Effects of Electroacupuncture on Cognitive Symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder
Condition: Major Depressive Disorders; Cognitive Dysfunction
MeSH terms: Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Depressive Disorder; Depression; Depressive Disorder, Major; Cognitive Dysfunction
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The goal of this pilot Study and Randomized Controlled Trial is to investigate the impact of
      electroacupuncture on cognitive function, quality of life (QoL), and depression severity in
      patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

      The main question[s] it aims to answer are:

        -  Primary : electroacupuncture has the potential to treat subjective cognitive complaints
           and cognitive impairment in MDD outpatients

        -  Secondary : electroacupuncture has the potential to treat depressive in MDD outpatients
           The 60 participants will randomly be assigned to either the treatment group or the
           control group in a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group will undergo electroacupuncture (EA),
           while the control group will receive sham acupuncture within 10 weeks period.

      Both groups will receive antidepressants with adjunctive medication (i.e., benzodiazepines,
      tricyclics, or antipsychotics) as the standard treatment. All participants will be assessed
      for executive functions and memory using specific cognitive tests, including the Trail Making
      Test B (TMT-B), Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT), category delayed recall in the Alzheimer's
      Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog), and subjective reports of concern
      regarding concentration, memory, problem-solving, learning, communication, and quality of
      life (QoL) concerns using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0; sections
      D1.1-1.6 and H1-3), and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Thai-PHQ-9.
    


Intervention name(s): Electroacupuncture group; Sham acupuncture
Intervention type(s): Procedure; Procedure
Intervention description(s): The acupuncture needle was placed on the scalp at a Chinese traditional acupuncture point. Subsequently, a small electrode was attached to the needle. A minor amount of electricity runs through the electrode, producing a slight vibration or soft hum during the treatment.; participants received acupress or a brief needle insertion at He gu on both hands during the first and 10th weeks, marking the endpoint of the study
Other intervention name(s): electroacupuncture
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: In the electroacupuncture group (EG), participants received acupuncture at 10 scalp points (Baihui [GV20], Ex-hn 1, 3 points of intelligence [Shenting [GV24], Benshen [GB13] on both sides, Touwei [ST8] on both sides). Electroacupuncture was applied for 20 minutes at Benshen [GB13] and Touwei [ST8] on both sides. They also received acupuncture at Tai chong [LV3], Tai Yuan [LU9], and Tai Xi [KI3] on both sides, as shown in picture 1. Acupuncture sessions were weekly for 10 weeks.
In the sham acupuncture control group (CG), participants received acupress or a brief needle insertion at He gu on both hands during the first and 10th weeks, marking the endpoint of the study.
Masking: Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Electroacupuncture; Depression; Cognition; Humans; Pilot; Randomized Controlled Trial