Functional brain alterations associated with acupuncture for chronic pain: a scoping review of fMRI studies

BackgroundChronic pain (CP) is a public health challenge recognized as involving large-scale functional brain dysregulation. Acupuncture is widely used as a non-pharmacological intervention for CP, yet its central mechanisms remain incompletely understood. fMRI provides an approach for investigating acupuncture-related brain alterations in CP.MethodsEight databases were searched from inception to March 27, 2025 for fMRI studies investigating acupuncture’s central effects in CP. Eligible studies