Can needle therapy boost brain health in seniors with memory worries and depression?
NCT ID NCT07350226
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether electroacupuncture (a type of acupuncture with mild electrical pulses) can improve memory and mood in adults aged 60-80 who have subjective cognitive decline (worries about memory) and depression. Eighty-six participants will receive either real or sham electroacupuncture for 8 weeks, and their cognitive function, depression scores, and brain scans will be compared. The goal is to see if this therapy can help ease symptoms and understand how it might affect brain circuits linked to memory and emotion.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- electroacupuncture (device-based intervention using disposable acupuncture needles and electrical stimulation)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-drug option to ease memory complaints and depressive symptoms in older adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial (86 participants) with no blinding guarantee, and results may not apply to everyone. The sham control may still produce some effect, making real benefits hard to prove.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
The Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School
Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210008, China
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