Background:The therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture in treating Alzheimer disease (AD) largely depends on consistent treatment adherence. Therefore, identifying key factors influencing adherence and developing targeted interventions are crucial for enhancing clinical outcomes. Objective:This study aims to develop and validate a predictive model for identifying patients with AD who are likely to maintain good adherence to acupuncture treatment. Methods:This secondary analysis included 108 patients with probable AD, aged 50 to 85 years, from 2 independent randomized controlled trials conducted at Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. Of all, 66 patients were assigned to the development cohort and 42 to the external validation cohort. Acupuncture adherence was defined as the proportion of completed sessions relative to scheduled sessions, with good adherence defined as ≥80% completion. Baseline data included demographic, clinical, cognitive, functional, psychological, and caregiving variables. Multivariable logistic regression with backward stepwise selection was used to identify significant predictors, and a nomogram was constructed based on the final model. Model performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis, with external validation performed by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Sensitivity analysis was performed using alternative adherence thresholds of 70% and 90%. Results:A higher number of treatments during the first month was associated with a significant increase in the odds of good adherence (odds ratio [OR] 3.06, 95% CI 1.68-7.01; P=.002), while longer disease duration (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-1.00; P=.049) and receiving care from a part-time caregiver (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.04-0.72; P=.022) were associated with lower odds of adherence. Sensitivity analyses further supported the stability and reliability of the model. Conclusions:This study is the first to develop and validate a predictive model for acupuncture adherence in patients with AD. In clinical research, it can facilitate participant stratification and help identify individuals who may need additional adherence support, thereby reducing bias and enhancing trial quality. In clinical practice, the nomogram enables proactive adherence management by prospectively identifying high-risk patients and guiding targeted strategies to improve adherence and optimize therapeutic outcomes.

Introduction:The long-term efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) in treating cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unclear, and its time-dependent relationship requires further investigation. Methods:Sixty-six patients were allocated to the EA or sham EA group, with stimulation for 20 minutes, for a 24-week treatment period, and were followed-up at 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the mean change in the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-Cog) score. Activities of daily living and behavioral and psychological symptoms were also assessed. Results:After 24 weeks of intervention, patients demonstrated significant improvements in ADAS-Cog scores, with sustained benefits observed during the 4-week follow-up period. In addition, improvements were observed in activities of daily living and behavioral and psychological symptoms. Discussion:The use of EA as a promising nonpharmacological intervention for AD. Clinical Trial Registration:https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=151275, identifier (ChiCTR2200056329).

This article reports a case of multiple cranial nerve injury after gamma knife radiosurgery treated with acupuncture and moxibustion combined with rehabilitation therapy. The patient presented with weakness of facial and tongue muscles, hoarseness, choking on water, and swallowing difficulties. The syndrome was attributed to qi and blood deficiency, and blood stasis obstructing the collaterals. The treatment principle focused on replenishing qi and blood, promoting blood circulation and unblocking collaterals. Yintang (GV24+), Lianquan (CV23), Qihai (CV6), Guanyuan (CV4), and Cuanzhu (BL2), Yangbai (GB14), Jingming (BL1), Sizhukong (TE23), Yingxiang (LI20), Sibai (ST2), Juliao (ST3), Quanliao (SI18), Dicang (ST4), Jiache (ST6), Xiaguan (ST7), Taiyang (EX-HN5) on the affected side, bilateral Jinjin (EX-HN12), Yuye (EX-HN13), Hegu (LI4), Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Tianshu (ST25) were selected. Among these, bilateral Jinjin (EX-HN12) and Yuye (EX-HN13) were treated with pricking, Dicang (ST4) and Jiache (ST6) on the affected side were connected to an electroacupuncture device, and warming acupuncture was applied at Guanyuan (CV4). Rehabilitation therapy and electromyographic biofeedback were also incorporated. The treatments were given 2-3 times a week. After 18 months of intermittent treatment, the patient reported significant improvement, House Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve function grade was Ⅳ, and Sunnybrook facial nerve rating scale score was 53 points. After 2-month of follow-up, the patient reported normal swallowing ability and restored social engagement.

