[Effects of needling in Baihui (DU20), Shuigou (DU26) and Shenmen (HT7) on glucose metabolism in the lentiform nucleus in patients with vascular dementia].

Objective: To observe the effect of needling in Baihui (DU20), Shuigou (DU26) and Shenmen (HT7) on glucose metabolism in the lentiform nucleus in patients with vascular dementia.
Methods: Ten patients with vascular dementia were randomized equally into control group to receive the treatment of needling in the routine acupoints for hemiplegia (chosen from 6 Yang meridians of hand and foot) and treatment group with needling in 3 additional acupoints of Baihui (DU20), Shuigou (DU26) and Shenmen (HT7) for dementia. All the patients were examined by positron emission tomography (PET) to detect glucose metabolism in the bilateral lentiform nuclei before and after treatment.
Results: Glucose metabolism in the lentiform nucleus in normal lateral brain was obviously enhanced in the treatment group, but not in the bilateral lentiform nuclei in the control group after treatment.
Conclusion: The effect of needling in Baihui (DU20), Shuigou (DU26) and Shenmen (HT7) for treatment of vascular dementia may involve the enhancement of glucose metabolism in the lentiform nucleus.