Effect of Acupuncture on Cognitive Function and Quality of Life in Patients With Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia

Abstract

To estimate the effect of acupuncture on idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN), we recruited 116 patients with ITN from December 2016 to April 2018 and further divided into them into two groups: acupuncture intervention group (n = 62) and sham control group (n = 54). Clinical pain, cognitive function, and quality of life (QoL) assessed with the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were evaluated at the initial time of treatment, at the end of treatment, and 6 weeks after the treatment. Pain intensity, headache, and generalized body pain showed significant decrease both at the end of treatment and after 6 weeks of treatment when compared with initial time. The scores of the cognitive tests (Mini-Mental State Examination, Trail Making Test, Verbal Fluency Test, tracing score, and memory score) and five aspects of the SF-36 assessment (role emotional, general health, body pain, role physical, and mental health scores) showed significant improvement at the end of treatment compared with the initial time. Whereas after 6 weeks of treatment, the Mini-Mental State Examination, memory score, and Trail Making Test-A score and four aspects of the SF-36 assessment (vitality, bodily pain, mental health, and role physical) showed significant improvement when compared with the end of treatment. Acupuncture can be used as an alternative treatment to improve cognitive function and QoL of patients with ITN.

Acupuncture in the management of trigeminal neuralgia

“…One study with 62 participants reported a mean reduction of 0.8 in the visual analogue scale (VAS) from the baseline to the end of acupuncture treatment. 30 This fell a further 0.9 points at a 6-week review. Both were statistically significant changes (p ≦ 0.05).…”

<p>Long-Term Beneficial Effects of Acupuncture with Reduced Risk of Depression Development Following Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study</p>

“…16 A clinical study involving 116 patients revealed that acupuncture can improve cognitive function and quality of life in patients with idiopathic TN. 17 Electroacupuncture and pregabalin could alleviate chronic TN in rats induced by cobra venom; moreover, electroacupuncture could also inhibit the cognitive deficit induced by TN. 18 However, the effects of acupuncture are usually small, and the quality of the studies is low or very low, mainly due to the lack of adequate controls.…”

The Influence of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Adjunct Acupuncture on LongTerm Pain Improvement for Patients with Trigeminal Neuralgia

“…Acupuncture, a complementary medicine modality, has been demonstrated to have analgesic effects with low rates of complications. Possible mechanisms of action including suppression of nociceptive pathways and modulation of tissue perfusion and electrolytes concentrations across neuronal membranes [11][12][13][14]. In recent years, acupuncture has been increasingly used in patients with trigeminal neuralgia, which has been identified by the World Health Organization as one of the medical conditions that may be effectively treated with acupuncture [14,15].…”

“…Possible mechanisms of action including suppression of nociceptive pathways and modulation of tissue perfusion and electrolytes concentrations across neuronal membranes [11][12][13][14]. In recent years, acupuncture has been increasingly used in patients with trigeminal neuralgia, which has been identified by the World Health Organization as one of the medical conditions that may be effectively treated with acupuncture [14,15]. A randomized controlled trial showed that trigeminal neuralgia patients who received acupuncture intervention in addition to carbamazepine, compared to the control group which received carbamazepine alone, have improved cognitive function and quality of life [14].…”

“…In recent years, acupuncture has been increasingly used in patients with trigeminal neuralgia, which has been identified by the World Health Organization as one of the medical conditions that may be effectively treated with acupuncture [14,15]. A randomized controlled trial showed that trigeminal neuralgia patients who received acupuncture intervention in addition to carbamazepine, compared to the control group which received carbamazepine alone, have improved cognitive function and quality of life [14]. In a recent systematic review and metaanalysis, acupuncture alone compared with carbamazepine alone showed superior clinical efficacy in terms of response rate, pain score, as well as recurrence rate while acupuncture combined with carbamazepine in contrast to carbamazepine alone demonstrated a better response rate [9].…”