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S059-3

Neural Substrates of Acupuncture Treatment in Nicotine Addiction: from Bench
to Bed

Younbyoung Chae

Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Korea

Background/Objective: Acupuncture, the best-known complementary and alternative medicine, has
gained popularity and greater acceptance as a treatment option for drug addiction worldwide. We
investigated whether acupuncture stimulation has an influence on craving induced by
smoking-associated visual cues, and we explored the underlying neural mechanisms of acupuncture
effects in the modulation of smoking urges in smokers.

Method: Smoking-associated and neutral visual cues were presented to 25 male smokers after 36
hours of smoking abstinence while their brain activity was scanned using functional magnetic
resonance imaging (fMRI). Thirteen smokers received real acupuncture (RA) treatment at the
acupoint HT7, whereas twelve subjects received sham treatment. Craving scores to smoking-related
visual cues were measured during in between the scanning procedures, before and after RA or SA
treatment. The brain response differences to smoking vs. neutral cues, after RA and SA treatment
were computed using 3-way ANOVA tests (Cue × Session × Group).

Result: The craving score was significantly lower in the RA group compared to the SA group after
acupuncture treatment. We determined the contribution of acupuncture treatment to the modulation
of craving-related brain activity induced by smoking-related visual cues, and significant changes in
brain activity were found in the left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, the left premotor cortex, the right
amygdala, the right hippocampus, and the thalamus. Acupuncture treatment relieved smoking
cue-induced craving through the modulation of brain activity in areas involved in attention,
motivation, and reward during the initial dependency phase.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that acupuncture might help in smoking cessation by attenuating
cravings for smoking cues and smoking cues-induced brain responses. The current investigation of
the specific brain activation patterns associated with acupuncture action in the modulation of
smoking-cue reactivity provides more information about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying
the application of this modality among those with smokers.