and using the scinticamera γ with high coverage to scan automatically,
so as to record the image of migration of radioisotope.
It is found that its motion trail is highly identical with the classical meridian rote under the elbow and knee joint
The MRI has wide application in hospitals now
So how is it used in the research of meridian?
In recent 10years, scientists use MRI to the research of meridian
and it has achieved some encouraging results.
A research paper publish on the second Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion in 2010 is very representative.
Let us see the results.
This research used MRI and
marked the habitat of connective tissue of fascia of upper limb of human body
through picture segmentation and three-dimensional reconstruction.
It, together with the rote of meridian recorded in traditional Chinese medicine, made comparation and analysis and found
some similarities between the two.
This indicated the basis of anatomy of meridian of traditional Chinese medicine
may be the connective tissue of fascia around the human body.
So what about the results of the research on formation mechanism of propagated sensation along channel?
In conclude, there are two points.
One is the mechanism of diffusion through central excitation,
for example the excitation which is generated by acupuncture in the central nervous system
Especially the directed diffusion in cerebral cortex.
The sensation happens at periphery region, while its essence is in pivot.
The basis supporting this view can be explained in this way.
Once the sensory function of cortex or senior central nervous system is damaged,
the phenomenon of propagated sensation along channel will not appear, thus it can not be observed.
But for people like amputation patients who lose the sensation in peripheral regions,
60% of them still have propagated sensation, so it seems to be less related with the sensation in peripheral regions.
This is the first view
The second view is that it is caused by the stimulation in peripheral regions.
So how to explain this?
It is believed that the nerves in body surface is excited by some causes which are transmitted by acupuncture.
The impulsion then is transmitted into the central nervous system in succession,
then the sensation of subjective feeling is produced.
So what are the standpoints about this view?
That is, as we know, the propagated sensation rote, which is mentioned in western medicine.
The distribution of nerves, blood vessels and lymph is not the same.
Just as what we have seen about the rote of meridian,
the speed of propagated sensation is slower than nerve conduction velocity, as we mentioned before.
And compression and refrigerating treatment can block this transmission
But this doesn’t have clear influence on the action potential of peripheral nerve and SEP of cortex
So the propagated sensation can change its rote after the treatment on muscle and tendon.
Then lastly, the hypothesis about the essence of channels and collaterals mainly include the following aspects.
The first one is hypothesis of meridian and nervous system,
which is still based on the nervous system
The second one is the hypothesis about meridian, blood vessel and lymph.
The third one is hypothesis on the third balanced system.
We have already known hypothesis on the first and second balanced system.
The first one is the postural balance,
the speed of sensation is 70m/s to 120m/s.
The speed is very fast, which is called automatic balance.
The second one is Autonomic nervous system, which keeps the dynamic balance in viscera which activates slowly.
Its speed is 1m/s.
We have mentioned that the speed of meridian transmission is 0.1m/s.
So it is rather slow, which is recognized as the hypothesis on the third balanced system.
How about the forth aspect? There is the hypothesis on the forth balanced system.
We can see them later.
So lastly, there are some other hypothesizes
For example, the recently found connective tissue we have mentioned before.
Some people also came up with wave-particle duality and EPXC,
and some chemical reaction caused by enzyme in human body.
All in all, the researches on the meridian are still on its way.
So we are looking forward to a new breakthrough in the future.
That’s all for this class.
Therefore, the fifth content about meridian of viscera in traditional Chinese medicine is over.
Next class, we will talk about the theory on the property of traditional Chinese medicine.