The effect of acupuncture on working memory and anxiety.
J Acupunct Meridian Stud 2013;
6:241-6. [PMID:
24139461 DOI:
10.1016/j.jams.2012.12.006]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2012] [Revised: 12/14/2012] [Accepted: 12/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether acupuncture can improve memory and reduce anxiety.
DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS
A two-group, randomized, single-blind study involving 90 undergraduate university students was conducted from January to December of 2011.
INTERVENTIONS
Subjects completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) form Y-1 (State Anxiety, SA) and Y-2 (Trait Anxiety, TA). Then, each subject lay on a treatment table for 20 minutes. The acupuncture group had needles inserted into select acupoints; control subjects did not. Subjects then completed the STAI form Y-1 again, after which they completed the Automated Operation Span Task (AOSPAN) - a computerized test of working memory.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Performance on the AOSPAN and the STAI scores were the main measures of the outcomes.
RESULTS
The acupuncture group scored 9.5% higher than the control group on the AOSPAN Total Correct Score (65.39 vs. 59.9, p=0.0134), and committed 36% fewer math errors (2.68 vs. 4.22, p=0.0153). Acupuncture subjects also reported lower SA after intervention than control subjects (26.14 vs. 29.63, p=0.0146).
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