biologia - Studia

STUDIA UNIVERSITATIS BABEŞ – BOLYAI, BIOLOGIA, LV, 1, 2010, p. 103-110
THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF ACUPUNCTURE SOURCE
POINTS AS A RELEVANT FACTOR FOR INNER ORGAN STATUS
ŞTEFAN-CLAUDIU MIRESCU 1, 2 , LIDIA CIOBANU 2, 3 ,
VASILE ANDREICA 2, 3 and CORINA-LUMINIłA ROŞIORU 1
SUMMARY. The galvanic skin response (GSR), is the skin's resistance to
electrical current. Responsible for the variation of the GSR are the sweat
glands, which react to nearly all stimuli. The variation of the GSR has been
used for decades in biofeedback research, polygraph tests and even religion.
The purpose of the study is to review the behavior of the skin's electrical
resistance. The GSR was measured using a Wheatstone bridge, of our own
manufacturing. The study was conducted on patients with internal diseases.
The initial resistance was recorded, then the GSR was recorded for one
minute. The subjects were asked a number of questions and data were
computer recorded. On the first minute of measurement, the GSR followed a
linear pattern. The measurements revealed a decrease of the electrical
resistance during the dialogue, especially when the subject was asked
questions with emotional content. There is a correlation between the GSR and
the relaxed state of the subject. The GSR is a prompt and efficient tool for
evaluating the subjects' state of mind. Further research will be conducted to
indicate other uses of this measurement.
Keywords: galvanic skin response, acupuncture source points, electrodermal
response.
Introduction
Galvanic skin response (GSR), also known as electrodermal response,
psychogalvanic reflex, or opposite of the skin conductance, is a measure of the
electrical resistance of the skin. Most of the researches at the moment investigate the
spontaneous fluctuations of the GSR according to the emotional state of the subject
(Jaggar and Robbins, 2001). These studies suggested GSR as a reference method
for polygraph tests, biofeedback therapy or sleep apnea investigation. GSR has also
proven to be a valid method for neurological studies (Fitzgerald and Folan-Curran,
2002). The purpose of the study is to test the relevance of the GSR measurements
in specific acupuncture points, called source (Chinese - Yuan) points, for describing
inner organ health status.
1 Faculty of Biology and Geology, Chair of Experimental Biology “Babeş-Bolyai” University, Cluj-Napoca
2 Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu HaŃieganu”, Cluj-Napoca
3 ”Octavian Fodor” Third Medical Clinic, Cluj-Napoca