A multicenter, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial conducted across three tertiary hospitals in China—the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, and Qilu Hospital of Shandong University—found that six weeks of manual acupuncture combined with standard language training significantly improved language function and neurological recovery in adults with post-stroke motor aphasia compared with sham acupuncture.

Post-stroke motor aphasia, also known as Broca’s or expressive aphasia, is a language disorder caused by stroke-related damage to the dominant frontal lobe, typically Broca’s area, resulting in impaired speech production and articulation despite preserved comprehension. It reflects disruption of cortical and subcortical motor-speech networks responsible for fluent verbal expression. In this investigation, the benefits of acupuncture were sustained through the six-month follow-up period after stroke onset, showing greater improvements on both the Western Aphasia Battery Aphasia Quotient (WAB-AQ) and the Chinese Functional Communication Profile (CFCP) in the acupuncture group compared with sham treatment [1].

Interventions were delivered five times per week for six consecutive weeks, with each session lasting thirty minutes and a needle retention time of the same duration. Disposable sterile Hwato brand needles (Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory) sized 0.25 × 40 mm and 0.25 × 75 mm were used [2].

The acupuncture protocol included GV26 (Shuigou) with a 5–10 mm insertion using a pecking technique for six to nine seconds to elicit strong stimulation producing a deep aching or throbbing sensation. PC6 (Neiguan) was needled 5–10 mm with twisting manipulation, counterclockwise on the left and clockwise on the right, employing a light insertion and heavy lift technique for one minute, producing numbness radiating along the forearm. BL40 (Weizhong) was inserted 25–35 mm with a light insertion and heavy lift technique to generate three visible leg twitches on the affected side. CV23 (Lianquan) was needled to a depth of 55 mm with light insertion and heavy lift, producing numbness radiating to the tongue, and the bilateral point beside CV23 (Panglianquan, 0.5 cun lateral) was similarly manipulated to evoke the same response. HT1 (Jiquan) was inserted 25–35 mm with light insertion and heavy lift to elicit three arm twitches on the affected side, while LU5 (Chize) used the same technique and depth to produce outward rotation and three twitches of the affected hand. SP6 (Sanyinjiao) was needled to 25–35 mm with heavy insertion and light lift to generate three twitches of the affected leg [2].

The sham control used nearby non-acupoint locations with superficial insertion of approximately 0.2 cun and no manual manipulation. All participants also received conventional language training and standard post-stroke medical care as part of the protocol [1]. Language recovery outcomes favored the acupuncture group, with marked improvements in spontaneous speech, auditory comprehension, repetition, and naming scores. Functional communication and quality of life measures also showed greater enhancement, including gains in communication and psychological domains on both the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) and Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life–39 (SAQOL-39) instruments. Neurological status, as measured by the NIH Stroke Scale, improved more substantially in the acupuncture group compared with sham [1].

Adverse events were infrequent and mild, occurring in approximately 2.6 percent of patients in each group. Reported reactions included transient aural vertigo, mild post-needling soreness, and small subcutaneous hematomas at CV23 or SP6, with no serious events reported [2]. Objective outcomes in this randomized controlled trial were based on standardized neurological and language assessments. No neuroimaging, cytokine, or serum biomarker analyses were included, so conclusions are limited to validated functional measures within the study timeframe [1].

Thirty sessions administered over six weeks produced lasting improvements that were still evident at six months after treatment. The protocol emphasized specific manual manipulations, elicitation of defined deqi sensations, and motor responses at both scalp and limb acupoints [2].

In adults with post-stroke motor aphasia, manual acupuncture combined with language training—employing defined point selection, manipulation technique, and treatment frequency—resulted in significant, durable improvements in language ability and neurological recovery compared with sham intervention. The clearly detailed procedures described in this multicenter trial provide a reproducible model for clinical application, demonstrating a favorable safety profile comparable to control treatment [1, 2].

Source:
[1] Li, B., S. Deng, B. Zhuo, et al. “Effect of Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture on Patients With Poststroke Motor Aphasia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.” JAMA Network Open 7, no. 1 (January 22, 2024): e2352580.

[2] Li, B., S. Deng, B. Zhuo, et al. “Supplemental Online Content: Acupuncture Operation and Intervention Details.” In Effect of Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture on Patients With Poststroke Motor Aphasia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA Network Open 7, no. 1 (2024). PDF: “eTable 2 & eTable 3.”