Complexity Analysis of EEG Under Magnetic Stimulation at Acupoints

A large number of studies reveal that repetitive TMS (rTMS) can have strong influences on cortical functions, even though the effect is very dependent on the stimulation parameters. At the same time, it is commonly acknowledged that acupuncture plays an important role in traditional Chinese medicine, and it is indeed receiving more and more attentions from the world. It is likely that a combination of acupuncture and magnetic stimulation which is non-invasive, painless and secure could give rise to treatments with substantial medical significance. This study discusses (a) the difference of EEG with pre- and post-stimulations at two different acupoints including Zusanli (St36) and Hegu (LI4) with three different frequencies (0.5 Hz, 1 Hz and 3 Hz) based on complexity analysis; (b) the character of the somatosensory evoked potentials(SEPs) in response to acupoint stimulation ( Hegu) and mock point stimulation. The result indicates that different acupoints can induce different brain activity under the same stimulation correlated with the physical properties of the acupoints; and P150 can be observed after acupoint stimulation whereas mock point stimulation does not produce the same effect.