acupuncture with fMRI are suggested.