OBJECTIVETo observe clinical therapeutic effect of catgut implantation at acupoint on Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODSTwenty-six cases with mild-moderate AD were divided into an acupoint catgut implantation group and a control group by sample-paired method. The acupoint catgut implantation group were treated with cat-gut implantation at Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40) and Taixi (KI 3), and the control group with the same manipulation at the same acupoints with no catgut implanted, once each month, for 6 months. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Activity of Daily Living (ADL) and Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Section (ADAS-Cog) scores were recorded before and after treatment and analyzed statistically.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the score of MMSE significantly increased (P < 0.01), the score of ADAS-Cog significantly decreased (P < 0.01) and the score of ADL did not significantly change in the acupoint catgut implantation group; compared with the control group, the score of MMSE in the acupoint catgut implantation significantly increased (P < 0.01), the score of ADAS-Cog significantly decreased (P < 0.05) and the score of ADL did not significantly change in the acupoint catgut implantation.

CONCLUSIONAcupoint catgut implantation therapy increases cognitive function of the patient of AD, which provides a new therapeutic method for aged AD.