Study, 2021
Does 6-minute electro-acupuncture at one acupuncture point change brain activity in women with PMS?
Yes. Electro-acupuncture at the SP6 point changed how different parts of the brain connected to each other.
What they did
23 women with PMS received 6-minute electro-acupuncture stimulation at the Sanyinjiao acupoint (SP6). Brain scans using resting-state fMRI were done before and after the acupuncture.
What they found
After the acupuncture, connections between the left amygdala and brainstem increased. Connections decreased between the left amygdala and left thalamus. The right amygdala showed increased connections with brainstem and other regions, and decreased connections with another brain region.
What it means for you
Electro-acupuncture may work for PMS by changing how different parts of the brain communicate. The main limits are the small sample size, no control group, and no measurement of whether symptoms actually improved.
23
women with PMS
6
minutes of stimulation
2
brain scans per woman
About the study
- Original title
- Regulated aberrant amygdala functional connectivity in premenstrual syndrome via electro-acupuncture stimulation at sanyinjiao acupoint（SP6）
- Authors
- Pang Y, Liao H, Duan G et al.
- Journal
- Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology
- Year
- 2021
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- 6-minute electro-acupuncture stimulation at SP6 point
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/09513590.2020.1855633
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