An fMRI study of somatosensory-implicated acupuncture points in stable somatosensory stroke patients

METHODS: fMRI was performed with two different paradigms including tactile stimuli and electrical stimulation. RESULTS: Tactile stimulation in both patients and controls produced significant activation in primary and secondary sensory and motor cortical areas and the cerebellum. Greater activation was present in patients than controls in the somatosensory cortex with both the tactile task and the acupuncture point (acupoint) stimulation. Activation was greater during the tactile than the acupuncture stimulation in both the patients and the normal controls.