The Efficacy and Mechanism of Acupuncture Treatment in Patients With Subjective Cognitive Decline

NCT ID: NCT03444896

Last Updated: 2019-06-17

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

60 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-04-25

Study Completion Date

2020-03-31

Brief Summary

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This study evaluates the efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture treatment in patients with subjective cognitive decline. Half of patients will receive acupuncture treatment for 12 weeks, while the other half will receive sham acupuncture treatment for 12 weeks .

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Subjective Cognitive Decline Subjective Cognitive Complaint

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Acupuncture group

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Acupuncture group

Intervention Type DEVICE

Acupuncture needles were placed at acupoints Baihui (DU20), Shenting (DU24), Fengfu (DU16), Fengchi (GB20), Danzhong (RN17), Zhongwan (RN12), Qihai (RN6), Neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST36), Xuehai (SP10), Xinshu (BL15), Yixi (BL45), Tongli (HT5), and Zhaohai(KI6). Electrodes were attached the needle holders of the Baihui (DU20) and Shenting (DU24). The acupuncture needles are inserted through the adhesive pads and are retained for 20 minutes in every course. Treatment will be conducted over a period of 3 months, at a frequency of two times per week.

Sham acupuncture group

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Sham acupuncture group

Intervention Type DEVICE

Sham acupoint (SA) 1 located in the midpoint of Shuaigu and Touwei. SA2 located in the midpoint of Touwei and Yangbai. SA3 located in the midpoint of Tianyou and Tianrong. SA4 located in 4 cun above umbilicus and 1 cun right of umbilical midline (UM). SA5 located in 2 cun below umbilicus and 1 cun right of UM. SA6 1 cun outside the point 1/4 of the line between Shenmen and Shaohai. SA7 located in 1 cun outside the midpoint of Shaohai and Tongli. SA8 located in 6 cun above mediosuperior border of the patella. SA9 located in 3 cun below the Yanglingquan and middle of the gallbladder and bladder channels. SA10 located in midpoint between Jiexi and Qiuxu. SA11 and SA12 located in 2 cun from the lower border of spinous process of fifth or sixth thoracic vertebra. Electrodes were attached the needle holders of the bilateral SA 2. Procedures, and other treatment settings were the same in the acupuncture group but with no skin penetration, electricity output, or needle manipulation for de qi.

Interventions

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Acupuncture group

Acupuncture needles were placed at acupoints Baihui (DU20), Shenting (DU24), Fengfu (DU16), Fengchi (GB20), Danzhong (RN17), Zhongwan (RN12), Qihai (RN6), Neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST36), Xuehai (SP10), Xinshu (BL15), Yixi (BL45), Tongli (HT5), and Zhaohai(KI6). Electrodes were attached the needle holders of the Baihui (DU20) and Shenting (DU24). The acupuncture needles are inserted through the adhesive pads and are retained for 20 minutes in every course. Treatment will be conducted over a period of 3 months, at a frequency of two times per week.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Sham acupuncture group

Sham acupoint (SA) 1 located in the midpoint of Shuaigu and Touwei. SA2 located in the midpoint of Touwei and Yangbai. SA3 located in the midpoint of Tianyou and Tianrong. SA4 located in 4 cun above umbilicus and 1 cun right of umbilical midline (UM). SA5 located in 2 cun below umbilicus and 1 cun right of UM. SA6 1 cun outside the point 1/4 of the line between Shenmen and Shaohai. SA7 located in 1 cun outside the midpoint of Shaohai and Tongli. SA8 located in 6 cun above mediosuperior border of the patella. SA9 located in 3 cun below the Yanglingquan and middle of the gallbladder and bladder channels. SA10 located in midpoint between Jiexi and Qiuxu. SA11 and SA12 located in 2 cun from the lower border of spinous process of fifth or sixth thoracic vertebra. Electrodes were attached the needle holders of the bilateral SA 2. Procedures, and other treatment settings were the same in the acupuncture group but with no skin penetration, electricity output, or needle manipulation for de qi.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Male and female adults aged 55-75;
2. Native Chinese speakers with right-handed and at least a primary school education;
3. Self-reported persistent memory decline, which was confirmed by caregivers;
4. Normal general cognitive function and not meeting the criterion of mild cognitive impairment, as defined by performance within the normal range on both measures within at least one cognitive domain or in each of the three cognitive domains sampled (adjusted for age and education);
5. No or minimal impairment in activities of daily living;

Exclusion Criteria

1. Presence of positive neurologic history (e.g., traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, etc.) ;
2. treatments that would affect cognitive function;
3. Presence of significant psychiatric history (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc.) and/or severe anxiety and depression;
4. Presence of serious heart, kidney, liver, gastrointestinal, infectious, endocrine disease or cancer;
5. History of alcohol or drug abuse/addiction in nearly two years;
6. Any contraindications for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans (e.g., aneurysm clip pacemaker, etc.);
7. Significant visual and/or auditory impairment uncorrected by aids, and unable to perform neuropsychological evaluations;
8. Currently enrolled in another research study;
9. Received acupuncture treatment in the preceding month.
Minimum Eligible Age

55 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

75 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Ping Zhou

doctor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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China

Central Contacts

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Liu c zhi, PHD

Role: CONTACT

010-53912201

Shi G xia, MD

Role: CONTACT

010-53912201

Facility Contacts

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Cun-Zhi Liu, PHD

Role: primary

010-52176043

References

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Wang L, Su XT, Yang NN, Wang QY, Yang JW, Liu CZ. Electroacupuncture improves cerebral blood flow in pMCAO rats during acute phase via promoting leptomeningeal collaterals. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2025 Aug;45(8):1507-1518. doi: 10.1177/0271678X241270240. Epub 2025 Feb 26.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 40007441 (View on PubMed)

Wang X, Zhou H, Yan CQ, Shi GX, Zhou P, Huo JW, Yang JW, Zhang YN, Wang L, Cao Y, Liu CZ. Cognitive and Hippocampal Changes in Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline After Acupuncture Intervention. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2024 Aug;32(8):1014-1027. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2024.03.001. Epub 2024 Mar 7.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 38521736 (View on PubMed)

Yan CQ, Zhou P, Wang X, Tu JF, Hu SQ, Huo JW, Wang ZY, Shi GX, Zhang YN, Li JQ, Wang J, Liu CZ. Efficacy and neural mechanism of acupuncture treatment in older adults with subjective cognitive decline: study protocol for a randomised controlled clinical trial. BMJ Open. 2019 Oct 10;9(10):e028317. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028317.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 31601583 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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2017BL-061-03

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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