The effect of acupuncture on working memory and anxiety
Jason Bussell
Illinois Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, USA
: J Regen Med
Abstract
Background: Anxiety has been shown to impair working memory and test performance; and acupuncture has been shown to reduce anxiety.
Objective: To investigate whether acupuncture can improve memory and reduce anxiety. Design, Setting and Subjects: A two-group, randomized, single-blind study of 90 undergraduate university students.
Interventions: Subjects completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) form Y-1 (State Anxiety, SA) and Y-2 (Trait Anxiety, TA). Each subject then laid on a treatment table for 20 minutes. Acupuncture group had needles inserted into select acupoints; Control subjects had points touched and swabbed, but no needles were inserted. Subjects then completed the STAI form Y-1 again. Then subjects completed the Automated Operation Span Task (AOSPAN) - a computerized test of working memory.
Main outcome measures: AOSPAN and STAI scores.
Results: Acupuncture group scored 9.5% higher than Control on the AOSPAN Total Correct Score (65.39 vs. 59.90 p=0.0134), and committed 36% fewer math errors (2.68 vs. 4.22, p=0.0153). Acupuncture subjects also reported lower SA after intervention than Control (26.14 vs. 29.63, p=0.0146).
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