The Effects Of Acupuncture On Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Due To Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of acupuncture in the treatment of MCI caused by AD,and to provide a more effective treatment method for the clinical treatment of MCI caused by AD.MethodThe research program was approved by the members of the mentorship group and the Institutional Review Board?IRB?of the Florida Atlantic University?Approval code1202603-4?.This pilot study in collaboration with the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health?CCBH?at the Charles E.Schmidt College of Medicine,Florida Atlantic University,involved 12 cases of MCI patients who met the criteria and were randomly selected from patients screened by CCBH,and acupuncture intervention was regulated according to the research procedure.Points selected in the study:Baihui?GV20?,Shenting?GV24?,Dazhui?GV14?,Sishencong?EX-HN1?,Shenmen?HT7?,Zusanli?ST36?,SanYinjiao?SP6?,Taixi?KI3?.Acupuncture method:After disinfection of the skin by conventional methods,the sterile acupuncture needle is applied via disposable guide tubes to the specific acupuncture points.Twisting,rotating,lifting and thrusting manipulation to the acupuncture needles was applied to elicit the DeQi response.Acupuncture needles were retained for thirty minutes per intervention.Participants received two thirty-minute acupuncture interventions per week for 8 weeks,totaling 16 acupuncture interventions.In this experiment,the efficacy was judged by the three versions of MoCA scales,Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale?HADS?,Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease?QOL-AD?and Physical Function Assessments including;Berg Balance test,Timed Up and Go?TUG?test,Sit to Stand?STS-5?and Grip Strength as a baseline prior to the 1^st intervention.This testing was then conducted after the 8th intervention and after the final assessment,the 16^th intervention.Testing for associations between the progression to AD dementia and the baseline characteristics of patients utilized the Pearson x² test for categorical variables and variance analysis or Wilcoxon test for continuous variables.Diagnostic evaluation and detection of scales at baseline,mid-line and after final intervention were carried out by full-time researchers at CCBH.Results?1?Cognitive outcomes showed that compared with pre-acupuncture intervention,the score of MoCA scale was higher in patients after 4 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,the difference was not statistically significant?p>0.05?;the score of MoCA scale in patients increased significantly after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was statistically significant?p<0.05?.Compared with 4 weeks of acupuncture intervention,the MoCA scale score increased after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was statistically significant?p<0.05?.?2?The results of the anxiety scale score showed that compared with the pre-acupuncture intervention,the score of HADS-D scale was decreased in patients after 4 weeks post-acupuncture,and the difference was not statistically significant?p>0.05?;the score of HADS-D scale in patients decreased significantly after8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was statistically significant?p<0.05?;Compared with 4 weeks of acupuncture intervention,the score of HADS-D scale decreased after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was not statistically significant?p>0.05?.?3?The results of quality of life showed that compared with the pre-acupuncture intervention,the score of QoL-AD scale was increased significantly in patients after 4weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the result was statistically significant?p<0.01?;the score of QoL-AD scale in patients increased after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was statistically significant?p<0.05?.Compared with 4weeks of acupuncture intervention,QoL-AD scale score decreased after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was statistically significant?p<0.05?.?4?The results of physical function evaluation showed that the score of:?1?The results of Berg Balance showed that compared with the pre-acupuncture intervention,the score of Berg Balance scale was significantly increased in patients after 4 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the results were statistically significant?p<0.05?;the score of Berg Balance scale in patients increased after 8 weeks post-acupuncture,and the difference was not statistically significant?p>0.05?.Compared with 4 weeks of acupuncture intervention,Berg Balance scale score increased after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was not statistically significant?p>0.05?;?2?The results of the Timed Up and Go scale showed that compared with the pre-acupuncture intervention,the score of Timed Up and Go scale was increased in patients 4 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the results were statistically significant?p<0.05?;the score of Timed Up and Go in patients increased after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was statistically significant?p<0.01?.Compared with 4 weeks of acupuncture intervention,Timed Up and Go score decreased after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was not statistically significant?p>0.05?;?3?The results of STS-5 showed that compared with pre-acupuncture intervention,the score of STS-5 scale was decreased in patients after 4 weeks of acupuncture,and the result was statistically significant?p<0.05?;the score of STS-5 in patients decreased significantly after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was statistically significant?p<0.05?.Compared with 4 weeks of acupuncture intervention,STS-5 score decreased after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was not statistically significant?p>0.05?;?4?The results of Grip Strength showed that compared with the pre-acupuncture intervention,the score of Grip Strength scale was increased in patients after 4 weeks post-acupuncture,and the result was not statistically significant?p>0.05?;the score of Grip Strength in patients increased significantly after 8 weeks post-acupuncture,and the difference was statistically significant?p<0.05?.Compared with 4 weeks of acupuncture intervention,Grip Strength increased after 8 weeks post-acupuncture intervention,and the difference was statistically significant?p<0.05?.ConclusionAfter acupuncture intervention the patient's cognitive ability,quality of life and body function were improved.Acupuncture may be an effective method to intermediate with MCI patients caused by AD.