ACUPUNCTURE RESEARCH Acupuncture Treatment Modulates the Resting-State Functional Connectivity of Brain Regions in Migraine Patients without Aura

ABSTRACT Objective Objective: To investigate the modulatory effect of acupuncture treatment on the resting-state : To investigate the modulatory effect of acupuncture treatment on the resting-state functional connectivity of brain regions in migraine without aura (MWoA) patients. functional connectivity of brain regions in migraine without aura (MWoA) patients. Methods Methods: Twelve MWoA : Twelve MWoA patients were treated with standard acupuncture treatment for 4 weeks. All MWoA patients received resting-state patients were treated with standard acupuncture treatment for 4 weeks. All MWoA patients received resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning before and after acupuncture treatment. Another 12 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning before and after acupuncture treatment. Another 12 normal subjects matched in age and gender were recruited to serve as healthy controls. The changes of resting- normal subjects matched in age and gender were recruited to serve as healthy controls. The changes of resting- state functional connectivity in MWoA patients before and after the acupuncture treatment and those with the state functional connectivity in MWoA patients before and after the acupuncture treatment and those with the healthy controls were compared. healthy controls were compared. Results Results: Before acupuncture treatment, the MWoA patients had signifi cantly : Before acupuncture treatment, the MWoA patients had signifi cantly decreased functional connectivity in certain brain regions within the frontal and temporal lobe when compared decreased functional connectivity in certain brain regions within the frontal and temporal lobe when compared with the healthy controls. After acupuncture treatment, brain regions showing decreased functional connectivity with the healthy controls. After acupuncture treatment, brain regions showing decreased functional connectivity revealed significant reduction in MWoA patients compared with before acupuncture treatment. revealed significant reduction in MWoA patients compared with before acupuncture treatment. Conclusions Conclusions: Acupuncture treatment could increase the functional connectivity of brain regions in the intrinsic decreased brain Acupuncture treatment could increase the functional connectivity of brain regions in the intrinsic decreased brain networks in MWoA patients. The results provided further insights into the interpretation of neural mechanisms of networks in MWoA patients. The results provided further insights into the interpretation of neural mechanisms of acupuncture treatment for migraine. acupuncture treatment for migraine.