The team found that superficial
needling resulted in activation of the motor areas of the cortex, a normal reaction to the
sensation of touch. But with deep needling,
the brain’s limbic system, which is part of the pain matrix, was deactivated, a
result that could not have been predicted from what we know about neural pathways. This line of research suggests that the
deactivation of the pain matrix may explain in part the mechanism by which acupuncture has
an effect when used to treat chronic pain.
Press
release:
21st Jan 2006
BBC News item: 21st Jan 2006. |
Area of the brain deactivated
by acupuncture
|
