An experiment conducted in the
BBC TV series Alternative Medicine: The Evidence (tx BBC 2, 9pm, 24 January
2006) presented by scientist Professor Kathy Sykes from Bristol University,
shows that acupuncture has a powerful and measurable effect on the human
brain.
This effect is surprising, because scientists have previously
predicted that parts of the cortex would be activated during acupuncture.
This
unique experiment suggests that, on the contrary, parts of the brain,
beyond the cortex, are actually deactivated. The first programme in the three part series brings together a group
of leading scientists including neuro-scientist Mark Lythgoe (UCL); neuro-physiologist
Dr Aziz Asghar (Hull York Medical School); academic Dr George Lewith
(Southampton University); and acupuncturist Dr Hugh McPherson (York University).
Together they devise a rigorous scientific test to assess the neurological
effect of acupuncture. Volunteers were subjected to a process acupuncturists
call ‘deep needling’ and the findings were compared with
a control group undergoing ‘superficial needling’. ‘Deep
needling’ involves having needles inserted approximately one centimetre
into the back of the hand at a well known acupuncture point and the needles
are then rotated by the practitioner until the effect acupuncturists
call de chi is experienced - the subjects feeling a tingling sensation.
Those undergoing ‘superficial needling’ have needles only
inserted approximately one millimetre into a similar point. During these
two procedures the volunteers underwent brain scans to see what, if any,
effect there was in the brain.
The most up-to-date functional magnetic resonance imager at York University
was used, and continuous real time images were obtained with the latest
Magnetoencephelography (MEG) scanning equipment. MEG is a new technology
that measures the very faint magnetic fields that emanate from the head
as a result of brain activity. As we see in this programme, when the
results are analysed the scientists discover that ‘superficial
needling’ results in activation of the motor areas of the cortex,
a normal response to touch or pain. With ‘deep needling’ and
de chi effect, a deeper part of the brain is affected. This is within
what is often known as the limbic system, and is a part of the pain matrix.
Surprisingly, this part of the brain is deactivated with ‘deep
needling’; neuroscientists are more familiar with interventions
causing activations. This result seems to support anecdotal accounts
of acupuncture (and some experimental studies) which indicate that the
therapy is particularly effective in the management of pain, and suggests
a mechanism.
Professor Sykes said:
" I’m just thrilled that we managed
to do a real scientific experiment, shaped and run by scientists and
acupuncturists together, where we found something quite unexpected; that
acupuncture is having a measurable effect on the human brain.”
Dr Mark Lythgoe said:
“ This finding permits the team to suggest
a novel neurobiological mechanism for the action of acupuncture, which
may account for its therapeutic benefits. “
In Alternative Medicine: The Evidence Professor Kathy Sykes examines
three forms of alternative medicine – acupuncture, healing and
herbalism – to see if there is any scientific evidence for their
effectiveness. In the first programme on acupuncture, in addition to
this neuroscience study, she travels to the US and China where acupuncture
is routinely used alongside conventional medicine in hospitals. In China
she witnesses a conscious patient undergoing open-heart surgery with
acupuncture being used without general anaesthetic.
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21 January 2006. For further information, please visit their website
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