Auricular electro-acupuncture for smoking cravings in young smokers with nicotine dependence: A pilot fMRI study

IF 4 3区医学 Q1 INTEGRATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE

Complementary therapies in medicine Pub Date : 2025-12-01 Epub Date: 2025-10-13 DOI:10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103264

Ying-Ying Zhang , Yi-Jie Liu , Yuan Wang , Shi-Bing Liang , Tao Yin , Yun-Song Zheng , Jian-Ping Liu , Nicola Robinson , Hai-Fa Qiao

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

This pilot study aims to evaluate the efficacy of auricular electro-acupuncture (AEA) for smoking cravings induced by quitting in young smokers and to investigate the underlying neural mechanism using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Methods

We recruited 16 young participants with nicotine dependence (ND) and 15 matched healthy non-smoking controls (HCs). ND participants were treated with AEA for 4 weeks, and underwent brain fMRI scanning following 24-hour abstinence, 20 min of smoking satisfaction, after 1 week, and 4 weeks of AEA treatment. HCs underwent a single fMRI scanning. Fractional Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations (fALFF) was assessed.

Results

Compared with HCs, fALFF values in ND participants following 24-hour abstinence decreased in the bilateral anterior cerebellar lobes (ACL), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and central tegmental area (CTA) /insula (P < 0.05). However, after 20 min of smoking satisfaction, fALFF values for ACC and bilateral ACL significantly increased (P < 0.05). Compared to 24-hour abstinence, the fALFF value of ACC and cerebellum in ND group significantly increased after 4 weeks of AEA treatment (P < 0.05). Compared to baseline, both smoking cravings (t = 3.87, P < 0.01) and nicotine dependence levels (t = 3.83, P < 0.01) showed significant reductions after 4 weeks of AEA treatment.

Conclusion

The results of this pilot study indicate that AEA may be effective in suppressing smoking cravings and alleviating nicotine dependence. ACC, cerebellum, CTA, and insula may be involved in modulating smoking cravings. AEA may inhibit cravings through regulating the functional activity of ACC and cerebellum.

查看原文本刊更多论文

耳穴电针治疗尼古丁依赖的年轻吸烟者的吸烟渴望：一项先导功能磁共振成像研究。

背景：本初步研究旨在评价耳穴电针（AEA）治疗年轻吸烟者戒烟诱导的吸烟渴望的疗效，并利用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）探讨其潜在的神经机制。方法：我们招募了16名尼古丁依赖（ND）的年轻参与者和15名匹配的健康非吸烟对照（hc）。ND参与者服用AEA治疗4周，并在24小时戒烟，1周后20分钟吸烟满意，4周后进行脑功能磁共振成像扫描。HCS进行单次fMRI扫描。评估低频波动分数幅值（fALFF）。结果：与正常人相比，戒断24小时后ND参与者双侧小脑前叶（ACL）、前扣带皮层（ACC）和中央被盖区(CTA) /脑岛的fALFF值均下降（P < 0.05）。而吸烟满意20min后，ACC和双侧ACL的fALFF值显著升高（P < 0.05）。与24小时戒断相比，服用AEA 4周后ND组ACC和小脑的fALFF值显著升高（P < 0.05）。与基线相比，经4周AEA治疗后，吸烟渴望（t = 3.87, P < 0.01）和尼古丁依赖水平（t = 3.83, P < 0.01）均显著降低。结论：本初步研究结果提示AEA可有效抑制吸烟欲望，减轻尼古丁依赖。前扣带、小脑、CTA和脑岛可能参与调节吸烟欲望。AEA可能通过调节ACC和小脑的功能活动来抑制渴望。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Complementary therapies in medicine 医学-全科医学与补充医学

CiteScore

8.60

自引率

2.80%

发文量

101

审稿时长

112 days

期刊介绍： Complementary Therapies in Medicine is an international, peer-reviewed journal that has considerable appeal to anyone who seeks objective and critical information on complementary therapies or who wishes to deepen their understanding of these approaches. It will be of particular interest to healthcare practitioners including family practitioners, complementary therapists, nurses, and physiotherapists; to academics including social scientists and CAM researchers; to healthcare managers; and to patients. Complementary Therapies in Medicine aims to publish valid, relevant and rigorous research and serious discussion articles with the main purpose of improving healthcare.