Objective To compare the therapeutic effects of different acupuncture methods in improving the myodynamia and neuronfunction of patients with acute cerebral infarction(ACI).Methods A total of 90 ACI patients were randomized into ear-acupuncture

scalp-acupuncture and body-acupuncture groups

with 30 cases in each.For patients of ear-acupuncture group

the main otopoints used for penetrative needling were Zhen(MA-AT)-Nie(MA-AT)-E(MA-AT) on the affected side in combination with Jian(MA-SF 4)-Suogu(MA-SF 5) and Zhou(MA-SF 3)-Wan(MA-SF 2)-Zhi(MA-SF 1) for upper-limb paralysis

and with Tun(MA-AH 5)-Zuogushenjing(MA-AH 6)

Kuan(MA-AH 4)-Xi(MA-AH 3)

and Xi(MA-AH 3)-Huai(MA-AH 2)-Zhi(MA-AH 1) for lo-wer-limb paralysis

and body acupoints as Jianyu(LI 15)

Hegu(LI 4)

Huantiao(GB 30)

Taixi(KI 3)

etc.For patients of scalp-acupuncture group

scalp-points used were Dingnie Qianxiexian(MS 6) and Dingnie Houxiexian(MS 7) on the healthy side

and combined with body acupoints(the same as those mentioned above).For patients of body-acupuncture group

only body acupoints were used.The treatment was given once daily for 14 days.Results Comparison among 3 groups showed that the increased myodynamia of both upper and lower limbs in ear-acupuncture and scalp-acupuncture groups was significantly superior to that of body-acupuncture group(P<0.01).The neurofunctional deficit scores of ear-acupuncture and scalp-acupuncture groups were significantly lower than that of body-acupuncture group(P<0.01) after the treatment.In comparison with pre-acupuncture

the neurofunctional deficit scores of the 3 groups lessened considerably after the treatment(P<0.01).Of the 30 cases in each of ear-acupuncture

scalp-acupuncture and body-acupuncture groups

0

1 and 0 were cured basically

21

18 and 4 experienced marked improvement

9

11 and 20 were improved

0

0 and 6 failed

respectively.The therapeutic effects of ear-acupuncture and scalp-acupuncture were obviously superior to that of body-acupuncture group(P<0.01).No significant differences were found between ear-acupuncture and scalp-acupuncture groups in myodynamia improvement

neurofunctional deficit scores and clinical curative effect(P>0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture can effectively improve ACI patients' clinical symptoms and the therapeutic effect of ear-acupuncture and scalp-acupuncture was superior to that of simple body acupuncture.