NCT06626828

The Effect of Electroacupuncture Treatment on Cognitive Function in Adults With Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Completed NA Last updated 11 September 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Electroacupuncture in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment - aMCI in 24 participants. Completed in 3 January 2025.

Timeline

4 April 2024

Primary endpoint
3 January 2025

3 January 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Hong Kong Baptist University
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	double
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	24
Start date	4 April 2024
Primary completion	3 January 2025
Estimated completion	3 January 2025
Sites	1 location across Hong Kong

Drugs / interventions tested

• Electroacupuncture

Conditions studied

• Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment - aMCI — all drugs for Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment - aMCI →

Sponsor

Hong Kong Baptist University

Who can join

Adults 55 to 75, any sex, with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment - aMCI. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Background:

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is a prevalent condition, often regarded as the transitional phase between normal cognitive aging and early Alzheimer\'s disease. Conventional treatments for aMCI remain limited, with pharmacological interventions showing mixed results and often failing to halt disease progression. Electroacupuncture (EA), is believed to improve cognitive function in various neurodegenerative disorders, including aMCI. Randomized controlled trials have also reported that acupuncture can positively influence cognitive function by promoting cerebral blood flow and modulating neurotransmitter activity, potentially offering a non-pharmacological approach to managing aMCI. However, robust clinical trials are lacking, and there is a need to assess the feasibility and efficacy of EA in treating aMCI. This pilot study aims to determine the preliminary efficacy of EA in improving cognitive function, and to evaluate the feasibility of the study design for future large-scale trials.

Methods:

This trial will be a multicenter, assessor- and data analyst-blind, pilot randomized controlled trial. A total of 24 participants aged 55-75 years, diagnosed with aMCI, will be recruited and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio into either the EA treatment group or a control group. Participants in the EA group will receive electroacupuncture at specific acupoints, while the control group will not undergo any intervention. The intervention will last 4 weeks, with two EA sessions per week, a total of 8 sessions. Assessments will be conducted at three time points: baseline, post-treatment (Week 4), and follow-up (Week 6). All participants will continue their standard medical care throughout the trial.

The primary outcome will be the change in cognitive function as measured by the Hong Kong version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (HK-MoCA). Secondary outcomes will include changes in the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and verbal fluency test, focusing on the memory domain. Safety and adverse events will be monitored throughout the study via follow-up assessments and questionnaires. Statistical analyses, including linear mixed models (LMM), will be performed using R and SPSS software, adhering to the intention-to-treat principle.

Expected Outcomes:

This pilot study is expected to provide preliminary data on the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture in improving cognitive function in patients with aMCI. It will also assess the feasibility of conducting a larger-scale trial, including participant recruitment, adherence to the intervention, and the acceptability of outcome measures. Findings from this study will offer insights into the therapeutic potential of acupuncture and inform the design of future trials aimed at exploring its role as an alternative or complementary treatment for aMCI.

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial. Completed trials usually publish results within 12-18 months.