Review Article

Neuroplasticity of Acupuncture for Stroke: An Evidence-Based Review of MRI

Table 1

Characteristics of the 24 included stroke patients studies.

Author (year)JournalStroke informationMRI informationAcupuncture informationData analysisExperimental design
SubjectsAffected sideType of stroke, lesions ()Interval since strokeScannerInterventionComparisonAcupoints

1Li et al. 2006 [39]Journal of magnetic resonance imaging12 strokeThe left side somatosensory deficitsIS, right hemispheric striatocapsular infarctionMore than 6 months1.5 TMAStroke vs. HCLI4 and LI11SPMBlock/R(45 s)-S(45 s), 3 times
2Schaechter et al. 2007 [34]The journal of alternative and complementary medicine7 strokeNAIS (5), HS (2), 5 left, and 2 right years3 TMA, SA (Streitberger needle, noninvasive control)4 VA vs. 3 SANGLMRS/twice weekly for 10 weeks.
3Li and Yang 2010 [40]Complementary therapies in medicine7 aphasia stroke/14 HCThe right side of the bodyIS (6), HS (1); the occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, left hemisphereMore than 6 months1.5 TEAStroke vs. HCSJ8SPMBlock/R(45 s)-S(45 s), 3 times
4Huang et al. 2011 [41]NRR12 strokeThe left hemiataxia and sensory disturbanceIS, right hemisphere months3 TMA, SA (nonacupuncture points in close proximity to acupuncture points)6 VA vs. 6 SASJ5ReHoBlock/S(30 s)-R(30sn), 6 times
5Shen et al. 2012 [37]ECAM20 strokeBasal ganglia, and completely or partially covered the internal capsulesIS hours1.5 TMA10 acupuncture plus conventional treatments vs. 10 only conventional treatmentsDu23, Du 20, EX-HN3, PC 6, and Sp 6FA and ADCRS/30 min, once a day, for 2 weeks
6Cho et al. 2013 [42]Chinese journal of integrative medicine11 stroke/10 HCThe left side of the bodyIS, right hemisphere2-6 months3 TMAStroke vs. HCLI11 and ST36SPMBlock/R(30 s)-S(30 s), 3 times
7Huang et al. 2013 [43]Acupuncture in medicine10 strokeThe right hemiplegiaIS, left hemispheric1-12 months3 TMABefore vs. afterSJ5GLMTactile control (6 min)-R(5 min)-block/S(30 s)-R(30 s), 6 times
8Chen et al. 2013 [44]NRR10 stroke/6 HCThe right hemiataxiaIS, left basal ganglia months3 TMAStroke vs. HCSJ5FCBlock/R(30s)-S(30s), 6 times
9Bai et al. 2014 [31]ECAM9 stroke/8 HCThe left side of the bodyIS, right hemispheric striatocapsular2-12 weeks3 TMABefore vs. afterGB34FCNRER/R(1 min)-S(1 min)-R(8 min)
10Chen et al. 2014 [45]PLoS one24 strokeThe right hemiplegiaIS, left basal ganglia1 month-1 year3 TMA, SA (tactile control, a noninvasive control)12 VA vs. 12 SASJ5FCBlock/rested for 5 min-SA(6 min 30 s)-R(6 min 2 s)-VA(6 min 30 s).
11Qi et al. 2014 [46]NRR16 strokeThe right hemiataxiaIS, primarily in the left hemisphere months/ months3 TMA, SA (nonacupuncture points in close proximity to acupuncture points)8 VA vs. 8 SASJ5SPMBlock/R(30 s)-S(30 s), total 6 min 6 s
12Xie et al. 2014 [32]ECAM9 stroke/8 HCThe left side of the bodyIS, unilateral right-sided striatocapsular lesions days3 TMAStroke vs. HCGB34GLM and GCANRER/R(1 min)-S(1 min)-R(8 min)
13Zhang et al. 2014 [47]ECAM8 stroke/10 HCThe left side of the bodyIS, right hemispheric corona radiate, internal capsule, or basal ganglia infarction2–12 weeks3 TMAStroke vs. HCGB34SPMNRER/R(1 min)-S(1 min)-R(8 min)
