Comparative Study of Relationship between the Depressive Tendency and Tenderness of Alarm Points and Transport Points

Objective : To examine whether any correlation between tendency towards depression and tenderness at special acupuncture points exists, thus to explore the potential diagnostic property of acupuncture points. Methods : A total 31 subjects were included in this study. They filled out questionnaires about their mental [Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Stress Response Inventory (SRI), Profile of Mood States (POMS)] and physical (fatigue due to overexertion, and food accumulation) symptoms. Identical weight around Alarm points (CV17, CV12, ST25, CV5, CV4, and LR13) and transport points (BL14, BL20, BL21, BL22, BL25, and BL27) was given using an algometer and the subjects rated their pain on an 11-point numerical rating scale. Heart rate variability (HRV) was also measured. Results : The subjects were divided into two groups, normal and depressive tendency groups with a cut-off point of nine on BDI. The depressive tendency group reported significantly higher values in SRI, POMS, and questionnaire for fatigue due to overexertion. In the pressure pain measurement, depressive tendency group had more pressure pain at CV12, left side of BL20, BL14, BL22 and both sides of BL21, BL25, BL27, significantly (each p