This article reports a case of adult scoliosis with limb tremor treated with electroacupuncture. The patient presented with neck stiffness accompanied with limb tremor as the primary symptoms. The pattern was attributed to yang qi deficiency, and the treatment principle focused on unblocking the governor vessel, warming yang, and regulating qi. Acupuncture was applied to Dazhui (GV14), below the spinous processes of C4-C6 and bilateral C4-C6 Jiaji (EX-B2) points, Feishu (BL13), Xinshu (BL15), Pishu (BL20), Ganshu (BL18), Shenshu (BL23), Dachangshu (BL25). After achieving deqi sensation, bilateral C4 Jiaji (EX-B2) and C6 Jiaji (EX-B2) points were separately connected to an SDZ-Ⅴ electroacupuncture device, with continuous wave, 2 Hz of frequency, intensity should be within the tolerance of the patient, the needles were retained for 20 min. For the first 5 months, the treatment was 1-2 times a week, then reduced to 1-2 times a month thereafter. After 30 times of treatment, the patient's bilateral lower limb tremor resolved, the clinical rating scale for tremor (CRST) score was 13 points, the scoliosis showed improvement with about 10° reduction in Cobb angle. At 1-month follow-up, the condition remained stable without progression of scoliosis.

IMPORTANCE Evidence from randomized clinical trials of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) for chronic insomnia disorder is lacking. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of taVNS for chronic insomnia compared with the sham taVNS. DESIGN, SETTING, and PARTICIPANTS This randomized clinical trial was conducted from October 2021 to December 2022 at a single center in Beijing, China. Patients with chronic insomnia disorder with a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) of at least 8 were enrolled. Statistical analysis was performed from June to September 2023. INTERVENTIONS Patients were allocated to the active taVNS group or sham taVNS group with a 1:1 ratio. Both groups received the stimulation for 30 minutes each time, twice a day, 5 consecutive days a week, with an 8-week treatment and a 12-week follow-up. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary end point was the mean change from baseline through week 8 in PSQI scores. Minimal clinically important difference was 2.5 points. Secondary outcomes included mental health, sleepiness, and fatigue. Safety was also evaluated. RESULTS A total of 72 participants were randomized to either active taVNS group (36 participants; mean [SD] age, 45.2 [14.5] years; 27 [75.0%] female) or the sham taVNS group (36 participants; mean [SD] age, 44.6 [13.9] years; 31 [86.1%] female); 68 participants completed the 8-week intervention. The least-square mean changes from baseline to week 8 in PSQI were -8.2 (95% CI, -9.3 to -7.0) points in the taVNS group and -3.9 (95% CI, -5.1 to -2.7) points in the sham group. Both groups experienced statistically significant improvements from before to after the intervention. However, active taVNS showed a clinically meaningful 4.2-point greater reduction (95% CI, -5.9 to -2.6 points; P < .001; Cohen d effect size, 1.2) in PSQI compared with the sham group (minimal clinically important difference = 2.5 points). Secondary outcomes, including mental health and fatigue, showed similar favorable results. The efficacy of taVNS was sustained throughout the 20-week study period. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this randomized clinical trial, taVNS significantly reduced insomnia severity. Clinically meaningful enhancements in PSQI scores were observed compared with sham stimulation, with the benefits of taVNS sustained over a 20-week period. Future multicenter clinical trials with large sample sizes are needed to validate its effectiveness across diverse populations.

