Table 1 Characteristics of the included studies.

Chen et al. [25], 2014

RCT

N: 30 (F 13)

Age: 58 ± 8

Groups (n): Verum A (20);

Sham A (10)

Diagnosis: Knee

osteoarthritis

EXP: KO Verum A

CONT: KO Sham A

Session: 6

IP: 1 month

fMRI

Baseline (pre-acupuncture treatment 1)

Follow-up at 25 days (pre- acupuncture treatment 6)

Fisher-Z connectivity values:

PAG [F(2,27) = 8.637,

p = 0.001], rACC

[F(2,27) = 8.885,

p = 0.001], ventral striatum

[F(2,27) = 3.931,

p = 0.032], anterior MPFC

[F(2,27) = 6.927, p = 0.004]

Maeda et al. [26], 2013

RCT

N: 59 (F 49)

Age: 49.1 ± 9.8

Groups (n): Verum EA (40);

Sham EA (19)

Diagnosis: Carpal tunnel

syndrome

EXP: CTS Verum EA

CONT: CTS Sham EA

Session: 1

IP: NA

fMRI

During treatment

Voxels: Activation [S2(R) 7869, S2(L) 7029, pSMA(R) 602, Th(R) 563];

Deactivation [OCG(L) 924, MPFC(R) 945, ITG(R) 2633, S1(R) 2233]

Harris et al. [27], 2009

RCT

N: 20 (F 20)

Age: 44.3 ± 13.6

Groups (n): TCA (10); Sham A (10)

Diagnosis: Fibromyalgia

EXP: FM TCA

CONT: FM Sham A

Session: 9

IP: 1 month

PET

Baseline (pre-acupuncture treatment 1 and 9) Follow-up (post-acupuncture treatment 1 and 9)

Voxels: Long-term [dACC 185, Amyg 2417, CAU 23, dCC(R) 192, dCC(L) 225, DLPFC 351, PUT 158, tmpole 1037]; Short-term [Amyg 1556, CAU(R) 212, CAU(L) 140, NAC 1004, dCC 178, sgACC(R) 399, sgACC(L) 120, IC 540, dlTh 547]

Li et al. [28], 2014

Quasi-experimental

N: 20 CLBP (F 10, M 10)

(age: 38.1 ± 6.4); 10 HP

(F 5, M 5) (age: 37.7 ± 5.1)

Groups (n): Patient (20);

Control (10)

Diagnosis: Chronic low back pain

EXP: CLBP A

CONT: HP no A

Session: 12

IP: 1 month

fMRI

Baseline (CLBP pre-acupuncture treatment 1/ HP)

Follow-up at 4 weeks (CLBP post- acupuncture treatment 12/HP)

DMN connectivities of DLPFC, MPFC, ACC, and precuneus. Mean number of voxels with DMN properties:

Control (2,047), Patient baseline (1,739), Patient after treatment (1,998)

Napadow et al. [29], 2007

Quasi-experimental

N: 10 CTS (F 6) (age: mean: 51.1, range: 31–60); 9 HP (F6) (age: mean: 46.9, range: 32–59)

Groups (n): CTS (10); HP (9)

Diagnosis: Carpal tunnel syndrome

EXP: CTS A/EA

CONT: HP no A/EA

Session: 13

IP: 5 weeks

fMRI

Baseline (CTS pre-acupuncture treatment 1 with electrical stimulation D2/D3/D5; HP with ele ctr ical stimulation D2/D3/D5);

Follow-up at 5 weeks (CTS post- acupuncture treatment 13 with electrical stimulation D2/D3/D5; HP with electrical stimulation D2/D3/D5)

Voxels:

Deactivation (S1 127.45,

PrCG 9.57, S2 72.61)

Napadow et al. [30], 2007

Quasi-experimental

N: 10 CTS (F 6) (age: mean:

51.1, range: 31–60); 9 HP

(F6) (age: mean: 46.9, range: 32–59)

Groups (n): CTS (10);

HP (9)

Diagnosis: Carpal tunnel syndrome

EXP: CTS A/EA

CONT: HP no A/EA

Session: 13

IP: 5 weeks

fMRI

Baseline (CTS pre-acupuncture treatment 1 with verum/sham LI4; HP with verum/sham LI4) Follow-up at 5 weeks (CTS post- acupuncture treatment 13 with verum/sham LI4; HP with verum/sham LI4)

Z-score:

Long-term [ACC -3.27, Amyg -3.79, LatHypothA 3.37, IC(R) -3.54, IC(l)-3.95, MPFC -3.37, S1 -4.37] Short-term (ACC -3.70, Amyg -4.33, CC -3.30, LatHypothA 2.88, S1 -4.08, Th -2.85, IC -3.16, M PFC -4.15, DLPFC-3.00)

Pariente et al. [31], 2005

Single-blind, randomized crossover

N: 14 (F 11, M 3)

Age: 59.4 ± 5.7

Groups (n): RA (14); SN (14); OP (14)

Diagnosis: 1^st metacarpophalangeal osteoarthritis

EXP: 1^stMO RA

CONT: 1^stMO SN/1^stMO OP

Session: 1

IP: NA

PET

During treatment

Z-score:

ACC (4.17)DLPFC (4.21)IC (3.86)midbrain (3.63)