Efficacy and Olfactory Network of Electro-acupuncture for Subjective Cognitive Decline

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age55-79
SponsorThe Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School

About this trial

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is the early diagnosis and treatment window period of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the identification of SCD individuals who will progress to AD (pSCD) is a research hotspot. Based on olfactory fMRI,previous studies have found that SCD individuals showed damaged entorhinal neural circuits. After follow-up, the incidence of pSCD increased by three times. But,the spatiotemporal characteristics of the entorhinal neural circuits and whether it has the value of individualized prediction and intervention target need to be further studied. Thus, based on multi-center ambispective cohort study at home and abroad, we will (1) build a new paradigm of synchronous fMRI-EEG olfactory task state Oddball experiment, jointly representational similarity analysis, extract spatiotemporal characteristics of neural circuits damage, and discover and verify that the entorhinal neural circuits are vulnerable brain regions; (2) establish the middle fusion model of vulnerable brain region combined with the methods of olfactory task-fMRI activation image generation, functional connectome gradient,etc.; Then, establish late fusion multi-omics multi-task model combined with the new methods of molecularomics such as ultra-deep total proteomics and metabonomics proposed by the research group to accurately identify pSCD; (3) carry out the precise intervention of image-guided "olfactory three-needle" acupuncture with the entorhinal neural circuits as the target. Through clinical RCT research and mouse model, the remodeling mechanism of vulnerable brain regions will be clarified.This project will provide the basis for early diagnosis and treatment of the AD risk population.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Meet the diagnostic criteria for SCD diseases;

55-79 years old;

≥8 years of schooling;

Right-handed;

Disqualifiers

Have received other antidepressant therapy or involved in other clinical trials in the previous 2weeks.

Infarct located in the left DLPFC.

Positive psychiatric history and major trauma exposure history, such as depression, epilepsy, etc., in the past.

Other serious concomitant diseases (aphasia, severe edema, venous thrombosis, arteriosclerosis occlusion, diabetic vascular disease, peripheral neuropathy, spinal lesions, brain trauma, intracranial infection, brain tumors, etc.) or secondary diseases (heart, liver, renal failure, etc.).

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

  • "TXJN" electro-acupuncture

    Device

    Firstly, EA treatment will be administered at the Neiguan (PC6, bilateral), Shenting(GV23), Yingxiang(LI20, bilateral), Yintang(GV29) acupoints. Disposable stainless-steel needles (0.25 mm × 25 mm; Huatuo brand, Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory Co., LTD., Suzhou City, China) will be used. After skin disinfection, the acupuncturists will twist and thrust the needle handles to achieve the sensations of achiness, heaviness, and numbness (known as de qi) at all above-mentioned acupoints. Following needle manipulations, EA instruments (SDZ-V, Hwato brand, Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory Co., Ltd., Suzhou City, China) will be used to attach the needle handles at PC6, GV23, LI20, GV29, with a dilatational wave of 5 Hz and a current intensity of 2 \~ 4 mA depending on the patient's tolerance. The needles will be removed after 30 min. Participants will receive 24 sessions over 8 weeks at a frequency of 3 times per week.

  • sham acupuncture

    Device

    Firstly, EA treatment will be administered at the non-acupoints near above-mentioned real acupoints. Disposable stainless-steel needles (0.25 mm × 25 mm; Huatuo brand, Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory Co., LTD., Suzhou City, China) will be used. After skin disinfection, the acupuncturists will take the needle into the acupoints without the sensations of de qi. Following needle manipulations, EA instruments (SDZ-V, Hwato brand, Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory Co., Ltd., Suzhou City, China) will be used to attach the needle handles at non-acupoints without the current. The needles will be removed after 30 min. Participants will receive 24 sessions over 8 weeks at a frequency of 3 times per week.

Treatment groups

92 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: Experimental groupExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Control groupSham comparator 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Comprehensive Z score

The neuropsychological scale of 8 objective cognitive assessments used in the study (including AVLT (S and L), AFT, BNT, TMT (A and B), SCWT-C, DSST, DST, CDT) was converted into Z scores for description. Specific operations: Standardize the score of a single cognitive domain scale, create the corresponding Z-score data set, calculate the average value of each data in the group to generate a single Z-score, and sum the Z-score of each single cognitive domain to generate the overall Z-score. Patients were evaluated before treatment and 8 weeks later.

Time frame
Before and 8 weeks after treatment
2

Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging of olfactory related neural circuits

Structural MRI(3DTIWI/3DT2WI/3Dflair), functional MRI(BOLD\\NODDI\\ASL\\ QSM)

Time frame
Before and 8 weeks after treatment

Secondary outcomes

1

mini-mental state examination, MMSE

Time frame
Before and 8 weeks after treatment
2

Montreal Cognitive Assessment,MoCA

Time frame
Before and 8 weeks after treatment
3

Subjective cognitive self-scoring

Time frame
Before and 8 weeks after treatment
4

Hamilton Depression Scale,HAMD

Time frame
Before and 8 weeks after treatment

Other outcomes

1

Acceptance survey

Time frame
After 8 weeks of treatment
2

Adverse event

Time frame
During treatment

Sponsors and contacts

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