Eine neue Sensortechnik zur Messung von elektrischen Potentialprofilen der menschlichen Haut anAkupunkturpunkten

Introduction: From an electro-physiological point of view human
skin shows an inhomogeneous pattern regarding its electrical
resistance: in certain areas a decreased electrical resistance can
be observed. It has been postulated that these areas correspond to
acupuncture points. Subsequently, devices have been developed as
detectors for acupuncture points which are used for diagnosis and
treatment in acupuncture. However, most of these devices are
inconsistent: they show a remarkable inaccuracy in their
measurements and are poorly evaluated. Further analyses have shown
that the measuring pens often used are subject to various
disturbances such as pressure, angle of measurement, humidity of
the skin, different thickness of stratum corneum of the skin and
external disturbances such as temperature and humidity in the
measuring room. Material and Methods: We present a new device for
standardized measuring of electrical skin resistance. It consists
of a field of 64 electrodes (measuring array) on a surface of 60 x
60 mm(2) and a distance of 8 mm between electrodes. For a more
precise spatial resolution a field of 32 electrodes on a surface of
3.5 x 3.5 mm(2) with a distance of 0.65 mm is available. A high,
precise, temporal resolution of electric potentials in human skin
is realized by fast scanning of the electrodes. Technical details
are described. Conclusions: First analyses of collected data show
that reliable and valid measurements are possible. Using this
device in a controlled and blinded study design will help elucidate
the issue of altered skin resistance at acupuncture points and
clarify if this phenomenon is unique at acupuncture points.