"These [brain] modulations may improve motor initiation, execution, control, and coordination, representing a potential central mechanism underlying acupuncture's therapeutic effect."
Acupuncture Linked to Brain Changes in Stroke Recovery
A study published in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics examined the effects of acupuncture on motor recovery in stroke patients, finding that improvements in muscle function were associated with increases in grey matter volume in specific brain regions.
Study Design
The research involved 56 stroke patients who were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive either true-acupoint acupuncture or sham-acupoint acupuncture over a two-week period.
Results
- Only the group receiving true-acupoint acupuncture showed significant improvements in motor recovery tests.
- In the true-acupoint group, increases in grey matter volume were observed in the right opercular inferior frontal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and cerebellar region.
- These volume increases were positively correlated with recovery of limb motor function.
Source
The study was published in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics and is available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cns.70955