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Altered Brain Regional Homogeneity Following Contralateral Acupuncture at Quchi (LI 11) and Zusanli (ST 36) in Ischemic Stroke Patients with Left Hemiplegia: An fMRI Study

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Abstract

Objective

To study the effect of contralateral acupuncture (CAT) at acupoints of Quchi (LI 11) and Zusanli (ST 36) on the unaffected limbs of ischemic stroke patients with left hemiplegia based on regional homogeneity (ReHo) indices.

Methods

Ten ischemic stroke patients with left hemiplegia received CAT on right side at LI 11 and ST 36. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed before and after acupuncture. A ReHo analytical method was used to compare brain responses of patients before and after CAT operated by REST software.

Results

The stimulation at both LI 11 and ST 36 on the unaffected limbs produced significantly different neural activities. CAT elicited increased ReHo values at the right precentral gyrus and superior frontal gyrus, decreased ReHo value at right superior parietal lobule, left fusiform gyrus and left supplementary motor area.

Conclusions

Acupuncture at one side could stimulate bilateral regions. CAT could evoke the gyrus which was possibly related to motor recovery from stroke. A promising indicator of neurobiological deficiencies could be represented by ReHo values in post-stroke patients.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to sincerely thank all participants, the physician assistant, and operators in MRI Room in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Imaging Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, China

    Shu-qi Chen, De-chun Cai & Lian-sheng Liu

  2. Medical College of Acu-Moxi and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Shu-qi Chen & Han Yang

  3. Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Shu-qi Chen

  4. The Second Clinical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Ji-xin Chen

Authors
  1. Shu-qi Chen
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  2. De-chun Cai
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  3. Ji-xin Chen
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  4. Han Yang
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  5. Lian-sheng Liu
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Contributions

Liu LS and Chen SQ designed the experiment. Chen SQ drafted the manuscript. Liu LS made critical revision of the manuscript. Chen SQ, Cai DC, Chen JX, Yang H performed the experiment. Liu LS performed the data collection and analysis. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lian-sheng Liu.

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Conflict of Interest

All authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Supported by the “Innovation and Strength of Hospital” grants from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (No. 2016QN09)

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Chen, Sq., Cai, Dc., Chen, Jx. et al. Altered Brain Regional Homogeneity Following Contralateral Acupuncture at Quchi (LI 11) and Zusanli (ST 36) in Ischemic Stroke Patients with Left Hemiplegia: An fMRI Study. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 26, 20–25 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-019-3079-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-019-3079-6

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