Effects of Acupuncture on Cognitive Functions in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Integrative Medicine
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) often involves cognitive impairments affecting daily life.
• Current treatments for RRMS may not fully address cognitive deficits and associated symptoms like fatigue and sleep disturbances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of traditional Chinese acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture for improving cognitive functions in RRMS patients.
• To assess the impact of acupuncture on secondary outcomes including fatigue, sleep quality, and psychological distress.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 62 RRMS patients, with 31 receiving acupuncture and 31 receiving sham acupuncture twice weekly for 12 weeks.
• Cognitive function was assessed using the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS), with secondary outcomes measured by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R).

Main Results:

• Acupuncture significantly improved auditory/verbal memory, attention, and processing speed (BICAMS scores) compared to sham acupuncture (P<0.01).
• Visual/spatial memory (BVMT-R) did not show significant improvement between groups (P>0.05).
• Significant reductions in fatigue (FSS), improved sleep quality (PSQI), and decreased psychological symptoms (SCL-90-R) were observed in the acupuncture group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).

Conclusions:

• Twelve weeks of acupuncture is effective for enhancing specific cognitive domains, reducing fatigue, and improving sleep and psychological well-being in RRMS patients.
• Acupuncture presents a promising complementary therapy for managing multifaceted symptoms associated with RRMS.