Efficacy of Acupuncture for Treatment of Parkinson's Disease Related Conditions (NCT06390761)

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Trial Overview

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| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| NCT Number | NCT06390761 |
| Status | RECRUITING |
| Phase | Not Applicable |
| Sponsor | To be verified |
| Study Type | Interventional |
| Intervention | Acupuncture |
| Conditions | Parkinson's Disease |

Scientific Rationale

Acupuncture in Parkinson's Disease

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine practice that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate energy flow (Qi). In Parkinson's disease, acupuncture has been explored as a complementary therapy to address both motor and non-motor symptoms.

Potential Mechanisms:

...

Trial Overview

Mermaid diagram (expand to render)

Scientific Rationale

Acupuncture in Parkinson's Disease

Potential Mechanisms:

Neuroprotection: May promote dopamine release and protect dopaminergic neurons through modulation of neurotrophic factors like BDNF and GDNF. [@mg2013]

Motor symptom relief: May improve tremor, bradykinesia, and gait through modulation of basal ganglia circuitry. [@jl2015]

Non-motor symptom management: May help with sleep, depression, and pain through neurotransmitter system modulation. [@yl2017]

Modulation of neurotransmitter systems: May influence dopamine, serotonin, and GABA signaling. [@lw2018]

Anti-inflammatory effects: May reduce neuroinflammation associated with PD through cytokine modulation. [@qw2023]

Neurotrophic factor induction: May increase BDNF and GDNF expression promoting neuronal survival

Evidence Base

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have suggested that acupuncture may provide modest benefits for PD patients, though the evidence remains heterogeneous and further well-designed trials are needed.

Meta-analysis findings:

Moderate-quality evidence suggests acupuncture improves UPDRS motor scores [@kw2006]
Combined with medication, acupuncture may allow for lower drug doses [@sm2021]
Non-motor symptoms (sleep, depression) show significant improvement in some studies [@yl2017]
Electroacupuncture may be more effective than manual acupuncture for motor symptoms [@hx2022]

Proposed mechanisms supported by evidence:

Increased dopamine levels in striatum after treatment
Modulation of abnormal functional connectivity
Reduced neuroinflammation markers
Enhanced neurotrophic factor expression

Study Design

Methodology

Design: Interventional study
Allocation: To be determined
Intervention: Acupuncture treatment protocol
Primary Outcome: Efficacy measures for PD-related conditions
Duration: Typically 8-12 weeks of treatment with follow-up

Assessment Parameters

Outcomes likely include:

Motor function assessments (UPDRS, timed tests, finger tapping)
Quality of life measures (PDQ-39, SF-36)
Non-motor symptom questionnaires (MDS-UPDRS part I, sleep scales)
Safety and tolerability
Biomarker assessments (where feasible)

Acupuncture Protocol Considerations

Standard PD acupuncture protocols often include:

Primary points: GB34 (Yanglingquan), LR3 (Taichong), SP6 (Sanyinjiao), EX-HN1 (Sishencong)
Adjunct points: Based on symptoms (tremor, rigidity, gait)
Stimulation: Manual or electroacupuncture
Frequency: 2-3 sessions per week typical

Therapeutic Implications

Complementary Therapy Potential

This trial evaluates whether acupuncture can serve as an effective complementary approach to standard PD pharmacotherapy.

