Alzheimer's is a puzzling condition that is the focus of much research and understanding, and acupuncture is proving to be a successful tool in helping individuals who are working to alleviate their challenges. A new research study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias suggests that acupuncture is useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, and has the potential to slow it's progression. Using functional MRI, which gives real time images of neural activity, a group of people with Alzheimer's were given acupuncture at four specific points while their whole brain activity was being monitored. What was noted was an increase in neural activity and modulation of key areas of the brain involved in Alzheimer's, including the default mode network (DMN). For more details on the study, please click on the image below.
The acupuncture locations used in the study were a combination of points known as "The Four Gates," which include Liver 3 (Tai Chong/Great Meeting Point) and Large Intestine 4 (He Gu/Joining of the Valleys) on both sides of the body. Traditionally, these points are used to balance and circulate qi throughout the entire body, and are typically used when a person is feeling stuck emotionally and/or mentally. This is interesting, considering the typical manifestations of Alzheimer's Disease.
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