| Objective: To investigate the effect of acupuncture and health therapy on serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and depressive states in patients with post-stroke depression (PSD). Methods: A total of 40 patients with PSD from January 2019 to December 2021 in the rehabilitation inpatient ward and outpatient department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were selected and divided into a conventional rehabilitation group (control group) and acupuncture-rehabilitation group (observation group) according to the random number table method (20 cases in each group). The control group was given psychological rehabilitation treatment on the basis of routine rehabilitation treatment in the rehabilitation department, and the observation group was given scalp acupuncture treatment (acupuncture and health method) on the basis of the control group. The Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Fugl-Meyel Motor Function Assessment Scale, Modified Barthel Index (MBI) score, serum markers BDNF and VEGF levels were compared between the two groups after 4 weeks of treatment. Results: Before treatment, there was no significant difference in HAMD scores, Fugl-Meyel scores and MBI, serum levels of BDNF and VEGF between two groups. After treatment of 4 weeks, the HAMD scores in two groups were significantly reduced as compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), and those in observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.01); The Full-Meyel scores and MBI, serum levels of BDNF and VEGF in two groups were significantly increased as compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and those in observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). HAMD scores were negatively correlated with BD-NF (r=-0.571, P=0.000) and VEGF (r=-0.551, P=0.000). Conclusion： Acupuncture can improve the depression of PSD patients, and improve the patient's motor function and daily life function, which may be related to the increase in serum BDNF and VEGF levels. |
