Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41566337›Full record

Trial reportBMC complementary medicine and therapies2026

Laser acupuncture improves cortical excitability and behavioural performance in healthy individuals: a randomized controlled trial.

Renming Liu, Zhen Zheng, Aung Aung Kywe Moe, Maryam Zoghi, Shapour Jaberzadeh

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Renming LiuMonash Neuromodulation Research Unit, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Peninsula Campus, Monash University, Frankston , Melbourne, VIC, 3199, Australia. renming.liu@monash.edu.
Zhen ZhengSchool of Health and Biomedical Sciences, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3083, Australia.
Aung Aung Kywe MoeDepartment of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, 3199, Australia.
Maryam ZoghiDiscipline of Physiotherapy, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University, Melbourne, 3842, Australia.
Shapour JaberzadehMonash Neuromodulation Research Unit, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Peninsula Campus, Monash University, Frankston , Melbourne, VIC, 3199, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLaser acupuncture (LA) represents a promising non-invasive neuromodulation technique, yet its therapeutic potential and neurophysiological mechanisms remain largely unexplored compared to traditional needle acupuncture.

objectiveTo investigate the effects of LA at different motor-related acupoints on corticospinal excitability (CSE) and behavioural performance.

methodsA single-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled crossover study was conducted with 18 healthy adults. Each participant completed four sessions (LA at LI4, LI10, LI11, and sham) in randomized order. Primary outcomes included cortical excitability measures via transcranial magnetic stimulation. Secondary outcomes assessed behavioural performance using Purdue Pegboard test and Choice Reaction Time tasks via PsyToolkit. The impact of participant-related factors on outcomes was evaluated.

resultsAll active LA conditions significantly improved CSE compared to pre-intervention (p < 0.01), with reduced intracortical inhibition and increased facilitation. LI4 and LI10 demonstrated superior CSE modulation versus sham (p < 0.01), while LI11 showed no significant difference. LI4 additionally improved reaction time performance (p < 0.05), and LI10 exhibited significant immediate post-intervention effects within the session. Higher participant expectancy correlated with greater CSE enhancement (p < 0.05).

conclusionsLA at LI4 and LI10 could enhance CSE and behavioural performance, potentially through GABAergic and glutamatergic pathways, as suggested by changes in intracortical excitability. These findings support LA as a non-invasive neuromodulation technique and highlight the importance of acupoint specificity and expectancy effects in cortical excitability outcomes. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12625000337471.

Indexed as

Acupuncture TherapyCortical ExcitabilityAcupuncture PointsAdultCross-Over StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMotor CortexReaction TimeSingle-Blind MethodTranscranial Magnetic StimulationYoung AdultBehavioural performanceCortical excitabilityIntracortical facilitationIntracortical inhibitionLaser acupunctureNeuroplasticityTranscranial magnetic stimulation

Identifiers

PMID41566337
PMCPMC12905872

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.