Applications of pain-related evoked potentials and short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials in acupuncture research: a narrative review

ObjectiveTo review and discuss the Chinese and English literature on the use of pain-related evoked potentials (PREP) and short-latency somatosensory EP (SLSEP) in acupuncture research.MethodsChina National Knowledge Infrastructure Database and MEDLINE were searched for the following key words: acupuncture and PREP or SLSEP.ResultsThirty-seven articles were included in the review. Researchers usually use PREPs to study the analgesic effect of acupuncture, observe influential factors, or for mechanistic exploration. In the SLSEP studies, researchers focused on response characteristics of acupuncture, acupoint specificity, and influential factors of the treatment. There were some problems with the study design and conclusions.ConclusionResearchers could use PREP and SLSEP to objectively validate the effects of acupuncture and explore its mechanisms using nerve electrophysiology. Further studies can benefit from observing more acupoints' effects using PREPs or SLSEPs and investigating the placebo effect of acupuncture.