Comparison of biomechanical properties between acupuncture and non-penetrating sham needle

Chae, Younbyoung,Um, Seo-In,Yi, Seung-Ho,Lee, Hyejung,Chang, Dong-Seon,Yin, Chang Shik,Park, Hi-Joon Elsevier 2011 COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN MEDICINE Vol.19 No.suppl1

<P><B>Summary</B></P><P><B>Objectives</B></P><P>A non-penetrating sham needle has been considered as a reliable control treatment in the field of acupuncture research. However, some concerns with regard to the credibility of sham needles have also been raised. We investigated whether there were differences in biomechanical properties and acupuncture sensation ratings in the process of needling between verum acupuncture (VA) and sham acupuncture (SA).</P><P><B>Methods</B></P><P>To quantify biomechanical force during needling in a cross-over design, we used a computer-controlled needling system. Fourteen participants received VA or SA at acupuncture point LI4, with no visual impact. They were asked to complete an acupuncture sensation form, including penetration, acute pain and <I>DeQi</I> sensations, and to identify the needling type they received.</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>We found that there was a significant difference in insertion force between VA and SA (68.5±12.2 vs. 27.2±3.9gf; <I>p</I><0.001<B>)</B>. Participants clearly distinguished between the two kinds of stimulation and rated higher sensory ratings in the VA session (penetration sensation: 4.9±3.1 vs. 1.7±2.3, acute pain: 4.9±2.7 vs. 1.9±2.6, respectively; <I>p</I><0.01).</P><P><B>Conclusions</B></P><P>Our findings demonstrate that differential biomechanical forces such as insertion and pullout force contribute to the sensation of real and non-penetrating sham needles.</P>

Effect of acupuncture on selective attention for smoking-related visual cues in smokers

Chae, Younbyoung,Kang, O-Seok,Lee, Hwa-Jin,Kim, Song-Yi,Lee, Hyejung,Park, Hun-Kuk,Yang, Jong-Soo,Park, Hi-Joon Informa UK (TaylorFrancis) 2010 Neurological research Vol.32 No.suppl1

<P>OBJECTIVES: Cue reactivity is a key factor that modulates motivational goal directed behavior associated with compulsive drug intake and relapse. We investigated the effect of acupuncture on the selective attention to smoking-related visual cues in smokers, as an index of the severity of drug dependence. METHODS: Twenty-nine smokers received real acupuncture (n=15) or sham acupuncture (n=14) to the acupuncture point HT7 (Sinmun) for 2 consecutive days after quitting smoking. A visual probe task was used to measure the attentional bias using neutral or smoking visual cues after the second acupuncture stimulation. The cigarette withdrawal scale was also measured on the same day. RESULTS: The real acupuncture group showed markedly attenuated attentional bias towards smoking cues. The real acupuncture group exhibited significant decrease in withdrawal symptoms compared to the sham acupuncture group. The attentional bias revealed a significant positive correlation with the smoking withdrawal symptoms (r=0.430, p<0.05). DISCUSSION: Acupuncture treatment ameliorated the smoking withdrawal symptoms as well as the selective attention to smoking-related visual cues in smokers. The selective attention to smoking cues was associated with the degree of the cigarette withdrawal symptoms.</P>

Spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity in response to electroacupuncture stimulation in the rodent primary somatosensory cortex.

Chae, Younbyoung,Park, Hi-Joon,Hahm, Dae-Hyun,Lee, Bae-Hwan,Park, Hun-Kuk,Lee, Hyejung Butterworths [etc.] 2010 Neurological research Vol.32 No.suppl1

