Activity in the primary somatosensory cortex induced by reflexological stimulation is unaffected by pseudo-information: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Ryuta Kawashima⁴  Atsushi Sekiguchi³  Yuko Akitsuki¹  Naoki Miura² 

[1] Smart Ageing International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Seiryo-machi 4-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan;Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Seiryo-machi 4-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan;Division of Medical Neuroimage Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Seiryo-machi 4-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan;Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Seiryo-machi 4-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan

关键词: Placebo effect;    Primary somatosensory cortex;    Functional magnetic resonance imaging;    Neuroimaging;    Reflexology;   

Others  :  1229940
DOI  :  10.1186/1472-6882-13-114

 received in 2012-10-31, accepted in 2013-05-22,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Reflexology is an alternative medical practice that produces beneficial effects by applying pressure to specific reflex areas. Our previous study suggested that reflexological stimulation induced cortical activation in somatosensory cortex corresponding to the stimulated reflex area; however, we could not rule out the possibility of a placebo effect resulting from instructions given during the experimental task. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate how reflexological stimulation of the reflex area is processed in the primary somatosensory cortex when correct and pseudo-information about the reflex area is provided. Furthermore, the laterality of activation to the reflexological stimulation was investigated.

Methods

Thirty-two healthy Japanese volunteers participated. The experiment followed a double-blind design. Half of the subjects received correct information, that the base of the second toe was the eye reflex area, and pseudo-information, that the base of the third toe was the shoulder reflex area. The other half of the subjects received the opposite information. fMRI time series data were acquired during reflexological stimulation to both feet. The experimenter stimulated each reflex area in accordance with an auditory cue. The fMRI data were analyzed using a conventional two-stage approach. The hemodynamic responses produced by the stimulation of each reflex area were assessed using a general linear model on an intra-subject basis, and a two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed on an intersubject basis to determine the effect of reflex area laterality and information accuracy.

Results

Our results indicated that stimulation of the eye reflex area in either foot induced activity in the left middle postcentral gyrus, the area to which tactile sensation to the face projects, as well as in the postcentral gyrus contralateral foot representation area. This activity was not affected by pseudo information. The results also indicate that the relationship between the reflex area and the projection to the primary somatosensory cortex has a lateral pattern that differs from that of the actual somatotopical representation of the body.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that a robust relationship exists between neural processing of somatosensory percepts for reflexological stimulation and the tactile sensation of a specific reflex area.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Miura et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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