14Li et al. 2015 [48]NRR12 strokeThe right hemiataxiaIS, left basal ganglia1 month-12 months3 TMABefore vs. afterSJ5SPMBlock/(30 s)-S(30 s), 6 times
15Gao et al. 2015 [49]Experimental and therapeutic medicine10 stroke/10 HCNAIS, right subcorticalAt least 6 months3 TMAStroke vs. HCST36GLMBlock/(30 s)-S(30 s), 6 times
16Chang et al. 2017 [50]Wiener klinische Wochenschrift43 poststroke motor aphasiaNACerebral hemorrhage or cerebral infarction14 days to 2 years3 TEA22 EA vs. 21 WTHT5, GB39GLMBlock/R(30 s)-S(30 s), total 6 min 6 s
17Fu et al. 2017 [51]Medicine19 stroke/17 HCThe left hemiplegiaIS, internal capsule, and neighboring regions in the right hemisphere2 weeks to 6 months3 TMABefore vs. afterGB34ICARS/R(8 min 10 s)-needing in (1 min)-S(1 min)-R(8 min 10 s)
18Ning et al. 2017 [52]Frontiers in human neuroscience18 stroke/20 HCThe left motor hemiparesisFirst-ever IS, right subcortical strokeWithin 6 months after the onset3 TMABefore vs. afterGB34GLM, FCNRER/R(1 min)-S(1 min)-R(8 min)
19Li et al. 2017 [35]Neural plasticity17 stroke/14 HCThe right side of the bodyIS, left basal ganglia, caudate nucleus, centrum semiovale, and lenticular nucleusAt least three weeks3 TMA8 MA + drug vs. 9 drugDU20, GB20, bilateral GB-39, LI-11, LI-4, ST-36, SP-6FCRS/two hours a day for 5 days a week, one week a course, continuous four courses
20Wu et al. 2017 [38]Journal of traditional Chinese medicine21 strokeNAISLess than six months3 TMA11 MA plus CT vs. 10 CTDU20, GB20, LI11, LI4, GB34, ST36, SP6, and GB39ReHoRS/30 min, 2 times/week for 5 weeks
21Wu et al. 2018 [36]ECAM21 strokeNAISLess than six months3 TMA11 MA plus CT vs. 10 CTDU20, GB20, LI11, LI4, GB34, ST36, SP6, and GB39VBMRS/30 min, 2 times/week for 5 weeks
22Han et al. 2019 [33]ECAM22 stroke/22 HCThe left side of the bodyIS, right-hemispheric subcortical infarct days3 TMAStroke vs. HCGB34FCNRER/R(8 min 10 sec)-S(1 min)-R(8 min 10 sec)
23Chen et al. 2020 [53]Chinese journal of integrative medicine10 strokeThe left side of the bodyIS, the vascular occlusion in the right basal ganglia1 month-3 years3 TMABefore vs. afterLI11 and ST36ReHoRS/R(5 min)-S(15 min)-R(5 min)
24Han et al. 2020 [54]Neural plasticity26 stroke/21HCThe left side of the bodyIS, right hemispheric subcortical infarct days3 TMAStroke vs. HCGB34Graph theoretical networkRS/R(8 min 10 s)-S(60 s)-R(8 min 10 s)

Note: ADC: apparent diffusion coefficient; BOLD: blood oxygen level-dependent; CT: conventional treatments; EA: electroacupuncture; ECAM: Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine; FA: fractional anisotropy; FC: functional connectivity; GCA: granger causality analysis; GLM: general liner model; HC: health controls; HS: hemorrhagic stroke; IS: ischemic stroke; MA: manual acupuncture; : number; NA: not applicable; NRER: nonrepeated event-related; RS: resting state; NRR: Neural Regeneration Research; ReHo: regional homogeneity; TBSS: tract-based spatial statistics; R: rest; s: seconds; SA: sham acupuncture; S: stimulation; VA: verum acupuncture; min: minutes; VBM: voxel-based morphometry; WT: waiting list; ICA: independent component analysis; Y: yes. A.