Acupuncture for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury：A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Clinical Trial

Official title: Acupuncture Intervention in Subacute Mild Traumatic Brain Injury With Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The overall goal of this study is to examine if acupuncture intervention can reduce the post-concussion symptom (PCS), and affective and cognitive complaints among mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study also hypothesized that compared to those in the sham acupuncture and waiting list control groups, patients in the real acupuncture group will have fewer symptoms of depression, sleep problems and post-concussion symptoms.

Clinical Trial Description

Project Background: Acupuncture has been shown in other settings to alleviate symptoms of TBI that are reported to be precursors of post-concussion symptom, including affective (depression, anxiety) and somatic (headache, sleep difficulties) complaints. Evidence suggests that the increased intensity of these symptoms, particularly greater affective distress and injury-associated pain, increases vulnerability to neurodegenerative disease and PTSD. By treating post-TBI symptoms with acupuncture, these predisposing conditions will improve, and, as a result, the incidence of PCS in this patient population will be reduced.

Research plan: The overarching focus of this study is the use of acupuncture treatment, targeted to symptoms of mild TBI. The investigators propose a randomized, sham procedure and usual care-controlled clinical trial of acupuncture beginning at acute phase following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants meeting eligibility requirements will be randomized to 1 of 3 groups: verum acupuncture, sham acupuncture or waiting-list control. Acupuncture treatments will continue for one month, at which point all participants will be assessed for presence of mild TBI symptoms. Participants will be evaluated again after one-month acupuncture treatment and follow-up post-hospital discharge. The investigators hypothesize that true acupuncture will be more effective than sham acupuncture in reducing these outcomes at after treatment and follow-up stage. Patients were also scanned by 3T MRI scanner at baseline, one-month (after acupuncture treatment). ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Acupuncture
• Brain Concussion
• Brain Injuries
• Brain Injuries, Traumatic
• Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
• MRI
• Wounds and Injuries

• NCT number: NCT02868671
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: First Affiliated Hospital Xi'an Jiaotong University
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: August 2016
• Completion date: September 2020