Observations on the Efficacy of Electroacupuncture at Baihui and Yintang as Main Treatment for Depression

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture with electroacupuncture plus medication in treating depression.Methods Seventy-one patients with mild or moderate depression meeting the diagnostic criteria were randomly allocated to an electroacupuncture group of 24 cases,a medication group of 22 cases and an acupuncture plus medication group of 25 cases.The electroacupuncture group were treated mainly with electroacupuncture at Baihui and Yintang,the medication group,by oral administration of Prozac and the acupuncture plus medication group,with electroacupuncture plus medicine.HAMD score reduction rate was used for therapeutic evaluation.Changes in the HAMD total score and 7 factor scores,and the SDS total score were examined.Results The total efficacy rate was higher in the acupuncture plus medication group than in the electroacupuncture group(P0.05) and in the medication group(P0.01).There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the HAMD total score,anxiety/somatization and dyssomnia between the electroacupuncture group or the acupuncture plus medication group and the medication group(P0.01 or P0.05).The SDS total score decreased more in the acupuncture plus medication group than in the medication group(P0.01).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at Baihui and Yintang as main treatment has clinically a marked effect on depression.Electroacupuncture plus medication has an even better therapeutic effect.