Acupuncture improves depressive symptoms and prefrontal cortical function in mild to moderate depressive disorder: A randomized sham-controlled trial and fNIRS study.

In 30 seconds

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of acupuncture in patients with mild to moderate depressive disorder. The study found that real acupuncture significantly reduced depressive and anxiety symptoms, with improvements in quality of life persisting for up to 12 weeks. Additionally, functional near-infrared spectroscopy indicated enhanced prefrontal cortical activation following treatment.

Key findings

• The real acupuncture group showed significant reductions in Self-Rating Depression Scale scores compared to baseline.
• Improvements in emotional domains of the Short Form-36 Health Survey were noted at Week 4 and persisted for 12 weeks.
• fNIRS analysis revealed enhanced activation in dorsolateral and medial prefrontal regions after real acupuncture.

Why it matters

Acupuncture may serve as a valuable complementary treatment for mild to moderate depressive disorder, particularly for patients who experience limitations with pharmacotherapy due to side effects or adherence issues.