Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation alleviates insomnia, negative emotions, and neurotransmitter imbalance...

This randomized controlled trial investigated the therapeutic effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on insomnia, negative emotions, and neurotransmitter levels in patients undergoing methamphetamine (METH) withdrawal.

We enrolled 84 eligible patients from the Kangxin Hospital of Guizhou Province, China (August 2023-December 2024), randomly allocating them to TEAS (n = 42) or sham-TEAS (n = 42) groups. The patients were divided into a TEAS group of 42 cases and a sham-TEAS group of 42 cases according to the randomized, single-blind and control principle. The 2 groups patients were given TEAS or sham-TEAS treatment for 45 minutes after treated with sleep health education. Interventions described above in weekdays were given once a day for 4 weeks, with a total of 4 consecutive weeks. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), insomnia severity index (ISI), METH withdrawal symptom score, Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine, noradrenaline, gamma-aminobutyric acid and dopamine of each group were compared before treatment, after treatment and in follow-up period.

Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups (both P > .05). After 4 weeks of treatment, the scores of PSQI, ISI, METH withdrawal symptom, HAMA, HAMD in the TEAS group were significantly lower than those in the sham-TEAS group and the difference was statistically significant (both P < .001), serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid and dopamine in the TEAS group were significantly higher than those in the sham-TEAS group, and serum levels of noradrenaline in the TEAS group were significantly lower than those in the sham-TEAS group (both P < .001). In follow-up period, the scores of PSQI, ISI, METH withdrawal symptom, HAMA, HAMD in the TEAS group were significantly lower than those in the sham-TEAS group, and the difference was statistically significant (both P < .001).

TEAS effectively improved insomnia, anxiety and depression after METH withdrawal, it is worth of clinical application and promotion while significantly affecting serum levels of neurotransmitters.