Transcutaneous electrical cranial-auricular acupoint stimulation (TECAS) is an innovative, non-invasive therapy for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, its effectiveness and underlying neural mechanisms remain not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the treatment response and neurological effects of TECAS compared to escitalopram, a commonly used depression medication, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Fifty-one patients with mild-to-moderate MDD (34 in the TECAS group and 17 in the Escitalopram group) and 51 healthy controls (HCs) participated in the study. We employed the low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) methods to explore brain abnormalities in MDD patients and HCs. Additionally, seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis was conducted to examine altered brain networks before and after treatment.Compared to the HCs group, the MDD group exhibited lower ReHo and ALFF values in the right medial superior frontal gyrus (mSFG_R), indicating altered neural activity in this region. Furthermore, mSFG-based FC analysis revealed abnormal FC values in the right inferior occipital gyrus (IOG_R) and middle temporal gyrus (MTG) between after and before treatment in MDD patients. Interestingly, TECAS treatment was found to normalize these abnormal FC brain regions, suggesting its potential role in restoring neural connectivity in MDD patients. Notably, both TECAS and escitalopram demonstrated equivalent antidepressant efficacy, with both treatments showing modulatory effects on connectivity within the default mode network (DMN). The observed normalization of abnormal FC regions, including mSFG_R, IOG_R, and MTG, all belong to the DMN. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the neurological effects and treatment response of TECAS in MDD, highlighting its potential as a non-invasive therapeutic option for depressed patients.

患者,男,68岁,于2021年11月4日初诊.主诉:语速减慢、行走不稳3年余,伴二便障碍1月余.现病史:2018年11月无明显诱因缓慢出现语速减慢,找词困难,沟通减少,行走不稳,易向后倾,伴记忆力下降和饮水呛咳.于北京市某医院诊断为"帕金森叠加综合征",予多巴丝肼片口服,每次62.5 mg,每日3次,丁苯肽软胶囊口服,每次0.2 g,每日3次,效果不佳.

Depression is a mood and affective disorder, primarily characterized by a marked and persistent depressed mood. A 2017 epidemiological survey by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that the incidence of depression in China was 4.2%, and it has been increasing every year. Current treatment options for depression primarily include pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and physical therapy.

With the development of science and technology,artificial intelligence technology represented by machine learning is gradually applied in the medical field.By discussing the application of machine learning in the treatment of encephalopathy,this paper illustrated that machine learning had a broad application prospect in the treatment of encephalopathy.The introduction of machine learning into the field of acupuncture and moxibustion against encephalopathy can facilitate data mining for clinical acupoint selection and prescription and predict the efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion against encephalopathy,thereby clarifying the effectiveness and feasibility of machine learning in the field of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of encephalopathy and providing a new direction for the development of acupuncture and moxibustion in the brain.This paper also pointed out the current problems and prospected the future trends to provide some references for the development of clinical and scientific research on acupuncture and moxibustion for the treatment of encephalopathy.

目的 探索轻中度抑郁症(mild to moderate depression,MMD)的脑功能低频振幅(amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation,ALFF)与血清炎症因子的相关性.材料与方法 回顾性分析2020年1月至2021年10月在中国中医科学院广安门医院和西南医科大学附属中医医院精神科被诊断为MDD的患者病例作为MMD组.健康者来源于广告招募,作为健康对照(healthy controls,HC)组.最终共纳入48例MMD患者病例及51例HC,且两组满足性别、年龄及受教育程度相对匹配.受试者均参加功能MRI(functional MRI,fMRI)静息态脑功能扫描,测定血清肿瘤坏死因子α(tumor necrosis factor alpha,TNF-α)、白介素6(interleukin 6,IL-6)、白介素2(interleukin 2,IL-2)、高敏C反应蛋白(high-sensitivity C-reactive protein,HsCRP)和17项汉密尔顿抑郁量表(17-items Hamilton Depression Rating Scale,HAMD-17)、14项汉密尔顿焦虑量表(14-items Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale,HAMA-14)评分.采用DPABI软件对fMRI数据进行预处理与统计分析,获得两组差异脑区ALFF值,采用Spearman秩相关分别对ALFF值与临床量表及炎症因子值进行相关性分析.结果 MMD组在HAMD-17、HAMA-14评分上显著高于健康组(P<0.05),IL-2、IL-6、TNF-α、HsCRP水平升高.与健康组相比,MMD组的ALFF值在左侧颞下回增高,右侧颞极、左侧三角部额下回、右侧背外侧额上回减低.相关分析显示:左侧颞下回与HAMD-17、HAMA-14评分、HsCRP水平呈正相关(r=0.591,P<0.001;r=0.549,P<0.001;r=0.479,P<0.001);右侧背外侧额上回与TNF-α呈负相关(r=-0.285,P=0.004),HsCRP水平与HAMD-17、HAMA-14评分呈正相关(r=0.723,P<0.001;r=0.667,P<0.001).结论 MMD患者存在免疫炎症因子异常,MMD组存在ALFF差异脑区,主要位于边缘叶、默认网络等脑网络,其中左侧颞下回、右侧背外侧额上回是外周炎症因子相关的异常脑区,这可能是MMD神经免疫病理机制更为复杂的原因.

