Completed

Modulatory Effect of Acupuncture on Human Brain Activity

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What is being tested

Data Collection

Who is being recruted

See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Interventional
Study Start: July 2002
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorNational Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Last updated: January 18, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Study start date: July 1, 2002

Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

Acupuncture is emerging as an important procedure in complementary medicine. Its mechanism of action remains unclear, but research suggests that its effects are mediated through a widely connected network that is involved in the regulation of mood, behavior, and function of physiological systems. This study will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to monitor the effects of manual acupuncture on the brain function of study participants. Participants in this study will undergo acupuncture one needle at a time. Researchers will then ask participants questions about how they feel and will compare the sensations reported by participants to their images of brain response.

Official TitleModulatory Effect of Acupuncture on Human Brain Activity 
Principal SponsorNational Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Last updated: January 18, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.


Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Criteria

Any sex

Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

Healthy volunteers allowed

If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * In good physical health

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.
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CompletedNo study centers