fMRI Evaluation of Auricular Acupuncture Targets: An Exploratory Clinical Study
An Exploratory Clinical Study on fMRI-Based Evaluation of Intervention Targets for Auricular Acupuncture Therapy
Jiangsu Taizhou People's Hospital
32 participants
Dec 20, 2025
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
This study employs resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to examine whether auricular press needles acupuncture modulates functional connectivity between the insula and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), in a manner comparable to transcranial vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), and to assess its association with interoceptive improvement. By establishing a neurophysiological baseline for auricular vagus nerve stimulation (aVNS) in the healthy brain, the research aims to clarify its regulatory mechanisms in cognition and emotion. The findings provide a key theoretical and evaluative framework for translating aVNS into clinical applications for insomnia and depression.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria5
- Age 18-30 years;
- Basically normal diet and sleep;
- No history of mental illness;
- No MRI contraindications (e.g., metal implants or pacemakers) or claustrophobia；
- Willing to participate in this study and sign the informed consent form.
Exclusion Criteria4
- Presence of auricular skin lesions or allergy to adhesive ear patches;
- Currently receiving regular acupuncture treatment;
- History of bleeding disorders or anticoagulant use (increased bleeding risk);
- Previous history of syncope during acupuncture.
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Interventions
The auricular points Heart, Kidney, Shenmen, and Subcortex were selected. After a baseline fMRI scan, sterile press needles were applied aseptically to these points in the experimental group.Each point was stimulated with 20 manual presses per session. This procedure was repeated for three sessions, separated by 10-minute intervals, resulting in a total intervention time of approximately 26 minutes. To capture immediate neural effects, a post-intervention fMRI scan was conducted to observe changes in brain activity. The intervention involved applying auricular press needles (a type of intradermal embedding needle) to specific acupoints.
The sham auricular acupuncture control group was identical to the experimental group in terms of acupoint locations, auricular acupuncture procedure, and fMRI scanning protocol. The sole exception was that the sham group received a needle-free, auricular press needles.
Locations(1)
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NCT07332962