Table 6 Search strategy used in EMBASE

1

MCI:ab,ti

2

(nMCI or aMCI or mMCI).ti,ab.

3

(“N-MCI” or “A-MCI” or “M-MCI”).ti,ab.

4

amnestic:ab,ti

5

‘cognit* impair*’:ab,ti

6

‘cognit* declin*’:ab,ti

7

‘cognit* deficit*’:ab,ti

8

‘cognit* disturb*’:ab,ti

9

‘cognit* defect*’:ab,ti

10

‘cognitive defect’/exp

11

‘memory disorder’/exp

12

‘cognitive disorders’/exp

13

‘anterograde amnesia’/exp

14

‘retrograde amnesia’/exp

15

‘transient global amnesia’/exp

16

‘memory impairment’:ab,ti

17

(CDR NEAR/3 0.5):ab,ti OR (‘clinical dementia rating’ NEAR/3 0.5):ab,ti

18

dement*:ab,ti

19

‘mild neurocognit* disorder*’:ab,ti

20

‘subjective memory complaints’:ab,ti OR SMC:ab,ti

21

OR 1–20

22

‘electroacupuncture’/exp

23

‘electroacupuncture needle’/exp

24

electroacupoint*:ab,ti

25

electroacupunctur*:ab,ti

26

OR 22–25

27

#21 AND #26