Efficacy of Acupuncture Treatment to Improve Cognitive Function in a Brain Injury Patient: A Case Study

Ann Guernon, Brett Blabas, Gouri Chaudhuri and Theresa L-B Pape

Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital/Northwestern Medicine, Wheaton, USA
Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, USA
Chicago Association for Research and Education in Science (CARES), USA
Department of Physical Medicine &Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, USA

^*Correspondance to: Ann Guernon 

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Abstract:

This case study explored the relationship between acupuncture and cognitive therapy with cognition and neural function following TBI. Outcome measures were the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and fMRI. Results revealed improvements on the RBMT and WCST from baseline to endpoint that were maintained at follow-up. fMRI showed small clusters of activation at baseline with more widespread activation at end point. Activation decreased at follow-up but remained stronger than baseline. Acupuncture with cognitive therapy may have improved cognition in this case. Future research should address acupuncture plus cognitive therapy using larger samples and randomized control design.

Keywords:

Acupuncture; Brain injury; Functional neuroimaging; Cognition; fMRI

Cite the Article:

Guernon A, Blabas B, Chaudhuri G, Pape TL-B. Efficacy of Acupuncture Treatment to Improve Cognitive Function in a Brain Injury Patient: A Case Study. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2017; 2: 1413.