Xie W, Di Z, Shao W, Wang AJ, Guan LH. Basic and clinical research on acupuncture for post-stroke depression: A narrative review. World J Methodol 2026; 16(2): 112371 [DOI: 10.5662/wjm.v16.i2.112371]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Wei Xie, MD, Department of Acupuncture, Quzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 117 Quhua Road, Quzhou 324000, Zhejiang Province, China. weixiegohuk@126.com
Research Domain of This Article
Psychiatry
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Jun 20, 2026 (publication date) through Apr 23, 2026
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Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Methodology
ISSN
2222-0682
Publisher of This Article
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Xie W, Di Z, Shao W, Wang AJ, Guan LH. Basic and clinical research on acupuncture for post-stroke depression: A narrative review. World J Methodol 2026; 16(2): 112371 [DOI: 10.5662/wjm.v16.i2.112371]
Wei Xie, Wei Shao, Ai-Jun Wang, Li-Hua Guan, Department of Acupuncture, Quzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Quzhou 324000, Zhejiang Province, China
Zhong Di, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou 310005, Zhejiang Province, China
Co-first authors: Wei Xie and Zhong Di.
Author contributions: Xie W and Di Z wrote the main manuscript, and were informed of each step of manuscript processing including submission, revision, and revision reminder; Shao W and Wang AJ prepared the data collection; All authors prepared the tables and figures; Guan LH analyzed and interpreted the results; Di Z reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Corresponding author: Wei Xie, MD, Department of Acupuncture, Quzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 117 Quhua Road, Quzhou 324000, Zhejiang Province, China. weixiegohuk@126.com
Received: July 25, 2025 Revised: September 16, 2025 Accepted: November 13, 2025 Published online: June 20, 2026 Processing time: 272 Days and 17.2 Hours
Abstract
Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a common neuropsychiatric complication affecting 20%-65% of stroke survivors, with limited therapeutic options due to the side effects of antidepressants. This narrative review synthesizes recent advances in acupuncture for PSD, highlighting its multi-target mechanisms and clinical applications. Acupuncture regulates neurotransmitters (e.g., 5-hydroxytryptamine, norepinephrine, glutamate), neurotrophic factors (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factor), the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inflammatory cytokines (e.g., interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha), and oxidative stress, while modulating the brain-gut axis and homocysteine levels. Clinically, pure acupuncture, electroacupuncture, scalp/auricular acupuncture, and comprehensive therapies (combined with herbs, moxibustion, music, or rehabilitation) demonstrate efficacy in improving depressive symptoms and daily function. However, research gaps include standardized treatment protocols, mechanistic exploration, and large-scale controlled trials. This review underscores acupuncture’s potential as a safe, multi-modal therapy for PSD and highlights areas for future research.
Core Tip: This narrative review systematically summarizes the current status of basic research and clinical research of acupuncture in the management of post-stroke depression (PSD). It also discusses existing challenges, such as inconsistent research standards and insufficient high-quality evidence, and provides perspectives for future studies, aiming to offer a comprehensive reference for clinical practice and related research on acupuncture for PSD.
