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Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine >

2023 , Vol. 43 >Issue 4: 801 - 808

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20230526.001

Moxibustion modulates working memory in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study

  • Xingjie LI ,
  • Qiqi LIU ,
  • Rui XIA ,
  • Jun LIU ,
  • Dan WANG ,
  • Jiao SHI ,
  • Yuxing KUANG ,
  • Yalan DAI ,
  • Haoyu HUANG ,
  • Wei TANG ,
  • Shangjie CHEN
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  • 1 College of Acupuncture and Massage, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230031, China
    2 Department of Rehabilitation, The People's Hospital of Baoan Shenzhen, Southern Medical University, and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518101, China

Received date: 2022-12-06

  Accepted date: 2023-04-19

  Online published: 2023-05-26

Supported by

National Natural Science Foundation of China: to Study the Mechanism of Acupuncture Intervention for Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment Based on Episodic Memory Related Large-Scale Network(81973922);Shenzhen Science and Technology Plan: to Explore the Effect of Tiaoshen Yizhi Acupuncture on Episodic Memory Effect Network in Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment Based on fMRI and EEG(JCYJ20190809151013581);Mechanism of Acupuncture Intervention for Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment Combined with Insomnia Based on Large-Scale Network(JCYJ20210324110809025);Explore the Effect Mechanism of Baduanjin Training on Cognitive Impairment after Stroke Based on Attention Lateralization(JCYJ20220530142806014);Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation: to Explore the Mechanism of Baduanjin in Reducing the Risk of Falls in the Elderly with MCI Based on Vestibular Network Functional Connectivity(2021A1515110764);Shenzhen Baoan District Science and Technology Program: Effects of Repetitive Magnetic Stimulation on Brain Electrical Activity and Functional Network in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Mild Cognitive Impairment(20210507221914001)

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between changes in brain activity associated with working memory and assessment scales of memory scores in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) before and after moxibustion therapy.

METHODS: aMCI patients were randomized into the moxibustion treatment (MT) group and the placebo moxibustion (PM) group. Each group received either moxibustion therapy or a placebo moxibustion for eight weeks. Neuropsychological performance and functional brain responses to a working memory task were assessed at baseline and at the end of treatment. Memory function was evaluated individually by the Rivermead behavioral memory test (RBMT), and working memory was assessed by the N-back task.

RESULTS: Compared with the PM group, RBMT score changes were significant (P < 0.05). In the MT group, the accuracy of the N-back texts increased compared with those before the intervention. After moxibustion intervention, the right insula, postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, thalamus, lingual gyrus, calcarine sulcus, posterior cingulate gyrus, middle frontal gyrus and anterior frontal gyrus were significantly activated (P = 0.01, Cluster-level Family-Wise Error = 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the insula, lingual gyrus and posterior cingulate gyrus were associated with changes in N-back score. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the postcentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, thalamus, lingual gyrus, and posterior cingulate gyrus were correlated with RBMT score changes.

CONCLUSION: Moxibustion treatment improved memory in aMCI patients and was associated with the activation of the brain region of the insula, lingual gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, postcentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and thalamus, which may be an important mechanism by which moxibustion improves the memory function.

Key words： memory, short-term; cognitive dysfunction; magnetic resonance imaging; moxibustion; task performance and analysis

Cite this article

Xingjie LI , Qiqi LIU , Rui XIA , Jun LIU , Dan WANG , Jiao SHI , Yuxing KUANG , Yalan DAI , Haoyu HUANG , Wei TANG , Shangjie CHEN . Moxibustion modulates working memory in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2023 , 43(4) : 801 -808 . DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20230526.001

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