The Efficacy and Mechanism of Acupuncture Treatment in Patients With Subjective Cognitive Decline

The Efficacy and Neural Mechanism of Acupuncture Treatment in Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline: a Randomized Controlled Trial

This study evaluates the efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture treatment in patients with subjective cognitive decline. Half of patients will receive acupuncture treatment for 12 weeks, while the other half will receive sham acupuncture treatment for 12 weeks .

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male and female adults aged 55-75;
2. Native Chinese speakers with right-handed and at least a primary school education;
3. Self-reported persistent memory decline, which was confirmed by caregivers;
4. Normal general cognitive function and not meeting the criterion of mild cognitive impairment, as defined by performance within the normal range on both measures within at least one cognitive domain or in each of the three cognitive domains sampled (adjusted for age and education);
5. No or minimal impairment in activities of daily living;

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Presence of positive neurologic history (e.g., traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, etc.) ;
2. treatments that would affect cognitive function;
3. Presence of significant psychiatric history (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc.) and/or severe anxiety and depression;
4. Presence of serious heart, kidney, liver, gastrointestinal, infectious, endocrine disease or cancer;
5. History of alcohol or drug abuse/addiction in nearly two years;
6. Any contraindications for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans (e.g., aneurysm clip pacemaker, etc.);
7. Significant visual and/or auditory impairment uncorrected by aids, and unable to perform neuropsychological evaluations;
8. Currently enrolled in another research study;
9. Received acupuncture treatment in the preceding month.