Tian Xiaoyu, Yu Xiaoming, Ma Hongli, Lai Minghui, Wu Ruiren, Zhang Xinglin, Zhang Jingjing, Luo Zifan, Fu Wang, Feng Wei, Hu Jun, Shan Chunlei, Wang Cong, Wang Feng
Department of Neurology, Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intelligent Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.
Front Neurol. 2025 May 30;16:1603522. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1603522. eCollection 2025.
The field of neuroscience has discovered that gamma oscillations (30-100 Hz) in the brain play a key role in neuroplasticity, information conduction and neuroprotective mechanisms. Electroacupuncture stimulation (ES) is a modern treatment method that combines the advantages of Chinese acupuncture with those of electrical stimulation, and is widely used in the field of stroke rehabilitation. At present, there is a lack of research on the clinical efficacy and mechanism of applying gamma frequency (40-Hz) ES, a new neuromodulation mode of integrated Chinese and Western medicine, to induce gamma oscillations and promote the rehabilitation of upper limb motor function in stroke patients.
This trial uses a randomized, double-blind and controlled method to evaluate the effect of 40-Hz ES of LI11 (Quchi) acupoint on upper limb motor functional rehabilitation in stroke patients. Based on this new rehabilitation program combining Traditional Chinese medicine with modern technique, all patients will receive baseline assessment, 1-week post-intervention assessment and 2-week post-intervention assessment. The primary outcomes are the Fugl-Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity Scale. The secondary indicators include electroencephalogram, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Mini-mental State Examination and Modified Barthel Index.
This trial offers novel perspectives on the application of 40-Hz electroacupuncture stimulation in neural oscillation regulation and the effectiveness of this clinically widespread technique in treating upper extremity dysfunction after a stroke and improving patients' quality of life. The results of this study will contribute to the scientific community's understanding of the potential mechanisms of this novel neuromodulation method, including changes in neural network connectivity, and improve existing clinical treatments to benefit more stroke patients.
https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojEN.html?proj=217786, identifier ChiCTR2400082208.
神经科学领域发现，大脑中的伽马振荡（30 - 100赫兹）在神经可塑性、信息传导和神经保护机制中起关键作用。电针刺激（ES）是一种将中医针灸优势与电刺激优势相结合的现代治疗方法，广泛应用于中风康复领域。目前，对于应用伽马频率（40赫兹）电针刺激这种中西医结合的新神经调节模式来诱导伽马振荡并促进中风患者上肢运动功能康复的临床疗效及机制缺乏研究。
本试验采用随机、双盲和对照方法，评估曲池穴（LI11）40赫兹电针刺激对中风患者上肢运动功能康复的影响。基于这种将传统中医与现代技术相结合的新康复方案，所有患者将接受基线评估、干预后1周评估和干预后2周评估。主要结局指标为Fugl - Meyer上肢运动功能评定量表。次要指标包括脑电图、美国国立卫生研究院卒中量表、简易精神状态检查表和改良Barthel指数。
本试验为40赫兹电针刺激在神经振荡调节中的应用以及这种临床广泛应用的技术在治疗中风后上肢功能障碍和改善患者生活质量方面的有效性提供了新的视角。本研究结果将有助于科学界理解这种新型神经调节方法的潜在机制，包括神经网络连接的变化，并改进现有临床治疗方法，使更多中风患者受益。
https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojEN.html?proj=217786，标识符ChiCTR2400082208。
