EA vs escitalopram for PSD

Stimulated by Ma et al 2024.[1] Photo by Julius Carmine on Unsplash.This image came up when I searched for Yancheng on Unsplash. Just to the right of centre, between the two central pillars you can just see a fluid level – I guess that is the Yellow Sea. EA – electroacupuncturePSD – post stroke depressionRCT … Continue reading EA vs escitalopram for PSD

KOR and depression after CSDS

Stimulated by Wang et al 2023.[1] Supplemental Figure 2 from Wang et al 2023 showing development of animal models of SDS. KOR – κ opioid receptorCSDS – chronic social defeat stressSSDS – subthreshold social defeat stressSDS – social defeat stressAAV – adeno-associated virus key to acronyms This is a potentially important paper that describes, for … Continue reading KOR and depression after CSDS

Acupuncture for perimenopausal GAD

Stimulated by Liu et al 2023.[1] Photo by Finn on Unsplash. GAD – generalised anxiety disorderHAMA – Hamilton anxiety scaleGAD-7 – general anxiety disorder scale (7-item)PSQI – Pittsburgh sleep quality indexACTH – adrenocorticotropic hormoneEA – electroacupunctureCTS – carpal tunnel syndrome key to acronyms This paper reports the first sham controlled trial of acupuncture in perimenopausal … Continue reading Acupuncture for perimenopausal GAD

Acupuncture dysmenorrhoea and depression 2023

Stimulated by Liao et al 2023.[1] Photo by Polina Zimmerman on Pexels.com LGTD – longitudinal generation tracking databaseNHIRD – national health insurance research database (Taiwan)aHR – adjusted hazard ratioIL6 – interleukin 6IL1β – interleukin 1βTNF – tumour necrosis factorALB – albuminVEGFA – vascular endothelial growth factor ACRP – C-reactive proteinPTGS2 – prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthetase 2 (aka … Continue reading Acupuncture dysmenorrhoea and depression 2023

MDD and migraine 2023

Stimulated by Lv et al 2023.[1] Photo by Anh Nguyen on Unsplash. MDD – major depressive disorderTCM – traditional Chinese medicineGWAS – genome wide association studiesSNP – single nucleotide polymorphism (change of a single letter in the genetic code)PD – Parkinson’s diseaseCHD – coronary heart disease key to acronyms This paper came up on my searches last month, … Continue reading MDD and migraine 2023

Acupuncture for comorbid pain and depression 2023

Stimulated by Liao et al 2023.[1] MDD – major depressive disorderWMA – Western medical acupunctureTCM – traditional Chinese medicineBPI – brief pain inventoryRCT – randomised controlled trialGRADE – Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (a method of grading the quality or ‘certainty’ and strength or ‘effect size’ of evidence in healthcare)ES – effect sizeHAM-D … Continue reading Acupuncture for comorbid pain and depression 2023

EA for depression-related insomnia

Inspired by Yin et al 2022.[1] Photo by VAZHNIK on Pexels.com EA – electroacupunctureMA – manual acupunctureSC – standard carePSQI – Pittsburgh Sleep Quality IndexHAM-D – Hamilton Depression Rating ScaleHAMD-17 – the sum of the first 17 items on the HAM-Dkey to acronyms This 3-armed trial from Shanghai is the biggest trial (n=270) of acupuncture … Continue reading EA for depression-related insomnia

EA in FD 2022

Inspired by Wu et al, Yang et al, & Li et al 2022.[1–3] Image by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash. EA – electroacupunctureFD – functional dyspepsia or functional diarrhoeaFDys – functional dyspepsia (in this blog)FDr – functional diarrhoea (in this blog)IBS – irritable bowel syndrometid – ter in die (3 times a day)tds – ter die sumendus (to be … Continue reading EA in FD 2022

Acupuncture in PMD

Inspired by Zhou et al 2022.[1] Photo by Tatiana Syrikova on Pexels.com PMD – perimenopausal depressionMA – manual acupunctureEA – electroacupunctureHAM-D – Hamilton Depression Rating ScaleHAMD-17 – the sum of the first 17 items on the HAM-DMENQOL – Menopause-specific Quality of Life QuestionnaireFSH – follicle stimulating hormoneLH – luteinising hormoneRCT – randomised controlled trial key … Continue reading Acupuncture in PMD

Cortisol and the menopause 2021

Inspired by Cagnacci et al 2021.[1] Professor Angelo Cagnacci presenting at the BMAS Autumn Scientific Meeting in 2019. RCT – randomised controlled trialHRT – homone replacement therapyCVD – cardiovascular diseaseROS – reactive oxygen species (a form of free radicals)NO – nitrous oxidekey to acronyms This is the third and probably the last paper to come … Continue reading Cortisol and the menopause 2021