Acupuncture for the treatment of major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Over 50% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) either do not tolerate or do not respond to antidepressant medications. Several preliminary studies have shown the benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of depression. We sought to determine whether a 2-point electroacupuncture protocol (verum acupuncture) would be beneficial for MDD, in comparison to needling at nonchannel scalp points with sham electrostimulation (control acupuncture).

Method

Fifty-three subjects aged 18-80 years, recruited via advertisement or referral, were included in the primary analysis of our randomized controlled trial, which was conducted from March 2004 through May 2007 at UPMC Shadyside, Center for Complementary Medicine, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Inclusion criteria were m

SUBMITTER: Andreescu C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10536993 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature