Acupuncture's secret: Blood flow to brain

USA TODAY, March, 2004 by Marilyn Elias

Acupuncture on pain-relief points cuts blood flow to key areas of the brain within seconds, providing the clearest explanation to date for how the ancient technique might relieve pain and treat addictions, a Harvard scientist reports today.

Although researchers still don't fully understand how acupuncture works, "our findings may connect the dots, showing how a common pathway in the brain could make acupuncture helpful for a variety of conditions," says radiologist Bruce Rosen of Harvard Medical School. He'll release the findings at the American Psychosomatic Society meeting in Orlando.

Rosen's team used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRIs, on about 20 healthy volunteers before, during and after acupuncture. This type of brain scan shows changes in blood...