Dr. Motoyama continued his research over a period of years and had concluded that ki energy mainly streamed down the papillary layer and subpapillary layer in the dermis.
This theory is written in Dr. Motoyama's book entitled "Measurements of Ki Energy, Diagnoses & treatments."
The skin forms a line in order of the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue from the surface. The epidermis has only thickness of about around 0.2 millimeters.
The dermis has the thickness of about approximately 2 millimeters under the epidermis.
The dermis forms a line in order of papillary layer, subpapillary layer, and reticular layer from the surface. Under the dermis, there is subcutaneous tissue where subcutaneous fat exists.
Papillary layer and subpapillary layers of the dermis are classified as loose connective tissue in the histology. The loose connective tissue has abundant water, some collagen fibers, many hyaluronic acids, and many electrolytes such as sodium ion. It has little resistance for pressure. In contrast, the reticular layers of the dermis are classified as the dense irregular connective tissue. The dense irregular connective tissue has abundant collagen fiber forming a three-dimensional network and has strong resistance for pressure from any direction.
Dr. Motoyama hypothesizes that a kind of battery is formed between the mucopolysaccharide's negative ions, hyaluronic acid in particular, and the positive counter-ions(Na+) in dermal connective tissue in an article contributed to CIHS' journal entitled, "Electrical energy generator in dermal connective tissue and equivalent circuit of epidermis and dermis"[i]. Papillary layer and subpapillary layers of the dermis are classified as loose connective tissue with abundant water, many hyaluronic acids, and many electrolytes such as sodium ion. According to Dr. Motoyama's hypothesis, they are expected to work as the battery. They will also play a role as the conductor of the electric energy because they have abundant water and electrolytes. These serve as the condition for ki energy to flows as the electric energy in papillary layer and subpapillary layers of the dermis. Meridians are channels where ki energy flows and goes along the constant course.
Then why will there be such a course? There are acupuncture points on the meridians. On the contrary, when acupuncture points are connected, they become the meridians.
The relatively large acupuncture points such as Hegu (LI4) and Zusanli(ST36) become hollow like a hole when they are pressed down. In other words the relatively large acupuncture points have little resistance for pressure, which is the characteristic of loose connective tissue. So, it is expected that papillary layer and subpapillary layer of the dermis, which belongs to loose connective tissues, are abundant in the relatively large acupuncture points. If the relatively large acupuncture points have abundant loose connective tissue where many hyaluronic acids and sodium ions exist, they will work as a strong battery. In addition, because they have abundant water and electrolytes, the cross-section as the electric flows is wide, which results in low electrical resistance,, and electric energy flows easier.
(The electrical resistance is inversely proportional to the cross section of the electric conductor. So, if the cross-section of the electric conductor becomes large, electric energy flows easily .) Probably there are more papillary layer and subpapillary layers of the dermis in other acupuncture points than in their surrounding more or less, too.So, it is expected that the electromotive force of the battery is strong and the electrical resistance is low there. The meridians are pathways that connect the acupressure points. So, there would be a lot of battery, the electrical resistance would be low, and electrical energy would flow easier along the meridians in comparison with their surrounding. As a result, meridians would be channels where ki energy flows.
It will support Dr. Motoyama's meridian theory to prove that there are more papillary layers, subpapillary layers of the dermis, and more hyaluronic acid at the acupuncture points compared to their surroundings.
The AMI is equipment which measures the current which flows through the 100-ohm resistor built in it for every microsecond after single rectangular pulse of 3-v direct-current electricity is applied for duration of 512 microsecond between electrodes attached to Sei point which is meridian point of a fingertip and point a little downward from the center of a forearm. At the moment of applying voltage, current passes along a basement membrane from epidermis, goes into dermis, and mainly flows through the papillary layer and subpapillary layer of dermis. Then, because ions within the skin tissues around the basement membrane between epidermis and dermis move to negate the potential loaded from outside by AMI, current does not flow into the dermis gradually, and it finally comes to flow only through epidermis. This phenomenon is called polarization. The current which flows at the moment of applying direct-current electricity is called BP (before polarization) and the current which flows after polarization finishes is called AP (after polarization).
It is supposed that BP is a numerical value showing ki energy of meridian system and that AP is a numerical value showing function of autonomic nerves.
When calculation is made using an equivalent circuit (Figure 1) according to Dr. Motoyama's hypothesis, BP becomes almost as follows.
BP≒(V＋ R1I ＋ V1) ／(R1+ R3)
V: 3V(voltage of DC applied by AMI)
R1 I: The product of R1 and I shows Voltage by electrical current flowing in meridian system
I: electrical current flowing in meridian system which exists in papillary layer and subpapillary layer of dermis
V1: the electromotive force between the minus electric charge which the carboxyl group of hyaluronic acid has and the positive charge of sodium ion
R1: electrical resistance of the papillary layer and the subpapillary layer of dermis
R3: resistance of the amplifier of AMI ＋ resistance of electrodes
(R1 >> R3)
(R1I ＋ V1) of this formula is at most hundreds of mV and much smaller than 3V as a result of the experiment carried out until now. However, those increase and decrease affect BP. R1I and V1 may become a negative or positive value according to their direction.
It has been reported that Dr. Motoyama's Meridian Exercise increased BP or improved the balance of BP. This may be because the papillary layer and subpapillary layer of dermis are pressed by carrying out Dr. Motoyama's Meridian Exercise, which lowers viscosity and decreases electrical resistance there. It has been reported that when Dr. Motoyama sent spiritual energy to a subject's chakra, BP of meridians relating to that chakra went up. This may be because spiritual energy was transformed into the ki energy at that chakra, ki energy which flows through the papillary layer and subpapillary layer of dermis increased, and the voltage by it (R1I) increased. It also has been reported that meditation increases BP or improves the balance of BP. This also may be because spiritual energy was transformed into the ki energy at some chakras.
According to Dr. Motoyama's hypothesis, the electromotive force of ki energy is that of ki energy into which the energy of karana dimension was transformed at each chakra plus that of ki energy into which the energy of astral dimension was transformed at each chakra, plus that between the minus electric charge which the carboxyl group of hyaluronic acid has and the positive charge of sodium ion. It is expected that the current which arises from the electromotive force flows through meridian system where electrical resistance is low and electrical energy is easy to flow compared with its surroundings.
In the experiment in which BP is measured with electrode shifted 5 mm right and left from a Sei point, respectively, BP decreased to about 80 percent in either case compared with the case where an electrode is attached to Sei point (figure 2). Probably, this will be because the cross-sectional area of the electrical conductor, which the papillary layer and subpapillary layer of dermis make, decrease to about 80 percent and electrical resistance increase at the area shifted 5 mm right and left from a Sei point. Moreover, in the experiment by a liquid crystal in Dr. Motoyama's book entitled, "Measurements of Ki Energy, Diagnoses & treatments"[ii], the path of Large Intestine meridian was visually demonstrated. It was not a line like a blood vessel but a band whose boundary is slightly indistinct (figure 3). These experimental results are not contradictory to the idea that ki energy flows through meridian system since electrical resistance is low at meridian, compared with at its surroundings, which is also electrical conductor.
Figure 3
[i] Hiroshi. Motoyama. Electrical energy generator in dermal connective tissue and equivalent circuit of epidermis and dermis. CIHS journal Vol.1 No.1. p30-31, June- 2006.
[ii] Hiroshi. Motoyama. Measurements of ki energey diagnosis and treatment. Human Science Press. Tokyo Japan. P12-14, 1997
