Category: Acupuncture Research & Miscellaneous Conditions

Acupuncture administered to a well-known point on the ankle, can enhance activity in areas of the brain associated with memory, in patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Researchers used functional MRI scans to measure brain activity in both MCI patients and healthy controls, whilst they were being needled either superficially or more deeply, at the acupuncture point Taixi (illustrated left). Compared with healthy controls, the MCI patients’ scans revealed abnormal functional connectivity in the temporal regions of the brain (hippocampus, thalamus, fusiform gyrus) which are implicated in memory and information retrieval. Following deep needling, there were significant and persistent enhancements in the functional connectivity of these regions compared with only superficial needling.

The researchers conclude that the enhanced connectivity in the memory-related brain regions following acupuncture, may be related to the purported therapeutically beneficial effects of acupuncture for the treatment of MCI. Further, the differences observed between deep and superficial needle insertion suggest that deeper muscle insertion is necessary to achieve an appreciable clinical effect.

(FMRI Connectivity Analysis of Acupuncture Effects on the Whole Brain Network in Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, June 2012.)

A study undertaken in Italy suggests that acupuncture may be an effective, safe and non-invasive tool to help manage atrial fibrillation (AF). The researchers also speculate that acupuncture may be working by exerting a balancing effect on the autonomic nervous system.

Patients with AF were recruited from a cardiac arrhythmia outpatient department in Milan, and were divided into two groups: 80 who had persistent AF, meaning they had recurring episodes lasting in excess of seven days, and 31 who had paroxysmal AF, meaning they had recurring episodes lasting less than seven days. Acupuncture treatment comprised a standardised course of ten weekly acupuncture sessions using acupuncture points traditionally used for the heart. All the persistent AF patients were given electrocardioversion to restore sinus rhythm.

In the persistent AF patients, those who had acupuncture had a recurrence rate of 35%, which was comparable to the 27% rate observed in patients taking the anti-arrhythmic drug amiodarone. Those who received only sham acupuncture, had a recurrence rate of 69%, similar to that of control patients who received no drug treatment.

In the paroxysmal AF group, most of whom were taking anti-arrhythmic drugs, acupuncture was associated with a significant reduction in the number and duration of AF episodes, from a median of 15 to 2; this effect was found to persist during a ten month period of follow-up.

(Acupuncture for Paroxysmal and Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: An Effective Non-Pharmacological Tool? World Journal of Cardiology, March 2012.)

The results of an exploratory study in the UK suggest acupuncture can help improve the quality of life for patients with lymphoedema following cancer treatment.

A total of 35 breast, head and neck cancer patients, who had been experiencing lymphoedema for three or more months following their cancer treatment, received seven individualised acupuncture treatments plus six optional additional treatments. On a self-assessed scale, patients reported significant improvements in their symptoms at four and twelve week follow-up. Additionally after acupuncture treatment, pain and vitality scores showed significant improvements.

(Assessing the Feasibility of using Acupuncture and Moxibustion to Improve Quality of Life for Cancer Survivors with Upper Body Lymphoedema. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, on-line September 2011.)

A study in Germany has shown that acupuncture can be a useful addition to usual care, in childhood asthma rehabilitation programmes.

A total of 93 paediatric patients were randomly assigned to receive either usual care, or usual care plus 12 weekly acupuncture treatments which were individualised according to each patient’s traditional Chinese medical diagnosis. In the acupuncture group following treatment, peak expiratory flow variability showed significant improvement compared with that of the control group. Additionally, the acupuncture group showed significantly reduced levels of perceived anxiety.

(Acupuncture in Children and Adolescents with Bronchial Asthma: A Randomised Controlled Study. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, October 2011.)

A major national survey of UK acupuncture practitioners, has found that there are an estimated four million treatments annually, which contribute substantially to healthcare in this country.

A team of UK authors contacted 800 practitioners representing a random cross-section of the four major national professional bodies. Of the 330 who responded, 29% were doctors, 29% physiotherapists, 15% nurses and 27% independent professional acupuncturists. The majority (68%) worked in independent settings, whilst the remaining 42% were based in the NHS. Patients were found to seek treatment most commonly for lower back, neck , shoulder and knee pain, aswell as for headaches and migraine. Treatments for infertility by independent acupuncturists, were found to have increased fivefold in the last ten years.

The authors conclude that the primary complaints for which patients are seeking treatment, reflect an expanding evidence base for these conditions, and this should inform future health policy and practice.

(Acupuncture in Practice: Mapping the Providers, the Patients and the Settings in a National Cross-Sectional Survey. BMJ Open, January 2012.)