Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Jul 8;23(1):227.
doi: 10.1186/s12906-023-04060-2.

Exploration of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of MCI patients with the ApoE ε4 gene based on the brain-gut axis theory

Yuanyuan Jin  1 , Jin Chen  2 , Qichen Chai  2 , Jianfang Zhu  3 , Xiaoqing Jin  4
Affiliations

Exploration of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of MCI patients with the ApoE ε4 gene based on the brain-gut axis theory

Yuanyuan Jin et al. BMC Complement Med Ther. .

Abstract

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the predementia phase of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The intestinal microbiome is altered in MCI and AD, and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4 gene polymorphism is a risk factor for the progression of MCI to AD. This study aims to investigate the improvement in cognitive function of MCI patients with and without ApoE ε4 due to acupuncture and the changes in gut microbiota community composition and abundance in MCI.

Methods: This randomized assessor-blind controlled study will enrol MCI patients with and without the ApoE ε4 gene (n = 60/60). Sixty subjects with the ApoE ε4 gene and 60 subjects without the ApoE ε4 gene will be randomly allocated into treatment and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. Intestinal microbiome profiles will be evaluated by 16 S rRNA sequencing of faecal samples and compared between the groups.

Results/conclusions: Acupuncture is an effective method to improve cognitive function in MCI. This study will provide data on the relationship between the gut microbiota and the effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with MCI from a new angle. This study will also provide data on the relationship between the gut microbiota and an AD susceptibility gene by integrating microbiologic and molecular approaches.

Trial registration: www.chictr.org.cn , ID: ChiCTR2100043017, recorded on 4 February 2021.

Keywords: 16S rRNA sequencing; Acupuncture therapy; Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism; Gut microbiota; Mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study flow chart
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Jia L, et al. Prevalence, risk factors, and management of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in adults aged 60 years or older in China: a cross-sectional study. The Lancet Public Health. 2020;5(12):e661–71. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30185-7. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Petersen RC et al. Practice guideline update summary: Mild cognitive impairment: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology, 2017: p. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004826. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Wimo A, Winblad B, Jönsson L. The worldwide societal costs of dementia: estimates for 2009. Volume 6. Alzhmers & Dementia; 2010. pp. 98–103. 2. - PubMed
    1. Mahley RW, Apolipoprotein E. Cholesterol transport protein with expanding role in cell biology. Science, 1988. - PubMed
    1. Liu CC, et al. Apolipoprotein E and Alzheimer disease: risk, mechanisms and therapy. NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP; 2013. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Substances