Table 1 Main characteristics of included neuroimaging studies
From: Neuroimaging studies of acupuncture on Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review
Study | Country | Study design | N (A/B/C) | Diagnostic criteria | Age (Year) | Gender (M/F) | Severity | Treatment courses | (A) | (B) | (C) | Imaging modality | Scan T | Clinical variables | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Intervention Group | Control Group I | Control Group II | |||||||||||||
Ji 2021 [42] | China | Non-RCT | 24 (12/12) | ①② | A: 67.58 ± 9.05 B: 64.83 ± 6.94 | A: 7/5 B: 7/5 | Mild and moderate | 3 minutes | Acupuncture | HC | / | rs-fMRI | 3.0 T | MoCA, AVLT, CDR | FC |
Shan 2018 [43] | China | RCT | 35(14/7/14) | ①② | A: 66.93 ± 8.91 B: 71.29 ± 4.75 C: 66.07 ± 5.78 | A: 4/10 B: 5/2 C: 6/8 | / | 3 minutes | Acupuncture | Sham acupuncture | HC | ts-fMRI | 3.0 T | / | Brain activation |
Zheng 2018 [34] | China | Non-RCT | 28 (14/14) | ①② | A: 66.92 ± 8.91 B: 66.07 ± 5.78 | A: 6/8 B: 6/8 | Mild and moderate | 3 minutes | Acupuncture | HC | / | rs-fMRI | 3.0 T | MoCA, MMSE, AVLT, CDR | ALFF, FC, and correlation with neuropsychological measures |
Wang 2014 [36] | China | Non-RCT | 28 (14/14) | ①② | A: 66.92 ± 8.91 B: 66.07 ± 5.78 | A: 4/10 B: 6/8 | Mild and moderate | 3 minutes | Acupuncture | HC | / | rs-fMRI | 3.0 T | / | FC |
Liang 2014 [35] | China | Non-RCT | 20 (9/11) | ①② | A: 65.11 ± 9.84 B: 66.45 ± 5.55 | A: 3/6 B: 3/8 | Mild and moderate | 3 minutes | Acupuncture | HC | / | rs-fMRI | 3.0 T | MoCA, MMSE | FC, and correlation with neuropsychological measures |
Wang 2012 [44] | China | Non-RCT | 22 (8/14) | ①② | A: 66.92 ± 8.91 B: 66.07 ± 5.78 | A: 3/5 B: 6/8 | Mild and moderate | 3 minutes | Acupuncture | HC | / | ts-fMRI | 3.0 T | MMSE, AVLT, CDR | Brain activation |
Zhou 2008 [45] | China | Non-RCT | 26 | ② | 71.6 | 16/10 | Mild and moderate | 6 minutes | Acupuncture | / | / | ts-fMRI | 1.5 T | / | Brain activation |
Fu 2006 [46] | China | Non-RCT | 20 (10/10) | ② | / | / | Mild and moderate | 12 minutes | Acupuncture | HC | / | ts-fMRI | 2.0 T | / | Brain activation |
Yan 2005 [47] | China | Non-RCT | 24 (11/13) | ② | A: 65.8 ± 9.7 B: 62.0 ± 6.1 | A: 4/7 B: 5/8 | 8 cases of mild and 3 cases of moderate | / | Acupuncture | HC | / | ts-fMRI | 1.5 T | / | Brain activation |
Wang 2005 [48] | China | Non-RCT | 24 (11/13) | ①② | A: 65.5 ± 9.5 B: 62.2 ± 6.1 | A: 4/7 B: 7/6 | 4 cases of mild, 5 cases of moderate, and 2 cases of severe | 3 minutes | Acupuncture | HC | / | ts-fMRI | 1.5 T | / | Brain activation |
Fu 2005a [49] | China | Non-RCT | 6 | ② | / | / | Mild and moderate | 3 minutes | Acupuncture | / | / | ts-fMRI | 1.5 T | / | Brain activation |
Fu 2005b [50] | China | Non-RCT | 6 | ② | 65-80 | 4/2 | / | 3 minutes | Acupuncture | / | / | ts-fMRI | 1.5 T | / | Brain activation |
Fu 2005c [51] | China | Non-RCT | 12 (6/6) | ② | 65-80 | A: 2/4 B: 3/3 | / | 3 minutes | Acupuncture | HC | / | ts-fMRI | 1.5 T | / | Brain activation |