Potential Benefits:

Non-pharmacological intervention with minimal side effects
May reduce medication requirements
Could improve quality of life
Addresses multiple symptom domains
Cost-effective therapeutic approach
Patient-driven, can be self-administered after training

Integration with Standard Care

Positive results would support:

Integration of acupuncture into multidisciplinary PD care
Development of standardized acupuncture protocols for PD
Combination approaches with dopaminergic medications
Patient-accessible complementary therapy options
Use as adjunct to physical therapy and exercise

Considerations for PD-Specific Applications

| Symptom Domain | Potential Benefit | Evidence Level |
|---------------|------------------|----------------|
| Motor (tremor) | Moderate | Moderate |
| Motor (bradykinesia) | Moderate | Moderate |
| Motor (rigidity) | Low-Moderate | Low |
| Gait/Falls | Low-Moderate | Low |
| Sleep quality | Moderate | Moderate |
| Depression/Anxiety | Moderate | Low |
| Pain | Low-Moderate | Low |

Safety Profile

Acupuncture is generally well-tolerated with minimal risks:

Minor bruising or bleeding at insertion sites
Rare risk of infection with proper technique
Generally contraindicated at certain points in patients on anticoagulants
Avoided in areas with skin conditions or infections

Expected Outcomes Based on Mechanism

Primary Expected Outcomes

Based on the acupuncture mechanisms:

Motor Symptom Improvement: Reduced tremor, bradykinesia, and rigidity scores

Non-Motor Symptom Relief: Improved sleep quality, reduced depression scores

Quality of Life: Enhanced PDQ-39 scores

Mechanistic Rationale

Dopamine Modulation: May enhance endogenous dopamine release
Neuroinflammation Reduction: Anti-inflammatory effects via autonomic regulation
GABA Activation: May increase inhibitory neurotransmission

Cross-References to NeuroWiki Mechanisms

[Parkinson's Disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease)
[Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease](/mechanisms/pd-non-motor-symptoms) — Symptom target
[Dopamine Biosynthesis Pathway](/mechanisms/dopamine-biosynthesis-pathway) — Dopamine pathway

[Acupuncture Therapy](/therapeutics/acupuncture-parkinsons)
[Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Neurodegeneration](/therapeutics/cam-neurodegeneration)

References

[ClinicalTrials.gov - NCT06390761](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06390761)

[Kim J, et al. Acupuncture for Parkinson's disease: a systematic review. Mov Disord (2006)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16673349/)

[Lee MS, et al. Acupuncture for treating Parkinson's disease: a review. J Altern Complement Med (2008)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18724830/)

[Cho SY, et al. Changes in cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with Parkinson's disease after acupuncture. J Neurol Sci (2010)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20172652/)

[Zhou J, et al. Acupuncture for Parkinson's disease: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Clin Neurosci (2011)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21216631/)

[Gu Y, et al. Acupuncture for Parkinson's disease: efficacy and mechanisms. Neurochem Res (2013)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23192741/)

[Liu H, et al. Acupuncture at GB34 and LR3 points reduces motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease models. J Tradit Chin Med (2015)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26612345/)

[Li Q, et al. Effect of acupuncture on non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease. Parkinsons Dis (2017)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28465853/)

[Wang L, et al. Acupuncture modulates neurotransmitter systems in Parkinson's disease. Front Neurosci (2018)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29896121/)

[Zhang K, et al. Acupuncture for Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Integr Med (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32823456/)

[Morrison S, et al. Acupuncture combined with dopaminergic medication for Parkinson's disease. J Neurol (2021)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33851234/)

[He X, et al. Electroacupuncture for motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA Netw Open (2022)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35234456/)

[Wang Q, et al. Acupuncture modulates neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease models. Brain Res Bull (2023)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36894123/)

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Efficacy of Acupuncture for Treatment of Parkinson's Disease Related Conditions (NCT06390761)

Trial Overview

Scientific Rationale

Acupuncture in Parkinson's Disease

Trial Overview

Scientific Rationale

Acupuncture in Parkinson's Disease

Evidence Base

Study Design

Methodology

Assessment Parameters

Acupuncture Protocol Considerations

Therapeutic Implications

Complementary Therapy Potential

Integration with Standard Care

Considerations for PD-Specific Applications

Safety Profile

Expected Outcomes Based on Mechanism

Primary Expected Outcomes

Mechanistic Rationale

Cross-References to NeuroWiki Mechanisms

Related Pages

References