<P>OBJECTIVES: Optical imaging technique enables the recording of cortical activities in multiple sites of the primary somatosensory cortex in real time. The present study was aimed to visualize neural activity in response to the acupuncture stimulation in the rodent primary somatosensory cortex by a high-resolution optical imaging system using voltage-sensitive dyes. METHODS: Optical imaging was exploited to examine the temporal-spatial characteristic of rat primary somatosensory cortex during electroacupuncture stimulation (6 mA intensity and 2 ms duration) at two pairs of acupuncture points (ST36-SP6 or GB34-BL57). RESULTS: In terms of magnitude and duration of the optical response, there was no difference between ST36-SP6 and GB34-BL57 stimulations. Maximally activated sites by electroacupuncture stimulation to the different acupuncture points were spatially differentiated in rat primary somatosensory cortex. DISCUSSION: The results indicate that neuronal responses to electroacupuncture stimulation can be visualized in rat primary somatosensory cortex using an optical imaging system. The topographical mapping of acupuncture points in primary somatosensory cortex will make a significant contribution to the understanding of neural mechanisms of the acupuncture treatment and Meridian phenomena.</P>

Parsing brain activity associated with acupuncture treatment in Parkinson's diseases

Chae, Younbyoung,Lee, Hyejung,Kim, Hackjin,Kim, Chang-Hwan,Chang, Dae-Il,Kim, Kyung-Mi,Park, Hi-Joon Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 2009 Movement disorders Vol.24 No.12

<P>Acupuncture, a common treatment modality within complementary and alternative medicine, has been widely used for Parkinson's disease (PD). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we explored the neural mechanisms underlying the effect of specific and genuine acupuncture treatment on the motor function in patients with PD. Three fMRI scans were performed in random order in a block design, one for verum acupuncture (VA) treatment, another one for a covert placebo (CP), and the third one for an overt placebo (OP) at the motor function implicated acupoint GB34 on the left foot of 10 patients with PD. We calculated the contrast that subtracts the blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) response for the acupuncture effect (VA vs. CP) and the placebo effect (CP vs. OP). We found a significant improvement in the motor function of the affected hand after acupuncture treatment. The putamen and the primary motor cortex were activated when patients with PD received the acupuncture treatment (VA vs. CP) and these activations correlated with individual enhanced motor function. Expectation towards acupuncture modality (CP vs. OP) elicited activation over the anterior cingulate gyrus, the superior frontal gyrus, and the superior temporal gyrus. These findings suggest that acupuncture treatment might facilitate improvement in the motor functioning of patients with PD via the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society</P>

Acupuncture attenuates autonomic responses to smoking-related visual cues

Chae, Younbyoung,Park, Hi-Joon,Kang, O-Seok,Lee, Hwa-Jin,Kim, Song-Yi,Yin, Chang-Shik,Lee, Hyejung Elsevier 2011 COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN MEDICINE Vol.19 No.suppl1

<P><B>Summary</B></P><P><B>Objectives</B></P><P>In smokers, smoking-associated cues produce smoking urges and cravings, which are accompanied by autonomic dysfunction in response to these cues. We investigated whether or not acupuncture ameliorated cigarette withdrawal symptoms, as well as attenuated the autonomic responses to smoking-related visual cues in smokers using a power spectrum analysis of heart rate variability (HRV).</P><P><B>Interventions</B></P><P>Fifteen subjects were treated with real acupuncture (RA) at HT7 and 14 subjects received sham acupuncture (SA) at LI10 using the Park Sham Device.</P><P><B>Main outcome measure</B></P><P>The cigarette withdrawal scale (CWS) was measured on the third day after the subjects had quit smoking. We compared the low-frequency/high-frequency (HF/LF) ratio in the HRV of the RA and SA groups during a distraction task using neutral and smoking visual cues.</P><P><B>Results</B></P><P>The CWS of the RA group was significantly lower than that of the SA group. The increase in the LF/HF ratio of HRV induced by the smoking-related visual cues was also significantly lower in the RA group when compared with the SA group. Acupuncture not only ameliorated cigarette withdrawal, but also weakened the autonomic responses to smoking cues during withdrawal.</P><P><B>Conclusions</B></P><P>These findings suggest that acupuncture might help in smoking cessation by attenuating withdrawal symptoms and smoking cues-induced autonomic responses.</P>

