NCT06239740: ELECACU-COG-Pi

Effects of Electroacupuncture on Cognitive Symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder

Completed NA Last updated 2 February 2024

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Electroacupuncture group in Major Depressive Disorders in 60 participants. Completed in 24 January 2023.

Timeline

24 December 2022

Primary endpoint
24 January 2023

24 January 2023

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Thammasat University
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	triple
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	60
Start date	24 December 2022
Primary completion	24 January 2023
Estimated completion	24 January 2023
Sites	1 location across Thailand

Drugs / interventions tested

• Electroacupuncture group
• Sham acupuncture

Conditions studied

• Major Depressive Disorders — all drugs for Major Depressive Disorders →
• Cognitive Dysfunction — all drugs for Cognitive Dysfunction →

Sponsor

Thammasat University

Who can join

Adults 18 to 55, any sex, with Major Depressive Disorders or Cognitive Dysfunction. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

The goal of this pilot Study and Randomized Controlled Trial is to investigate the impact of electroacupuncture on cognitive function, quality of life (QoL), and depression severity in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

The main question\[s\] it aims to answer are:

* Primary : electroacupuncture has the potential to treat subjective cognitive complaints and cognitive impairment in MDD outpatients
* Secondary : electroacupuncture has the potential to treat depressive in MDD outpatients The 60 participants will randomly be assigned to either the treatment group or the control group in a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group will undergo electroacupuncture (EA), while the control group will receive sham acupuncture within 10 weeks period.

Both groups will receive antidepressants with adjunctive medication (i.e., benzodiazepines, tricyclics, or antipsychotics) as the standard treatment. All participants will be assessed for executive functions and memory using specific cognitive tests, including the Trail Making Test B (TMT-B), Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT), category delayed recall in the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog), and subjective reports of concern regarding concentration, memory, problem-solving, learning, communication, and quality of life (QoL) concerns using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0; sections D1.1-1.6 and H1-3), and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Thai-PHQ-9.

Publications & conference data

2 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Effects of electroacupuncture on cognitive symptoms in major depressive disorder: a pilot study and randomized controlled trial.
   Boontra Y, Thanetnit C, Phanasathit M. · · 2024 · cited 3× · PMID 39620153 · DOI 10.12688/f1000research.146897.4
2. Effects of electroacupuncture on cognitive symptoms in major depressive disorder: a pilot study and randomized controlled trial
   Boontra Y, Thanetnit C, Phanasathit M. · · 2024 · DOI 10.12688/f1000research.146897.4