Effects of long-time needle retaining at Baihui (GV20) on post-stroke cognitive impairment

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of long-time needle retaining at Baihui (GV20) on post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) and its effects on the cognitive ability and living ability of the patients. Methods A total of 62 PSCI patients were divided into a control group and an observation group by the random number table method, with 31 cases in each group. The control group was treated with routine treatment for stroke in the recovery period plus cognitive training. The observation group received additional acupuncture at Baihui (GV20) with long-time needle retaining based on the same intervention in the control group. The Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) was used to evaluate the cognitive ability of patients. The activities of daily living (ADL) scale was used to evaluate the living ability of patients. And the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scale was used to evaluate the mental state, concentration, language, and abstraction cognition of patients. After 4 weeks, the curative efficacy was observed, and the scores of cognitive level, living ability, mental state and concentration, language, and abstraction understanding ability were compared between the two groups. Results During the trial, 1 patient in each group dropped out due to personal reasons and was unable to continue the treatment. After 4 weeks of treatment, the total effective rate was 83.3% in the observation group and 66.7% in the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( P <0.05); the scores of MoCA, ADL, and MMSE, and scores of concentration, language ability, and abstraction understanding ability were all increased, and were statistically different from those before treatment in each group ( P <0.05); the scores in the observation group were all higher than those in the control group, and the differences between the groups were statistically significant ( P <0.05). Conclusion On the basis of routine treatment and cognitive training, the clinical efficacy of additional acupuncture at Baihui (GV20) with long-time needle retaining in the treatment of PSCI is better than that of routine treatment plus cognitive training; the treatment can better improve the cognitive function and mental state of patients, and improve their living ability.