ArticleFrontiers in neuroscience2026
Immediate large-scale cortical network changes following acupuncture in patients with disorders of consciousness: a resting-state fNIRS study.
Article in Frontiers in neuroscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Introduction: Disorders of consciousness (DOC) involve severe disruption of large-scale brain networks. This study investigated immediate cortical network changes following acupuncture in patients with DOC using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods: Thirty patients with DOC underwent resting-state fNIRS recordings immediately before and after a single acupuncture session at Shuigou (GV26), Yintang (EX-HN3), and Baihui (GV20). Oxygenated hemoglobin signals were analyzed using functional connectivity and graph-theoretical metrics. Results: Mean positive functional connectivity, global efficiency, and clustering coefficient were significantly higher after acupuncture. Posterior, within-left-hemisphere, and fronto-posterior connectivity also increased significantly. Higher nodal strength was observed in the left Broca area, bilateral primary somatosensory cortex, and right premotor cortex. Individual edge-wise changes were not significant after multiple-comparison correction. Discussion: A single acupuncture session was followed by immediate differences in large-scale cortical network organization, characterized by higher global integration and stronger sensorimotor-language and fronto-posterior connectivity. These findings reflect an acute cortical response temporally associated with acupuncture; controlled longitudinal studies are needed to determine acupuncture specificity and clinical relevance.
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