Acupuncture Relaxation, Vigilance Stage, and Autonomic Nervous System Function: A Comparative Study of Their Interrelationships.

During acupuncture stimulation, autonomic nervous system (ANS) function changes toward being parasympathetic-dominant, with a transient decrease in heart rate (HR). The aim of this research was to determine the relationships between cortical relaxation and vigilance as observed on background electroencephalograms (EEGs), HR, and ANS function during deep acupuncture. This comparative study was conducted at Teikyo Heisei University, in Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan, with 27 healthy male volunteers.

Effects of Acupuncture Sensations on Transient Heart Rate Reduction and Autonomic Nervous System Function During Acupuncture Stimulation.

During acupuncture stimulation, heart rate (HR) transiently decreases and autonomic nervous system (ANS) function becomes parasympathetic-dominant. To clarify the effect of acupuncture sensations (pain, De Qi), the effects of deep acupuncture sensations on HR and ANS functions were determined. In this comparative study at Teikyo Heisei University, Tokyo, Japan, 40 healthy, male student volunteers rested for 20 minutes before undergoing manual acupuncture to the (LI 10) acupoint on the left forearm for 2 minutes at a frequency of 1 Hz, with concurrent electrocardiography.

Evaluation of Autonomic Nervous System Function Using Heart Rate Variability Analysis During Transient Heart Rate Reduction Caused by Acupuncture.

Human studies have demonstrated that heart rate (HR) decreases during acupuncture stimulation, and pharmacologic studies have shown that this autonomic nervous system (ANS) response is parasympathetic-dominant. It has become clear that significant changes occur in the ANS after acupuncture, based on HR variability (HRV). However, it is inconclusive, according to HRV analysis, if acupuncture induces a significant change in autonomic function during stimulation.