Connecting the dots: exploring common brain mechanisms of acupuncture across diseases.

This article examines whether acupuncture induces consistent brain activation patterns across different diseases by reviewing meta-analyses of neuroimaging studies on pain, migraine, insomnia, mild cognitive impairment, and stroke. The findings indicate that acupuncture activates distinct brain regions related to the specific symptoms of each condition, such as motor function recovery in stroke and cognitive-emotional processing in mild cognitive impairment and chronic pain. Due to the variability in acupuncture techniques, disease targets, and study methodologies, a common neural mechanism underlying acupuncture's effects remains elusive. The authors suggest that acupuncture's multi-dimensional nature likely engages diverse neural pathways tailored to individual diseases, highlighting the need for further research to clarify shared brain mechanisms of acupuncture stimulation and efficacy.