How Acupuncture Enhances Brain Connectivity in Alzheimer's Disease

A study in Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment revealed brain scan evidence demonstrating how acupuncture improves cognitive outcomes for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

RESEARCH

Altered Effective Connectivity Within the Frontoparietal Network in Alzheimer’s Disease and Its Modulation by Acupuncture

An fMRI study showed that combining donepezil with the "Yizhi Tiaoshen" acupuncture prescription significantly enhances cognitive outcomes in Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers applied points including GV20, EX-HN1, HT7, PC6, ST36, SP6, and GB39 six times weekly. The combination therapy resulted in superior MoCA-B score improvements compared to medication alone. Brain imaging revealed acupuncture selectively reshapes frontoparietal network connectivity, specifically enhancing frontal-cerebellar integration to support language and cognitive processing

Dove Press

Patient-friendly: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment published a study exploring how acupuncture supports memory in Alzheimer's disease. Patients receiving acupuncture alongside standard medication experienced significantly greater improvements in overall cognitive function than those taking medication alone. These findings suggest that acupuncture offers a reassuring, safe approach to improving brain connectivity and daily cognitive health.

CEUS

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