Abstract
Objective This study aimed to investigate how acupuncture influences emotional reactivity in young individuals reporting depressive symptoms. Methods A modified oddball paradigm incorporating a negative emotional valence deviant, combined with electroencephalogram (EEG) event-related potential (ERP) analysis, was used to measure emotional reactivity before and after intervention. Seventy individuals exhibiting depressive symptoms in the previous two weeks, though not clinically diagnosed, were randomly assigned to either a verum or sham acupuncture group. EEG data from fifty-nine participants were analyzed following preprocessing and quality assessment. Occipital P1, N170, frontal N1, N2 and parietal P3 components were extracted for further analysis. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) was completed after each oddball paradigm session. The Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Scale (MASS) was completed after each intervention session, and the MASS Index was calculated. Results The MASS Index was significantly higher in the verum group compared to the sham group. However, significant increases in occipital P1, N170, frontal N1, N2 and parietal P3 amplitudes for high-negative, mild-negative, and neutral pictures were observed after the intervention in both the verum and sham groups, with no significant difference between the groups. Additionally, both verum and sham acupuncture induced PANAS changes, and positive affect changes were significantly correlated with N170 and P1 (in response to high-negative pictures) changes in the sham group. Conclusion Acupuncture altered emotional reactivity in youth with depressive symptoms, highlighting its potential role, albeit possibly non-specific, in depression prevention and treatment.
Authors
Qian Wu , Dehui Lin , Xiuyun Wen , Shanze Wang , Derek Fisher , Wenbin Fu , Jiajin Yuan
https://doi.org/10.1093/psyrad/kkaf006