Timing of Acupuncture during LTP-Like Plasticity Induced by Paired-Associative Stimulation

Figure 1

Experimental design. (a) MEP amplitudes induced by TMS over the bilateral M1 in resting conditions were measured at the “Before” (15 min before acupuncture), “In” (30 min with the needle in situ), and “Off” (30 min after the needle removal) phases, at 30-second intervals; (b) the LTP-like plasticity induced by PAS was explored, TMS-MEP amplitudes over the bilateral M1 in resting conditions were measured at the “Before” (A), “In” (B), and “Off” (C) phases; and (c) MP was tested. The average of MEP amplitudes (bilateral) were assessed at time points Before, MP (motor practice), A (acupuncture with in situ), A+MP (acupuncture+motor practice), and Off by normalization to the baseline.

(a)

(b)

(c)