Acupuncture for Poststroke Cognitive Impairment Based on Default Mode Network Analysis: Protocol for a Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Integrative Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is a common and debilitating consequence of stroke, impacting memory, attention, and executive functions.
• Current treatments for PSCI are limited, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies.
• Acupuncture shows potential for cognitive improvement in stroke survivors, but its neural mechanisms, particularly involving the default mode network (DMN), require elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in enhancing cognitive function in patients with PSCI.
• To explore the neurobiological mechanisms of acupuncture's effects on PSCI, focusing on DMN alterations.
• To utilize multimodal neuroimaging to understand acupuncture's impact on brain networks.

Main Methods:

• A single-blind, randomized controlled trial involving 54 PSCI patients.
• Comparison between a standardized scalp acupuncture group and a sham acupuncture control group.
• Cognitive assessments (MoCA, MMSE) and multimodal neuroimaging (rs-fMRI, DTI) at baseline and follow-up.

Main Results:

• The study is currently in the recruitment phase.
• Clinical and neuroimaging data will be analyzed and reported upon trial completion.
• Results are pending publication.

Conclusions:

• This protocol aims to clarify acupuncture's efficacy and mechanisms in treating PSCI, emphasizing DMN modulation.
• Integrating clinical and neuroimaging data will establish objective measures of cognitive improvement.
• Findings may support acupuncture as a personalized, non-pharmacological neurorehabilitation strategy for cognitive deficits post-stroke.