INTRODUCTION:Seed-based analysis has shown that transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) can modulate the dysfunctional brain network in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the voxel-based neuropsychological mechanism of taVNS on patients with first-episode MDD is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of an 8-week course of taVNS on patients with first-episode MDD.METHODS:Twenty-two patients with first-episode MDD accepted an 8-week course of taVNS treatment. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans were performed before and after treatment. Voxel-based analyses were performed to characterize spontaneous brain activity. Healthy controls (n=23) were recruited to minimize test-retest effects. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to ascertain treatment-related changes. Then, correlations between changes in brain activity and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)/Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) remission rate were estimated.RESULTS:Significant group-by-time interactions on voxel-based analyses were observed in the inferior ventral striatum (VSi) and precuneus. Post-hoc analyses showed that taVNS inhibited higher brain activity in the VSi, while upregulating it in the precuneus. Functional connectivity (FC) between the VSi and precuneus decreased. Positive correlations were found between the HAM-D remission rate and changes in brain activity in the VSi.CONCLUSION:taVNS reduced the FC between VSi and precuneus by normalizing the abnormal spontaneous brain activity of VSi in first-episode MDD patients.

Implantable cervical vagus nerve stimulation (iVNS) is a representative and promising neuromodulation. However, the invasive nature restricts its application. Traditional auricular acupuncture treatment has a long history. The auricular branch of the vagus nerve (ABVN) is a branch on the surface of the ear. Some studies demonstrates that transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) would achieve similar effects as iVNS. TaVNS and iVNS share a common anatomical basis and acting mechanism. In this article, we made a comparison between iVNS and taVNS in indications and efficacy. The recent studies have revealed similar clinical efficacy of taVNS, taVNS would expand the indication of iVNS. High-quality clinical evidences are needed before taVNS become be an alternative of iVNS.

Hemicellulose was pre-extracted from poplar by the KOH extraction method. A series of activated carbons with high VOCs adsorption capacity were prepared using hemicellulose pre-extraction residue (HPR) as carbon precursor and KOH as the activator. The results showed that the pre-extraction using organic solvent (benzene-ethanol mixture) had no significant effect on the hemicellulose removal efficiency and the microporous structure of activated carbons. After the selective pre-extraction of 38.2 to 65.7 wt% hemicellulose from poplar, the final yield of activated carbons only decreased by 1.1 to 2.0%, but the pore structure of activated carbons was greatly improved. A total of 40.7 wt% hemicellulose in poplar was removed under 4 wt% alkali concentration and 3 h KOH treatment. The activated carbons prepared from HPR of poplar gave the highest BET surface area (3066 m2·g-1) and pore volume (1.32 cm3·g-1). The pore structures of activated carbons can be controlled to some extent by changing the removal degree of hemicellulose. The activated carbon obtained under the optimized conditions showed excellent adsorption capacity for toluene (733 mg·g-1) and dichloromethane (184 mg·g-1). The correlation between adsorption properties and pore structure shows that the adsorption capacities of toluene and dichloromethane were closely related to micropores (＜ 2 nm) and ultramicropores (＜ 0.6 nm) of activated carbon, respectively. The pre-extraction of hemicellulose greatly improved the volatile organic compound (VOC) adsorption capacity of activated carbons by increasing the percentage of micropores.