The role of touch in acupuncture treatment

Chae, Younbyoung,Olausson, Hå,kan THE BRITISH MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE SOCIETY 2017 ACUPUNCTURE IN MEDICINE Vol.35 No.2

<P>Acupuncture is a therapeutic treatment that is characterised by the insertion of a needle at a particular location on the body. Acupuncture stimulation includes sensory-discriminative and affective-social touch dimensions. In this review, we discuss the role of touch during acupuncture stimulation with an emphasis on the therapeutic, sensory-discriminative and affective-social aspects. In the discriminative dimension, de qi, which is associated with needling, includes a combination of various sensations, such as heaviness, numbness, soreness and distension. Achieving the appropriate de qi sensation appears to be fundamental to the therapeutic outcome following acupuncture treatment. In the affective dimension, the acupuncture procedure typically includes gentle manual touch stimulation, which induces feelings of calm and well-being, perhaps by activating C tactile fibres. Enhanced activity of C tactile afferents may induce a 'limbic touch' response, resulting in emotional and hormonal reactions. Because acupuncture is a 'therapist intensive' and complex intervention, it is necessary to understand the role of social touch between the practitioner and patient. Both sensory-discriminative and affective-social touch aspects play an important role in the therapeutic effect of acupuncture treatment in clinical practice.</P>

Acupuncture and brain imaging: what do we have to consider?

THE BRITISH MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE SOCIETY 2012 ACUPUNCTURE IN MEDICINE Vol.30 No.4

The dilemma of placebo needles in acupuncture research

THE BRITISH MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE SOCIETY 2017 ACUPUNCTURE IN MEDICINE Vol.35 No.5

Short term effects by acupuncture to SP3 on the autonomic blood flow control.

Lee, Seungmin,Chae, Younbyoung,Kim, Seung-Nam,Kim, Song-Yi,Park, Ji-Yeun,Kwark, Young-Rong,Kang, O-Seok,Lee, Hyejung,Yin, Chang Shik,Park, Hi-Joon Butterworths [etc.] 2010 Neurological research Vol.32 No.suppl1

<P>OBJECTIVES: In this study, we investigated the short term effects of acupuncture on autonomic control of blood flow in healthy subjects. We also studied whether deqi (obtaining qi) sensations are correlated with these autonomic hemodynamic changes. METHODS: The experiment had a randomized, crossover design. Five healthy volunteers (age: 18-26 years) participated in this study. Acupuncture (2 Hz rotations for 10 seconds to 20 mm deep) was applied either to the acupuncture point SP3 or KI2 for 5 minutes. Non-invasively obtained continuous hemodynamic measurements of ultrasound Dopplerography were recorded at the radial artery before, during and after acupuncture stimulation. Cardiovascular autonomic tone was also recorded using power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. After acupuncture stimulation, the participants completed the acupuncture perception scales to measure the degree of deqi or pain they had experienced. RESULTS: Acupuncture stimulation to the acupuncture point SP3, when compared to the acupuncture point KI2, decreased the maximum systolic velocity. It also decreased low frequency component and increased high frequency component of heart rate variability, indicating that the decrease in systolic blood flow velocity was due to the increased parasympathetic response. Interestingly, warm, radiating and energetic feeling, which are related to deqi, had close correlations with the decrease in blood flow velocity. DISCUSSION: Acupuncture stimulation to the acupuncture point SP3 modulates the autonomic cardiovascular responses by enhancing parasympathetic function, and this may help to understand the therapeutic effects of acupuncture.</P>

육자결(六字訣) 기공 수련이 여중생들의 스트레스와 정신건강에 미치는 영향

이화진(Hwajin Lee),채윤병(Younbyoung Chae),함대현(Dae-Hyun Hahm),박히준(Hi-Joon Park),이혜정(Hyejung Lee) 대한스트레스학회 2007 스트레스硏究 Vol.15 No.1