Acupuncture Improves Neural Function in Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Rat Model (Stroke Study)

Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, and tuina is widely used as a complementary and even primary treatment for stroke.  Particular attention has been paid to stroke recovery for which acupuncture shows particularly positive results.

Recently, researchers from the Acupuncture and Moxibustion and Tuina College at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Tianjin China conducted a rat model study to explore the beneficial effects of acupuncture on stroke recovery.  Middle cerebral artery occlusion in rat models is a widely used method to study stroke affects and recovery.  In this study, researchers used 1384 rats divided into various sham, control, western medicine (nimotop, nimodipine) and acupuncture treatment groups. 

Points used within the acupuncture treatment group were as follows:

• PC 6
• UB 40
• SP 6
• LU 5
• GV 6

The acupuncture group received treatment once every 12 hours for 3 days (6 sessions total) and neurobehavioral scores were measured after each session.

Researchers found significant improvements in neurobehavioral scores within the acupuncture group with a stabilization of effects at 48h (after the 4th session).    Researchers conluded that acupuncture treatment "had a reliable curative effect on movement function in cerebral infarction rats."