Affiliation:
1. Xi'an International Studies University
2. North Sichuan Medical University
Abstract
Abstract
Foot reflexology is a traditional medicine in which foot stimulation is believed to have therapeutic effects on patients with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). However, no physiological evidence of these benefits is available. In the present study, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed to assess the effects of foot reflexology. Compared with SNHL infants who did not undergo foot reflexology, an SNHL infant treated with foot reflexology exhibited increased regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the frontal cortex, temporal cortex, occipital cortex, and thalamus and decreased ReHo inthe bilateral occipital cortex. This suggests that foot reflexology influences hubs of the brain networks responsible for language and auditory processing. Differences in these areas have clinical significance and may be helpful for treating infants with SNHL.A large-scale, randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm these findings.
Publisher
Research Square Platform LLC
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