REVIEW article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Experimental Therapeutics
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1644010
Analysis of the application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy in Acupuncture Research: a review
Provisionally accepted
- 1Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- 2Sichuan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Acupuncture, as an effective external treatment method, has been widely used in various clinical diseases, but the research on its mechanism still needs to be further deepened. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology, as an emerging non-invasive neuroimaging technique, has the advantages of high timeliness, wide application scenarios, good portability and low cost. Currently, it is widely used in the mechanism research of acupuncture. This paper reviewed all the studies on the application of fNIRS in acupuncture , analyzed and summarized the current application status of fNIRS technology in acupuncture research. Firstly, we elaborated on the working principle of fNIRS and highlighted its advantages in acupuncture research and application. Secondly, we detailed the specific applications of fNIRS in acupuncture research. Finally, we discussed the existing problems of fNIRS in acupuncture research at present and the improvement directions for future research.
Keywords: Acupuncture, fNIRS, brain function, hyperscanning, Neuroimaging
Received: 10 Jun 2025; Accepted: 27 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 XU, Tang, Liu and Wu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jie Wu, Sichuan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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