OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of abdominal acupoint thread embedding therapy based on "brain-intestinal connection" combined with donepezil hydrochloride tablets and oral donepezil hydrochloride tablets alone for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and observe its effects on amyloid precursor protein (APP) and β-amyloid protein METHODS: Sixty patients with AD were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 3 cases dropped off) and a control group (30 cases, 3 cases dropped off). The patients in the control group were treated with donepezil hydrochloride tablets (5 mg per day); based on the treatment in the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with abdominal acupoint thread embedding therapy at Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Huaroumen (ST 24), Wailing (ST 26), Daheng (SP 15), etc., once every 10 days. Both groups were treated for 2 months. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Alzheimer's disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), activity of daily living scale (ADL), neuropsychiatric inventory questionnaire (NPI) as well as the serum levels of APP and Aβ RESULTS: After treatment, the MMSE scores in the two groups were higher than those before treatment ( CONCLUSION The abdominal acupoint thread embedding therapy based on the theory of "brain-intestinal connection" combined with donepezil hydrochloride tablets can improve cognitive function, self-care ability of daily life and mental behavior, and reduce the serum levels of APP and Aβ
Acupuncture Points ; Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy* ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor ; Brain ; Donepezil ; Humans ; Peptide Fragments

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) combined with donepezil hydrochloride and donepezil hydrochloride alone on improving learning-memory ability in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and to explore its action mechanism. METHODS: Sixty patients of AD were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The patients in the observation group were treated with EA at governor vessel (GV) combined with donepezil hydrochloride. EA was applied at Baihui (GV 20) and Fengfu (GV 16) with dilatational wave (10 Hz/50 Hz of frequency, 0.5 to 5.0 mA of intensity), and the needles were kept for 40 min, EA was given once a day; the donepezil hydrochloride tablet was taken orally, 5 mg, once a day, and after 4 weeks the dosage might be increased to 10 mg per day according to the specific situation. All the treatment was given for 8 weeks. The patients in the control group were only treated with donepezil hydrochloride with the identical procedure as the observation group. The Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and Alzheimer's disease assessment scale cognitive part (ADAS-Cog) were evaluated before and after treatment; P300 (latency and amplitude of N2 and P3) was detected by EEG/ERP system brain event related potential instrument, and amyloid precursor protein (APP) and β-amyloid protein 1-42 (Aβ) were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the MoCA scores were increased after treatment in the two groups (<0.05), and the MoCA score in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (<0.05). Compared before treatment, the ADAS-Cog scores were decreased after treatment in the two groups (<0.05), and the ADAS-Cog score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (<0.05). Compared before treatment, the latency of N2 and P3 was shortened and the amplitude was increased after treatment in the two groups (<0.05); after treatment, the latency of N2 and P3 in the observation group was shorter than that in the control group and the amplitude was higher than that in the control group (<0.05). Compared before treatment, the serum levels of APP and Aβ were lower after treatment in the two groups (<0.05), and the serum levels of APP and Aβ in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (<0.05). CONCLUSION EA at Baihui (GV 20) and Fengfu (GV 6) combined with donepezil hydrochloride can effectively reduce the serum levels of APP and Aβ and improve the scores of MoCA and ADAS-Cog and the levels of N2 and P3 of P300 in AD patients, which has superior effect to donepezil hydrochloride alone in improving the learning-memory of AD patients.
Alzheimer Disease ; blood ; therapy ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; blood ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor ; blood ; Cognition ; Donepezil ; therapeutic use ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans ; Learning ; Memory ; Peptide Fragments ; blood