A new idea to study the target of scalp acupuncture stimulation

Abstract

Scalp acupuncture, an important modern acupuncture branch that combines acupuncture stimulation and neuroscience, is gaining popularity in the clinic. It is believed that scalp acupuncture can modulate the function of certain brain areas through stimulation of specific scalp areas corresponding to the related cortical areas, thereby providing therapeutic benefits for a wide scope of diseases. In recent decades, there has been remarkable progress in our understanding of the brain circuitry of many brain-related disorders through cutting-edge brain imaging techniques. Unfortunately, these findings have not been incorporated into scalp acupuncture protocols. Thus, identifying surface cortical regions associated with these disorders would expand stimulation target selections of scalp acupuncture. In this manuscript, we aim to 1) propose the idea and methods to incorporate neuroimaging findings and scalp acupuncture; and 2) introduce scalp acupuncture stimulation targets for some psychological and neurological disorders based on recent brain imaging findings. We hope this manuscript can inspire innovation on this topic to help further develop scalp acupuncture.