Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 1990 ; 15(2): 126-9.

[The effects of needling acupoint, nonpain and pain stimulation on electroencephalogram (EEG) of somatosensory area analysed by computer]

Huang K, Xia L, Wu Q, Xia Y, Zhang J.

Institute of Acupuncture and moxibustion, China Academy of traditional Chinese Medicine.

The present study was to observe the change of EEG power spectrum during acupuncturing, nonpain stimulating and pain stimulating; then to comparatively analyse the effects of acupuncturing acupoint on brain function. The work was performed on 30 normal subjects. Nonpain or pain stimulation was applied to a medial finger, and the intensity of stimulation was determined by subject's report. Acupoints were "Neiguan" and "Jianshi". EEGs were recorded on a tape recorder before, during and after each stimulation. Then EEG power spectrum were analysed by SM-2100 computer. The results were as follows: According to the analysis of EEG power spectrum, in most of subjects, alpha (a) band was shifted to higher band during pain stimulating, there was significant change, P less than 0.05. The highness of a spike was significantly increased during acupuncturing acupoints, P less than 0.02. The ratio of delta power spectra to theta (theta) and delta (delta) power spectra showed increased tendency during acupuncturing or nonpain stimulating, but decreased during pain stimulating. It was indicated that nociceptive pain-stimulation resulted in hyposynchrony of EEG: frequency was increased, amplitude was decreased, alpha rhythm was inhibited to a certain extent; acupuncturing acupoints had the effect which could strengthen the stability of EEG rhythmic activities. We know that EEG rhythmic activities show clearly the stability of balance inside organism. So this result suggested that acupuncturing acupoint could play a role in modulating the balance inside organism and enhancing the stability of brain function.