Alzheimer's disease(AD)

also called senile dementia

is a neurodegenerative disease

characterized by progressive memory and cognitive impairment and different degrees of behavior-mental dysfunction. Clinical trials displayed that acupuncture therapy is effective in relieving symptoms of AD patients. In recent years

many experimental studies have been conducted in SAMP8 mice to explore the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in improving AD. Results showed that acupuncture therapy can intervene the central pathological process of AD in multiple approaches

including reducing formation of cerebral β amyloid protein and promoting its removal

intervening the phosphorylation process of Tau protein

improving mitochondrial and synaptic structure

enhancing autophagy activity

accelerating cerebral blood flow

and increasing the levels of estrogen content

and improving the learning and memory ability

etc.