痛觉诱发电位可以实时反映电针穴位的镇痛效果Objective:This study was undertaken to observe changes of pain-related cerebral somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) following electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of Hegu(LI 4) in volunteer subjects for elucidating the cerebral cortical mechanisms of EA analgesia. Methods: SEPs from 12 healthy volunteer subjects (7 males and 5 females) were recorded using 64 channels NeuroScan (ESI-128) following electrical stimulation of the left median nerve (MN)
Hegu (LI 4) and non-acupoint (1 cm beside LI-4
i.e.
the ulnar margin of the first metacarpal bone on the back palm and at the same level with LI-4) that included stimulus series of Ⅰ (4~6.8 mA
MN)
Ⅱ (10~13 mA
MN)
Ⅲ (10~13 mA
MN+LI-4) and Ⅳ (10~13 mA
MN+non-acupoint). Peak values of N 20
P 40
N 80
P 170 and N 280
and peak-peak (PP) values of N 20-P 40
N 80-P 170
P 170-N 280 of SEPs obtained from 64 scalp electrodes before and after stimulation were recorded and analyzed. Results: Late components of SEPs could not be gained during non-painful stimulation (series Ⅰ). During painful stimulation (series Ⅱ~Ⅳ)
the peak values of medium and late components (N 80
P 170 and N 280) of SEPs were the biggest for series Ⅱ
moderate for series Ⅳ and the lowest for series Ⅲ. The early components (N 20 and P 40) had no apparent changes during stimulus series Ⅲ. Two dimensions topography recording displayed that the early components of SEPs originated from the contralateral hemisphere(C4); and the late components from the slight contralateral part of the central hemisphere extending to the frontal cortex. The amplitude values of SEPs at different time courses after 87.4 ms during stimulus series Ⅲ were significantly lower than those of stimulus series Ⅱ and Ⅳ. The inhibitory effect of EA of Hegu (LI 4) on MN-stimulation induced SEPs became obvious at 87.4 ms
peaked at 170 ms and lasted for 337.4 ms. The peak values of N 20 and P 40 and the PP values of N 20-P 40 from CZ (the parietal-central zone) and C4 (the contralateral vertex zone) had no significant differences among series Ⅱ
Ⅲ and Ⅳ (P>0.05); the peak values of N 80 from CZ also had no significant difference between series Ⅲ and Ⅳ (P>0.05); while the peak value of N 80 from CZ
and those of P 170 and N 280 and the PP values of N 80- P 170 and P 170- N 280 from CZ and C4 of series Ⅲ were all considerably lower than those of series Ⅱ and Ⅳ (P<0.05). The peak and PP values of various components of SEPs from CZ
and P 170
N 280
N 80-P 170 and P 170-N 280 from C4 of series Ⅳ were all lower than those of series Ⅱ. Conclusion:Both EA of Hegu (LI 4) and non-acupoint can inhibit the medium and late components of MN-stimulation induced SEPs
and the effect of EA of Hegu (LI 4) is strikingly superior to that of non-acupoint
suggesting a specific action of the acupoint
and the human cerebral cortex is involved in EA analgesia.