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The impact of moxibustion on brain function in vascular dementia: a neuroimaging study involving amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and functional connectivity
Yating Zhang, Zhilin Huang, Ping Wang, Sicheng Liu, Yinqiu Fan, Bixiang Zha, Xiaodi Qiao, Jun Yang. Frontiers in Neurology, 2025-12-18
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Object On the basis of determining the clinical effect of moxibustion on vascular dementia (VD), this study explored the central mechanism of moxibustion on VD through fMRI. Method Fifty-five VD patients formed the observation group (treated with moxibustion at GV20, GV14, and GV24; 20 min/acupoint, once every other day, three times a week) and 50 healthy individuals served as the control group. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were administered, and fMRI data collected, pre- and post-treatment for the observation group, and once for the control group. Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was analyzed for pre-treatment fMRI data of both groups. Regions of interest (ROI) were defined by discrepant brain regions, and functional connectivity (FC) was analyzed for the observation group. Result After moxibustion treatment, MoCA scores increased with a mean difference (MD) of 2.0385 (95% CI, 1.6867 to 2.3902), and MMSE scores with an MD of 3.3077 (95% CI, 2.7997 to 3.8156), both significantly ( p < 0.01). Regarding fMRI findings, baseline ALFF alterations in VD patients vs. controls included increased values in the bilateral hippocampus (HIP), precuneus, and left middle temporal gyrus (MTG), and decreased values in the left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and insula (INS) (FDR-corrected p < 0.05). After moxibustion treatment, significant FC increases were observed: left PCC with right superior/inferior temporal gyrus, left INS with right superior temporal gyrus/superior occipital gyrus and left inferior temporal gyrus, left HIP with right superior temporal gyrus and left PCC, and right HIP with bilateral postcentral gyrus and left fusiform gyrus (GRF-corrected: voxel p < 0.005, cluster p < 0.05). Additionally, pre-treatment left MTG ALFF was negatively correlated with MMSE ( p < 0.05, r = −0.486). Post-treatment, FC of left PCC-right superior/inferior temporal gyrus ( r = 0.650/0.638), left HIP-left PCC ( r = 0.456), and right HIP-left fusiform gyrus ( r = 0.411) were positively correlated with MMSE ( p < 0.05). Discussion Moxibustion can effectively improve the cognitive dysfunction in VD patients, possibly by promoting DMN functional recovery and facilitating functional reorganization.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Zhang, Y., Huang, Z., Wang, P., Liu, S., Fan, Y., Zha, B., et al. (2025). The impact of moxibustion on brain function in vascular dementia: a neuroimaging study involving amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and functional connectivity. Frontiers in Neurology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2025.1676496
Vancouver
Zhang Y, Huang Z, Wang P, Liu S, Fan Y, Zha B, et al. The impact of moxibustion on brain function in vascular dementia: a neuroimaging study involving amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and functional connectivity. Frontiers in Neurology. 2025. doi:10.3389/fneur.2025.1676496. PMID: 41487430.
BibTeX
@article{zhang2025-41487430,
author = {Zhang, Yating and Huang, Zhilin and Wang, Ping and Liu, Sicheng and Fan, Yinqiu and Zha, Bixiang and Qiao, Xiaodi and Yang, Jun},
title = {{The impact of moxibustion on brain function in vascular dementia: a neuroimaging study involving amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and functional connectivity}},
journal = {Frontiers in Neurology},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3389/fneur.2025.1676496},
pmid = {41487430},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2025.1676496}
}
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.
Key findings
- Result After moxibustion treatment, MoCA scores increased with a mean difference (MD) of 2.0385 (95% CI, 1.6867 to 2.3902), and MMSE scores with an MD of 3.3077 (95% CI, 2.7997 to 3.8156), both significantly ( p < 0.01).
- After moxibustion treatment, significant FC increases were observed: left PCC with right superior/inferior temporal gyrus, left INS with right superior temporal gyrus/superior occipital gyrus and left inferior temporal gyrus, left HIP with right superior temporal gyrus and left PCC, and right HIP with bilateral postcentral gyrus and left fusiform gyrus (GRF-corrected: voxel p < 0.005, cluster p < 0.05).
Why it matters
In this small study, moxibustion treatment was followed by improved scores on two cognitive tests in people with vascular dementia. The brain imaging changes seen after treatment suggest altered brain activity, but the study did not test whether this slows or prevents dementia.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 32/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Frontiers in Neurology: journal h-index 162 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.1× 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 | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Jun Yang: h-index 5 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine: institution h-index 140 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41487430) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 32 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1676496
- PubMed: 41487430
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Neurology →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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