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Investigation of combined treatment of acupuncture and neurofeedback for improving cognitive function in mild neurocognitive disorder: A randomized, assessor-blind, pilot study
Jeong JH, Jung C, Kim J, Kim JY, Kim HS, Park YC, Lee JH, Jung IC.. Medicine, 2021-09-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Mild neurocognitive disorder (MND) is an intermediate state that can progress to dementia, and the cognitive reserve of MND is an important task in preventing dementia. Acupuncture and neurofeedback (NF) training have been used to improve cognitive function and treat MND or dementia, but their effectiveness remains controversial. In this trial, we will evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined NF-acupuncture treatment in comparison with single acupuncture treatment. Methods and design This study is a randomized, assessor-blind, pilot trial. It is designed in accordance with the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture. A total of 44 MND participants who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be enrolled, and each will be randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups of 22 subjects. Each subject will visit 24 times over 12 weeks and receive either acupuncture or NF-acupuncture combined treatment. At visit 25 (week 13), a follow-up evaluation will be performed, and then the investigator will analyze the results. The primary outcome is defined by the Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score from screening to visit 25. The secondary outcome includes the following: change in Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive, the Korean version of the Beck Depression Inventory, Body Awareness Questionnaire, delayed matching to sample task scores, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy values, from visit 1 to visit 25; heart rate variability values from visit 1 to visit 5, visit 9, visit 13, visit 21, visit 25; breath per minute values from visit 1 to visit 1 to 25. Discussion We will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of combined NF-acupuncture therapy, and expect that it will serve as the basis for the use of NF together with acupuncture in the clinical setting. Trial registration number KCT0004972 (registered in Clinical Research Information Service of the Republic of Korea, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do/16239).
Key findings
- At visit 25 (week 13), a follow-up evaluation will be performed, and then the investigator will analyze the results.
Why it matters
This is a protocol for a small pilot trial comparing combined acupuncture and neurofeedback with acupuncture alone in mild neurocognitive disorder. No results are reported, so no conclusion can be drawn about improving cognition or preventing dementia.
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Study details
- Participants22
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Medicine: journal h-index 285 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2021 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 22 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 5 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.7 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author In Chul Jung: h-index 19 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Korea University of Science and Technology: institution h-index 336 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 34664858) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Jeong, J. H., Jung, C., Kim, J., Kim, J. Y., Kim, H. S., Park, Y. C., et al. (2021). Investigation of combined treatment of acupuncture and neurofeedback for improving cognitive function in mild neurocognitive disorder: A randomized, assessor-blind, pilot study. Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000027218
Vancouver
Jeong JH, Jung C, Kim J, Kim JY, Kim HS, Park YC, et al. Investigation of combined treatment of acupuncture and neurofeedback for improving cognitive function in mild neurocognitive disorder: A randomized, assessor-blind, pilot study. Medicine. 2021. doi:10.1097/md.0000000000027218. PMID: 34664858.
BibTeX
@article{jeong2021-34664858,
author = {Jeong, J. H. and Jung, C. and Kim, J. and Kim, J. Y. and Kim, H. S. and Park, Y. C. and Lee, J. H. and Jung, I. C.},
title = {{Investigation of combined treatment of acupuncture and neurofeedback for improving cognitive function in mild neurocognitive disorder: A randomized, assessor-blind, pilot study}},
journal = {Medicine},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.1097/md.0000000000027218},
pmid = {34664858},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000027218}
}
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