Acupuncture is widely used in the treatment of ischemic diseases of the central nervous system in different clinical stages and has achieved a good clinical effect.The current research showed that acupuncture can improve cerebral blood flow perfusion via increasing blood flow volume

blood flow velocity

the levels of vasomotor substances and reduction of blood viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation index.In recent years

many studies focused on the pathophysiological mechanism of acupuncture in improving cerebral ischemia via triggering the cholinergic vasodilatation

up-regulation of expression of vascular-related proteins and genes

attenuation of inflammatory reaction

etc.Currently

the methods for evaluating the effect of acupuncture are mostly noninvasive functional magnetic resonance imaging in healthy subjects.Future studies should include united selection of acupoints and acupuncture needle manipulations

more reasonable combination of different acupoints

united outcome evaluative standards

better repeatability

employment of big data

etc.