目的:通过分析抑郁症患者脑区局部一致性(ReHo)值与外周血炎症因子的相关性,探索抑郁症发生的机制.方法:收集25例抑郁症患者(患者组)及25例健康人(健康组).2组均行静息态fMRI扫描,血清高敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)、白介素-2(IL-2)、肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)检测,以及17项汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD-17)、14项汉密尔顿焦虑量表(HAMA-14)的评定.观察2组的全脑ReHo值与血清炎症因子水平的相关性,以及与炎症因子相关的脑区.进一步分析炎症因子相关脑区的ReHo值与HAMD-17评分、HAMA-14评分的相关性.结果:患者组双侧壳核/苍白球的ReHo值与hs-CRP(左侧:r=0.86,P<0.005;右侧:r=0.77,P<0.005)、IL-2(左侧:r=0.72,P<0.005;右侧:r=0.71,P<0.005)、TNF-α(左侧:r=0.69,P<0.005;右侧:r=0.64,P<0.005)均呈正相关,双侧尾状核的ReHo值与hs-CRP呈负相关(左侧:r=-0.72,P<0.005;右侧:r=-0.74,P<0.005),左侧尾状核的ReHo值与IL-2呈负相关(r=-0.75,P<0.005).健康组炎症因子与各脑区ReHo值未发现相关性.患者组炎症因子相关脑区与临床量表评分的Pearson相关分析发现,与hs-CRP相关的左侧壳核/苍白球ReHo值与HAMD-17评分(r=-0.457,P=0.022)、HAMA-14评分(r=-0.518,P=0.008)呈负相关,右侧壳核/苍白球ReHo值与HAMA-14评分呈负相关(r=-0.422,P=0.036),右侧尾状核ReHo值与HAMA-14评分呈正相关(r=0.419,P=0.037);与IL-2相关的左侧壳核/苍白球ReHo值与HAMD-17评分(r=-0.406,P=0.044)、HAMA-14评分(r=-0.411,P=0.041)均呈负相关;与TNF-α相关的右侧壳核/苍白球ReHo值与HAMA-14评分呈负相关(r=-0.445,P=0.026).结论:抑郁症患者纹状体/基底节灰质核团与炎症因子明显相关,为抑郁症的炎症假说提供了新证据;纹状体/基底节灰质脑区可能为研发抑郁症治疗方法提供了潜在的影像标志物.

抑郁症是以持久而显著的情绪低落、兴趣减少为主要临床特征的情感性障碍类疾病,其发病率逐年攀升,给患者、家庭和社会带来了沉重的负担.当前,对于抑郁症的治疗主要以抗抑郁药物为主,但存在着程度不一的不良反应、药物依赖以及停药后复发等不足之处.针灸作为一种非药物疗法,与抗抑郁西药相比,具有多层次、多靶点、多系统的调节作用,能够起到疏通经络、激发经气、运行气血、调和阴阳等作用,可明显改善抑郁症患者的失眠、焦虑和情绪低落等症状.现通过参阅近5年针灸治疗抑郁症的相关研究文献,从实验研究及临床研究为出发点,总结针灸治疗抑郁症日趋丰富的研究成果,同时指出其在实验研究及临床研究中存在的一些不足之处,为针灸治疗抑郁症的科研及临床工作提供一定借鉴意义.

