Objective: To investigate the effect of combined scalp acupuncture and cognitive training on cognitive and motor functioning in patients with stroke during the recovery stage.
Methods: Seventy patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. Patients in the experimental group additionally received scalp acupuncture and cognitive training, while the control group received sham scalp acupuncture and cognitive training. The cognitive and motor functioning of all patients were assessed using MMSE, LOTCA, and FMA, before and 12 weeks after treatment. In addition, the plasma BDNF and NGF levels were measured from peripheral blood samples using ELISA kits.
Results: After 12 weeks, the MMSE, LOTCA and FMA scores were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. In the experimental group, there was an improvement in the total MMSE score, orientation, spatial executive function, the total LOTCA score, and the score of command of language orientation post-treatment. Significant improvements of BDNF and NGF were found in the experimental group after treatment, while only significant improvements of NGF was found in the control group after treatment. Both BDNF and NGF in the experiment group were higher than those in the control group at the last day of treatment.
Conclusions: Combined scalp acupuncture and cognitive training can efficiently enhance cognitive and motor functions in patients with stroke during the recovery stage, which may be a more effective rehabilitation treatment after stroke than routine therapy and rehabilitation training alone.
Keywords: Stroke; cognitive impairment; cognitive training; scalp acupuncture; the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognition Assessment (LOTCA).