Cortical activities of heat-sensitization responses in suspended moxibustion: an EEG source analysis with sLORETA

Moxibustion is under active research as a complementary and alternative treatment for various diseases such as pain. “Heat-sensitization” responses have been reported during suspended moxibustion, whose occurrence is associated with significantly better therapeutic effects. The present study aimed to investigate the cortical activities of this interesting phenomenon by a standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography. We performed electroencephalography recording in a group of patients with chronic low back pain before, during, and after moxibustion treatment at Yaoyangguan (DU3) areas. 11 out of 21 subjects experienced strong heat-sensitization during moxibustion, which were accompanied with significant decreases of current densities in the beta frequency bands in prefrontal, primary and second somatosensory, and cingulate cortices, as well as increased current densities in the alpha2 band in the left insula. No changes were detected in patients without sensitization responses, or in the post-moxibustion phase of either group. These data indicated widespread activity changes across different frequency bands during heat-sensitization. Cortical oscillatory activities could be used to evaluate the “heat-sensitization” responses during suspended moxibustion.