The fMRI data will be analyzed with SPM12 software (Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience, London, UK), MATLAB_R2018a (Mathworks, Inc., Natick, MA, USA), DPARSF_V2.2 (http://www.rfmri.org/DPABI ), and Freesurfer (http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/ ) software. Original data will be corrected; slice timing, affine head motion, and nonbrain extraction, spatial smoothing and temporal filtering will be applied.
Baseline ReHo and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) values and functional connectivity maps from the real and sham acupuncture groups and the healthy control group will be compared using independent t tests. Independent t tests will be used for comparison of ReHo or ALFF values from the two groups after acupuncture. Paired t tests will be used to compare the pre-acupuncture and post-acupuncture data within each group. Average time series data from significant areas will be extracted to test the regional relationship with the rest of the brain using voxel-based general linear modeling. Fisher’s R-to-Z transformation will be applied to compare resting state functional connectivity using independent-sample t tests between groups [34 (link)].
Pearson’s correlation analyses will be performed to evaluate the relationship of clinical symptoms with ReHo or ALFF values in regions demonstrating significant differences between groups.
Baseline ReHo and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) values and functional connectivity maps from the real and sham acupuncture groups and the healthy control group will be compared using independent t tests. Independent t tests will be used for comparison of ReHo or ALFF values from the two groups after acupuncture. Paired t tests will be used to compare the pre-acupuncture and post-acupuncture data within each group. Average time series data from significant areas will be extracted to test the regional relationship with the rest of the brain using voxel-based general linear modeling. Fisher’s R-to-Z transformation will be applied to compare resting state functional connectivity using independent-sample t tests between groups [34 (link)].
Pearson’s correlation analyses will be performed to evaluate the relationship of clinical symptoms with ReHo or ALFF values in regions demonstrating significant differences between groups.
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