Objective

2

To explore the effect of mentality-controlling on local microcirculation of acupuncture at Hegu （LI 4）.

Methods

2

Forty healthy subjects were randomly divided into simple acupuncture group and mentality-controlling acupuncture group， with 20 cases in each group. The simple acupuncture group was acupunctured at Hegu （LI 4） on the right hand of the patient. In mentality-controlling acupuncture group， an audio clip was played to guide the participants to control their mentality when needle retention for 5 min after performing acupuncture twirling mani-pulation. The microcirculatory blood perfusion units （MBPU） was captured and compared between groups of participants using laser speckle contrast imaging （LSCI） for 5 mins in each of the four stages， state before acupuncture （R1）， after needle insertion （A1）， after needle twirling （A2） and after needle withdrawal （R2）. The participants' feelings such as relaxation， concentration， drowsiness， energy flow at acupoints were compared between groups， and the adverse reactions were recorded.

Results

2

The MBPU values of R1， A1， A2 and R2 stages in mentality-controlling acupuncture group were 67.92±18.40 PU， 168.13±46.03 PU， 144.19±44.40 PU， 159.73±65.21 PU， respectively. The simple acupuncture group were 79.85 （66.80， 99.40）PU， 193.31 （173.15， 224.80）PU， 147.68 （128.12， 198.30）PU， 158.09 （126.05， 207.59）PU respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in MBPU between groups of the four stages （

P

＜0.01）. Among them， the MBPU in the A1 stage of both groups was significantly larger than that in the R1 stage， the MBPU in the A2 stage significantly smaller than that in the A1 stage， and the MBPU in the R2 stage was significantly larger than that in the R1 stage （

P

＜0.01）. MBPU in the R2 stage of the mentality-controlling acupunct

ure group was larger than that in the A2 stage （

P

＜0.05）. The difference of MBPU between A2 and A1 in mentality-controlling acupuncture group was significantly smaller than that in the simple acupuncture group， and the difference was statistically significant （

t

= 3.79，

P

＜0.01）. In mentality-controlling acupuncture group， 18 participants felt relaxed （90%）， 15 concentrated （75%）， 3 felt sleepy （15%）， and 14 felt energy flow at acupoints （70%）； while in the simple acupuncture group， 13 participants felt relaxed and sleepy （65%）， 6 concentrated and 6 felt energy flow at acupoints （30%）. The number of participants with concentration and energy flow at acupoints in mentality-controlling acupuncture group was higher than that in the simple acupuncture group， and the number felt sleepy was lower than that in the simple acupuncture group （

P

＜0.05）. No needle fainting， needle site infection， local haematoma and any other adverse reactions were found in both groups.

Conclusion

2

Acupuncture could affect the changes of local microcirculation， and controlling mentality during acupuncture can slow the rate of MBPU reduction and enhance the post-acupuncture effect with a favourable safety profile.