Study on clinical therapeutic effect of activating brain and regaining consciousness needling method on poststroke depression and the mechanism

OBJECTIVE: To probe into an effective method for treatment of poststroke depression. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-six cases of poststroke depression were randomly divided into a control group (n = 76) treated by oral administration of amitilin and an acupuncture group (n = 180) treated by activating brain and regaining consciousness needling method. Their clinical therapeutic effects and changes of relative factors of poststroke depression and plasma contents of monoamine neurotransmitters were observed. RESULTS: In the acupuncture group, the clinical symptoms and the relative indexes in the depression scales improved and plasma contents of the monoamine neurotransmitters increased significanty as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The needling method for activating brain and regaining consciousness can improve relative factors to cure poststroke depression.