Objective To observe the immediate regulation effects of auricular concha electroacupuncture（transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, ta VNS） on brain activities in first-episode depression（FED） using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging（rs-fMRI）. Method Twenty-nine FED patients were recruited as the FED group, and 29 healthy people were taken as the healthy group. The FED group was treated with taVNS and examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging（fMRI）; the healthy group only received an fMRI examination at the recruitment without any intervention. The overlapped differential brain areas of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation（ALFF）, indicated by the between-group comparison at the baseline and the intra-group comparison of the FED group before and after the treatment, were taken as the seed points to analyze the change in the whole brain functional connectivity（FC） in the FED group. Result Compared with the healthy group before the treatment, the FED group showed increased ALFF in the left middle frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, left orbital inferior frontal gyrus, and right middle temporal gyrus（t=5.24,4.64,4.93,4.71;P＜0.005） and decreased ALFF in the left precuneus, right precuneus, left calcarine gyrus, right calcarine gyrus, and left putamen（t=﹣3.79,﹣5.62,﹣3.50,﹣3.51, ﹣ 3.49;P ＜ 0.005）. After the treatment, the ALFF dropped in the left middle frontal gyrus and left supplementary motor area（t=﹣2.76,﹣2.77;P＜0.005） in the FED group. With the left middle frontal gyrus as the region of interest（ROI） to compare the whole brain FC, the FED group showed strengthened FC in the right precuneus,left calcarine gyrus, right superior occipital gyrus, and right Rolandic operculum（t=3.61,3.72,4.98,5.00;P＜0.005） and weakened FC in the left middle frontal gyrus and left orbital inferior frontal gyrus（t=﹣3.06,﹣3.18;P＜0.005）.Conclusion Patients with FED have abnormal functional activities in brain areas such as the cognitive control network, default network, and reward network. The ta VNS can play a role in the instant modulation of functional activities of some brain areas in the cognitive control network, default network, reward network, and visual processing network in FED patients, which may be a potential brain effect mechanism in treating FED.

BackgroundNeurobiological mechanisms underlying the recurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD) at different ages are unclear, and this study used the regional homogeneity (ReHo) index to compare whether there are differences between early onset recurrent depression (EORD) and late onset recurrent depression (LORD).MethodsEighteen EORD patients, 18 LORD patients, 18 young healthy controls (HCs), and 18 older HCs were included in the rs-fMRI scans. ReHo observational metrics were used for image analysis and further correlation of differential brain regions with clinical symptoms was analyzed.ResultsANOVA analysis revealed significant differences between the four groups in ReHo values in the prefrontal, parietal, temporal lobes, and insula. Compared with EORD, the LORD had higher ReHo in the right fusiform gyrus/right middle temporal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus/left angular gyrus, and right middle temporal gyrus/right angular gyrus, and lower ReHo in the right inferior frontal gyrus/right insula and left superior temporal gyrus/left insula. Compared with young HCs, the EORD had higher ReHo in the right inferior frontal gyrus/right insula, left superior temporal gyrus/left insula, and left rolandic operculum gyrus/left superior temporal gyrus, and lower ReHo in the left inferior parietal lobule, right inferior parietal lobule, and left middle temporal gyrus/left angular gyrus. Compared with old HCs, the LORD had higher ReHo in the right fusiform gyrus/right middle temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus/right angular gyrus, and left rolandic operculum gyrus/left superior temporal gyrus, and lower ReHo in the right inferior frontal gyrus/right insula. ReHo in the right inferior frontal gyrus/right insula of patients with LORD was negatively correlated with the severity of 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) scores (r = −0.5778, p = 0.0120).ConclusionAdult EORD and LORD patients of different ages have abnormal neuronal functional activity in some brain regions, with differences closely related to the default mode network (DMN) and the salience network (SN), and patients of each age group exhibit ReHo abnormalities relative to matched HCs.Clinical Trial Registration[http://www.chictr.org.cn/], [ChiCTR1800014277].

