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Effects of electroacupuncture combined psycho-intervention on cognitive function and event-related potentials P300 and mismatch negativity in patients with internet addiction

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Abstract

Objective

To observe the effects of comprehensive therapy (CT) with electroacupuncture (EA) in combination with psycho-intervention (PI) on the cognitive function and event-related potentials (ERP), P300 and mismatch negativity (MMN), in patients with internet addiction (IA) for a preliminary exploration of the possible mechanism of the therapy.

Methods

One hundred and twenty patients with IA were randomly divided into three groups, and a total of 112 subjects reached the final analysis of the trial, the EA group (39 patients), the PI group (36 patients) and the CT group (37 patients). EA was applied at acupoints Baihui (GV20), Sishencong (EX-HN1), Hegu (LI4), Neiguan (PC6), Taichong (LR3) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), once every other day; PI with the cognitionbehavior mode was implemented every 4 days; both EA and PI were used in the CT group. The treatment course for all patients was 40 days. Changes before and after treatment in terms of scoring by the IA self-rating scale, short-term memory capacity, short-term memory span, and the latency and amplitude of P300 and MMN in patients were observed.

Results

After treatment, in all groups, the IA score was lowered significantly (P <0.05) and scores of short-term memory capacity and short-term memory span increased significantly (P <0.05), while the decreased IA score in the CT group was more significant than that in the other two groups (P <0.05). ERP measurements showed that P300 latency was depressed and its amplitude raised in the EA group; MMN amplitude increased in the CT group (all P<0.05).

Conclusion

The EA in combination with PI could improve the cognitive function of IA patients, and its mechanism might be related to the speedup of cerebral discrimination on external stimulus and the enhancement of effective resource mobilization during information processing of the brain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Acupuncture and Massage, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China

    Tian-min Zhu  (朱天民), Rong-jiang Jin  (金荣疆), Ying Luo  (罗 颖) & Hua Ye  (叶 桦)

  2. College of Health Care, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China

    Hui Li  (李 辉)

  3. Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Zhong Zheng  (郑 重)

  4. Taizhou Central Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, 318000, China

    Hui-min Zhu  (朱慧民)

Authors
  1. Tian-min Zhu  (朱天民)
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  2. Hui Li  (李 辉)
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  3. Rong-jiang Jin  (金荣疆)
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  4. Zhong Zheng  (郑 重)
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  5. Ying Luo  (罗 颖)
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  6. Hua Ye  (叶 桦)
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  7. Hui-min Zhu  (朱慧民)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hui-min Zhu  (朱慧民).

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81072852); Fund of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Special Project of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. 06-07LQ04); and Scientific Research Fund of Sichuan Provincial Education Department (No. 11ZA059)

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Zhu, Tm., Li, H., Jin, Rj. et al. Effects of electroacupuncture combined psycho-intervention on cognitive function and event-related potentials P300 and mismatch negativity in patients with internet addiction. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 18, 146–151 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-012-0990-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-012-0990-5

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