Changes in Brain Functional Networks of Insomniacs Induced by Magnetic Stimulation at Acupoints

Abstract

Insomnia and the tension, anxiety, and neurasthenia caused by it are a prevalent sleep disorder. Acupuncture is a common method of treating insomnia. Magnetic stimulation has a similar mechanism as acupuncture. In this paper, 18 (nine insomnia and nine healthy) subjects were selected, Neiguan (PC6), Shenmen (HT7), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupuncture points were stimulated and 32-channel electroencephalography (EEG) signals were recorded before and after stimulation. Granger causality of EEG signals between each two channels was calculated. Based on the EEG causal coefficient matrix, brain functional networks were constructed to determine whether magnetic stimulation at acupoints could improve the brain network of insomniacs or not. The results suggested that the magnetic stimulation of the acupoints might be an effective treatment for insomnia.