Immediate and sustained effects of acupuncture on the default mode network.

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 show

SUBMITTER: Wang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12815408 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature