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Improvement in Cognitive Function with 3 times per week Electroacupuncture for one month

Kristen Sparrow • August 05, 2017

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This study shows an improvement in brain activity with 3 times a week, low frequency electroacupuncture at Ki6 and Bl 62. (Acupuncturists will recognize both of those points as opening points for “Special” meridians.)

The P300 is an actual measure of brain activity which correlates with cognitive activity, not a questionnaire or memory cognitive test. To my mind there would be less likelihood of placebo results with this measure.  Brief description here
“The P300 is an important index that is used in clinical fields to evaluate reductions in memory and other cognitive functions and has been known to show decreased amplitude and delayed latency with aging. A decreased amplitude and delayed latency of the P300 indicate a general slowing of cognitive processes due to neurodegeneration or other disease-related causes.”
BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017 May 3;17(1):246. doi: 10.1186/s12906-017-1754-8.

Change in the P300 index – a pilot randomized controlled trial of low-frequency electrical stimulation of acupuncture points in middle-aged men and women.

Choi KH1, Kwon OS1, Cho SJ1, Lee S1, Kang SY1, Ryu YH2.

Author information

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The P300 is a major index used to evaluate improvements in brain function. Although a few studies have reported evaluating the effectiveness of manual acupuncture or electro-acupuncture by monitoring the P300, research in this field is not yet very active. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of periodic low-frequency electrical stimulation applied to BL62 and KI6 on brain activity by analyzing the P300.

METHOD:

The study was conducted as a randomized double-blind test of 55 subjects in their 50s, including 26 males and 29 females. Each subject received 12 sessions of stimulation over a one-month period. In each session, low-frequency electrical stimulation at an average of 24 μA and 2 Hz was applied to the acupuncture points BL62 and KI6, and event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured before the first session and after the last session of the electrical stimulation.

RESULTS:

The results of a chi-square test indicated that the double-blind test was conducted correctly. Compared to the Sham group, all the subjects in the Real stimulation group showed a tendency toward a decreasing P300 latency and increasing P300 amplitude after all 12 sessions of stimulation. In the women, the amplitude significantly increased at Fz, Fcz, Cz, Cpz, and Pz.

CONCLUSIONS:

With this experiment, the low-frequency electrical stimulation of two acupuncture points (BL62 and K16) was confirmed to have a positive influence on the prevention of natural cerebral aging.

TRIAL REGISTRATION:

This study was registered at the Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS) of the National Research Institute of Health ( https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/search_result_st01_en.jsp? , Registration Number: KCT0001940). The date of registration was June 9, 2016.