Stimulation of a Specific Acupuncture Point Increases Blood Flow to the Brain

The results of a small scale study of acupuncture (on the “GV20” point) show that stimulating this particular acupuncture point does increase blood flow to the brain.

This study choose the GV20 point after hypothesizing that by stimulating this point it would induce some kind of effect in the cerebrovascular system.

The study took place amongst 10 healthy male volunteers and measurements of middle cerebral artery (MCA) and anterior cerebral artery (ACA) blood flow velocities, and CO₂ reactivity were taken both ‘at rest’ and after deep/ rapid breathing ((hypocapnia).

They found that mean MCA and ACA blood flow velocities at rest, CV40, and CO₂ reactivity during hypocapnia increased significantly after GV20 acupuncture treatment, whereas mean arterial blood pressure and pulse rate at rest did not change significantly.

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