Acupuncture Seems to Rewire The Brain in Depression, Scans Reveal
A different path than antidepressants alone.
A new analysis of brain imaging data suggests that acupuncture may help treat depression by altering neural activity in ways that differ from conventional antidepressant medications. Researchers from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine examined data from seven clinical trials involving 357 patients with major depressive disorder, comparing brain changes across those receiving acupuncture, antidepressants, or placebo treatments.
The study revealed that acupuncture activated distinct brain regions associated with emotion regulation and reward processing, particularly the right cingulum and right caudate nucleus. In contrast, antidepressant medications primarily affected the hippocampus and visual processing areas. Notably, patients who received acupuncture showed greater reductions in depression and anxiety scores compared to those on medication alone, though most acupuncture participants were also taking antidepressants.
These findings offer potential hope for the millions of people worldwide who experience depression without adequate relief from standard treatments. The research suggests acupuncture could provide an alternative neural pathway for symptom relief, particularly benefiting those who don’t respond to conventional medications. Researchers emphasize the need for larger, more diverse studies over extended periods to better understand the underlying mechanisms and optimize acupuncture’s therapeutic benefits.
Originally reported by Sciencealert →
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