Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques, the immediate and sustained effects of acupuncture on functional connectivity (FC) within the default mode network (DMN) and external FC. METHODS: Thirty healthy participants received acupuncture needle stimulation at Baihui (GV20) and Yintang (GV29) and underwent resting-state fMRI scans in three phases: pre-needle insertion, during needle retention, and post-needle removal. Each phase lasted 20 minutes. RESULTS: In terms of within-network connectivity of the DMN, post-needle removal scans showed a decrease in FC between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the angular gyrus (ANG) compared to pre-needle insertion scans. The FC analysis from seed points to whole-brain voxels showed the following changes: compared to pre-needle insertion scans, acupuncture needle insertion increased the FC between the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/PCU) and Cerebellum_8_L; acupuncture needle withdrawal increased the FC between the PCC/PCU and Cerebellum_8_L; acupuncture needle insertion decreased the FC between ANG and Frontal_Sup_Medial_L; and acupuncture needle withdrawal decreased the FC between ANG and Frontal_Sup_Medial_L. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that acupuncture has an impact on the DMN and that these effects are sustained, not just immediate.