Background: There are 9.9 million new cases of dementia in the world every year. Short-term conversion rate from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia is between 20% and 40%, but long-term in 5-10 years ranges from 60% to 100%. It is particularly important to prevent or prolong the development of MCI into dementia. Both auriculotherapy and vagus nerve stimulation are effective on improving cognitive functions. However, there is no double blinded randomized clinical trial to support the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical stimulation of auricular acupoints in patients with MCI.Methods: This randomized controlled trial involved patients with MCI, aged from 55 to 75 years old. Patients were randomly allocated to transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) group or sham taVNS group. In the taVNS group, two auricular acupoints were stimulated, including heart (concha, CO15) and kidney (CO10), which are in the distribution of vagus nerve. While in the sham taVNS group, two other auricular acupoints were stimulated, including elbow (scaphoid fossa, SF3) and shoulder (SF4,5), which are out of the distribution of vagus nerve. The primary outcome was the Montreal cognitive assessment-basic, MOCA-B. The secondary outcomes included auditory verbal learning test-HuaShan version (AVLT-H), shape trails test A&B (STT-A&B), animal fluence test (AFT), Boston naming test (BNT), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder screening questionnaire (RBDSQ), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) and functional activities questionnaire (FAQ). These outcome measures were taken at baseline, 24 weeks later.Results: After 24 weeks of intervention, the data of 52 patients were intended for analysis. After intervention, there was significant difference in the overall scores of MoCA-B between taVNS group and sham taVNS group (p = 0.033 < 0.05). In taVNS group, compared with before intervention, the overall scores of MOCA-B increased significantly after intervention (p < 0.001). As for N5 and N7, the two sub-indicators of AVLT-H, in taVNS group, compared with before intervention, both N5 and N7 increased significantly after intervention (both ps < 0.001). As for STTB, in taVNS group, compared with before intervention, STTB was significantly reduced after intervention (p = 0.016). For BNT, in taVNS group, compared with before intervention, BNT increased significantly after intervention (p < 0.001). In taVNS group, compared with before intervention, PSQI, RBDSQ, ESS and FAQ decreased significantly after intervention (p = 0.002, 0.025, <0.001, 0.006 respectively). 1 patient with a history of tympanic membrane perforation in taVNS group was reported with mild adverse reactions which disappeared a week after termination of taVNS. The intervention of taVNS is effective on increasing the overall scores of MoCA-B, N5 and N7.Conclusion: The clinical trial demonstrated that taVNS can improve cognitive performance in patients with MCI. This inexpensive, effective and innovative method can be recommended as a therapy for more patients with MCI in the prevention or prolonging of its development into dementia, but it is still required to be further investigated. Trial registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn. (ID: ChiCTR2000038868)(c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Alzheimer’s disease（AD） is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases among the elderly and it accounts for nearly 80% of all dementias.The pathogenesis of AD is complicated and enigmatic thus far.The mitochondrial cascade hypothesis assumes that mitochondrial damage may mediate,drive,or contribute to a variety of AD pathologies and may be the main factor in late-onset AD.Currently,there are no widely recognized drugs able to attenuate mitochondrial damage in AD.Notably,increasing evidence supports the efficacy of acupuncture for improving the mitochondrial structure and protecting mitochondrial functions in AD.This review reports the mechanisms by which acupuncture regulates mitochondrial dynamics,energy metabolism,calcium homeostasis and apoptosis.In conclusion,these findings suggest that AD mitochondrial dysfunction represents a reasonable therapeutic target and acupuncture could play a significant role in preventing and treating AD.

OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on the sleep quality and nocturnal heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with primary insomnia.METHODS:Twenty-one patients with primary insomnia were included. Using SDZ-ⅡB electric acupuncture apparatus, Xin (CO15) and Shen (CO10) were stimulated with disperse-dense wave, 4 Hz/ 20 Hz in frequency, (0.2±30%) ms of pulse width and tolerable intensity. Electric stimulation was given once every morning and evening of a day, 30 min each time, for 4 weeks totally. Before and after treatment, the score of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), objective sleep structure (total sleep time [TST], sleep latency [SL], wake after sleep onset [WASO], sleep efficiency [SE], the percentages of non-rapid eye movement period 1, 2, 3, and the percentage of rapid eye movement period to TST [N1%, N2%, N3%, REM%] ) and nocturnal HRV (high frequency [HF], low frequency [LF], the ratio of LF to HF [LF/HF], standard deviation for the normal RR intervals [SDNN], squared root of the mean sum of squares of differences between adjacent intervals RR [RMSSD], the percentage of adjacent RR intervals with differences larger than 50 ms in the entire recording [PNN50%], the mean of sinus RR intervals [NNMean] ) were compared in the patients separately.RESULTS:After treatment, the score of each item and the total score of PSQI and SL were all reduced as compared with those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.001); SE, N3%, LF, HF, LF/HF, SDNN, NNMean and RMSSD were all increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.001, P<0.01).CONCLUSION:The taVNS improves the sleep quality and objective sleep structure in patients with primary insomnia, which is probably related to the regulation of autonomic nervous functions.