De Qi Research Articles

Acupuncture Points Have Subjective (Needing Sensation) and Objective (Serum Cortisol Increase) Specificity

This randomised, controlled trial was to determine if blinded subjects are able to discriminate between needle stimulation at traditional acupuncture points and sham points, based on the appreciation of needling sensation (de qi); and if needling at traditional points is related to the objective parameter of serum cortisol increase. Manual acupuncture at traditional and sham points was applied to 20 healthy male students in a single-blind crossover design. Needle sensation (de qi) was reported as significantly stronger with traditional needling than with sham acupuncture. Needling at traditional acupuncture points moderately, but significantly, increased serum cortisol values at 5, 25 and 45 minutes after cessation of stimulation. Needle sensation did not correlate with serum cortisol levels. Experience of pain did not show a difference between traditional and sham needling, nor did it correlate with serum cortisol levels. We conclude that acupuncture points show subjective (needling sensation) and objective (serum cortisol increase) specificity.

Ascending pathways of skin and deep information projecting to the ventral posterior lateral nucleus of thalamus in the cat.

In acupuncture, the typical sensation induced by insertion of a needle into the muscle that called “De Qi” is essential to induce acupuncture analgesia. The effect of acupuncture analgesia may depend on the deep afferents rather than to the cutaneous ones at the acupuncture point. The ascending pathways conveying these skin and deep afferents project to the ventral posterior lateral nucleus (VPL) of thalamus, one of the thalamic relay nuclei projected to the cerebral cortex, were examined by spinal cord lesion at the cervical level with observation of the responses evoked by electrical stimulation applied selectively to the skin and deep tissues.Neuronal discharges were recorded extracellularly from the VPL using the multimicroelectrode technique. After spontaneous neuronal activities were recorded, the receptive fields and characteristics were determined by applying some kinds of mechanical stimulation to the receptive field. The skin and deep structures were then selectively stimulated using a pair of stainless steel needles and insulated needles except for tips. Units were classified for skin units, deep units, and skin-deep units according to the responses to the electrical stimulation. Responses were elicited in some neurons following to both skin and deep stimuli. The latency of response elicited by electrical stimulation applied to the deep structure was slightly shorter than that of the skin structure. The recording sites for deep units were located more rostrally in the dorsal region of the VPL than that for the skin units.The afferents of some skin-deep neurons from both skin and deep structures were ascended through different pathways in the spinal cord. The skin and deep afferents were found to converge at the thalamic level.

Morphological data concerning the acupuncture points and channel network.

Through its traditional rules, the practice of acupuncture requires knowledge of the channel networks and point locations. For nearly three centuries, morphological research did not show any evidence on peripheral morphological support of the channels. Their courses appear as referred sensations, and the persistence of propogated sensations along the channels in amputees and their cessation after total section of the spinal cord implicates a neuraxial participation. The spatial sequence of the segmental centers seems to be the indispensable primary structure. Through the various centers having a topical organization, the somesthetic areas appear as the necessary structural support of the propogated sensation along the channel. Acupuncture points are less discussed as a basis of acupuncture in the West, but they do have equivalences in all medical systems. Nervous structures are necessary for acupuncture to work, and complete denervation totally suppresses the effect of the points. There is not only one type of acupuncture point but many of them, and the concomitant stimulation of multiple and clearly defined structures is necessary to obtain the acupuncture sensation, De Qi. Thus, the effect seems strictly correlated with convergence of nerve impulses on the primary centers. Lastly, accurate anatomical knowledge of the point and its correct puncture (location, direction, depth) are indispensable to get satisfactory therapeutical effects and to avoid iatrogenic incidents.

Sensory potentials evoked by stimulation of the Jing points at the hand.

Stimulation of Jing points at the hand, evokes sensory potentials measurable at the arm on the acupuncture points located above the corresponding nerve courses. Seven normal subjects were studied. The better electrical permeability on the Chinese point is confirmed. Only one impulse allows obtaining of a response through fibres belonging to group II, but the averaging of 32 to 256 response samples is necessary to give evidence of the fibres belonging to groups III and IV. Acupuncture sensation (De Qi) appears as a consequence of correct stimulation of an acupuncture point, that is of the various structures in relation to it.