The Brain Effects of Laser Acupuncture in Depressed Individuals: An fMRI Investigation

Abstract

Background: The 2010 Cochrane Collaboration Review reported laser acupuncture as being effective in depression. The treatment was on LR 8, LR 14, CV 14, and HT 7 over 12 sessions within a 2-month period. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the biological plausibility of low-intensity laser acupuncture as an antidepressant treatment. Design: Randomized stimulation with a fiber-optic infrared laser on these acupoints and KI 3 acupoint. We used a blocked design, alternating laser and placebo laser/rest blocks, while the blood oxygenation leveldependent (BOLD) fMRI response was recorded from the whole brain on a 3T MRI scanner. Setting: This study took place at the research institute. Subjects: Ten subjects were studied, as confirmed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D 17 ). Intervention: Low-intensity laser acupuncture. Main outcome measures: Significant brain patterns for each acupoint greater than the other acupoints and placebo. Results: Each acupoint laser stimulation condition resulted in a different activation size and pattern of neural activity. Regions with significantly increased activation and deactivation compared to placebo included frontolimbic-striatal brain regions. There was no significant activation or deactivation with KI 3. Blinding was afforded with the block design and the infrared laser. Conclusions: There is positive biological evidence to support the empirical evidence for laser acupuncture in the treatment of depression. With its minimal adverse effect profile and ease of application, laser acupuncture should be included in depression management strategies.

The Antidepressant Effect of Laser Acupuncture: A Comparison of the Resting Brain's Default Mode Network in Healthy and Depressed Subjects During Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

“…11 This experimental condition was also extended by the current authors to a sample of major depressed subjects and this was noted as having increased brain regions of activation to include the parietal cortex, temporal cortex, and cerebellum. 12 These brain regions had an important involvement in the posterior DMN.…”

“…The laser parameters were similar for both groups. 11,12 The acupoints were clearly circled with a skin-marking pen (circumference slightly more than the laser probe) before scanning commenced. A stably held laser was applied to the skin by the acupuncturist (I. Q-S.) who moved the laser from point to point according to the time signal.…”

“…11 The current authors previously reported the differing brain patterns of healthy individuals, compared to depressed individuals during laser acupuncture to depression-specific acupoints. 12 This investigation was extended to the current study to identify and compare the modulatory effects of laser acupuncture on the DMN components of nondepressed versus depressed participants.…”

The effect of laser acupuncture on hypoxia tolerance and inflammation reaction in mice with optical fiber acupuncture needle intra body

“…1,2 Recently, acupuncture has been broadly used in clinical treatment abroad including America. 3 Furthermore, laser acupuncture has been developed to stimulate acupuncture points on the outer skin without infection or pain, 4 and used to improve the treatment of brain function, [5][6][7] dental disease, 8,9 and obesity. 10 The laser stimulation is an alternative method for children with needle phobia.…”

Differential Brain Effects of Laser and Needle Acupuncture at Lr8 Using Functional Mri

“…[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] In our previous studies, fMRI was used to examine the brain response to LA on four acupuncture points (LR8, LR14, CV14 and HT7) in both healthy participants and those with depression. 35 36 The choice of acupuncture points in the fMRI studies was based on a pilot clinical study to demonstrate the effectiveness of a suite of acupuncture points in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in primary care, 8 with LR8 stimulation having produced the most salient effect. These studies showed that the brain activation patterns in depression during LA were different from those in healthy participants, with a significant shift from the frontolimbic cortices to the parieto-temporal-cerebellar regions in those with depression.…”