Abstract: We compared the activities of functional regions of the brain in the Deqi versus non-Deqi state,as reported by physicians and subjects during acupuncture.Twelve healthy volunteers received sham and true needling at the Waiguan (TE5) acupoint.Real-time cerebral functional MRI showed that compared with non-sensation after sham needling,true needling activated Brodmann areas 3,6,8,9,10,11,13,20,21,37,39,40,43,and 47,the head of the caudate nucleus,the parahippocampal gyrus,thalamus and red nucleus.True needling also deactivated Brodmann areas 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10,18,24,31,40 and 46.