Skip to main content
. 2023 Jul 11;9(7):e18157. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18157

Table 1.

Summary of the included studies and the detail of intervention and measurement, LOTCA = The Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognition Assessment, FMA = The Fugl-Meyer assessment, It-NIHSS = the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, FIM = the Functional Independence Measure, MMSE = Mini–mental state examination, MoCA = Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MBI = Modified Barthel Index, TMT = Trail Making Test, T2B = Test des Deux Barrages,EQ-5D = EuroQol Questionna.

Author Participants Intervention (follow up) Control/comparison Outcome measures Results
Du et al., 2018 [16]

  • N = 60

  • Age range: 18–70

 Scalp acupuncture for 12 weeks, kept for 30 min, once per day and 5 days per week. (n = 30)

  • Conventional treatment, once per 40 min, once per day, and 5 days per week), including routine medical treatments and rehabilitation treatment (n = 30)

  • Measured at baseline and at the end of treatment

  • Cognitive function assessment: LOTCA

  • Cognitive function assessment: LOTCA scores for 2 groups after treatment all significantly increase and the improvement were more obvious compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05).The scores of LOTCA subitems in both groups were higher than those before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In the 3 aspects of orientation, visual motor organization and thinking operation, the treatment group scores were higher than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In terms of perception and attention, there was no statistical difference between the 2 groups (P > 0.05).
Huang et al., 2015 [17]

  • N = 60

  • Age range: 18–80

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training and acupuncture (n = 20), once per 30 min, once per day, and 5 days per week for 4 weeks

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 20), once per 30 min, once per day, and 5 days per week for 4 weeks

 Measured at baseline and at the end of treatment neuropsychological: The Test for Attentional Performance (TAP)、Trail Making Test (TMT)、Test des Deux Barrages (T2B)、National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIH-SS)

  • daily activities: MBI

  • health outcome: EuroQol Questionnaire (EQ-5D)
Hyeng Kyu Park et al., 2016 [18]

  • N = 45

  • Age range: 20–90

 Electro acupuncture therapy and computerized cognitive rehabilitation during the period of CCRT (n = 15)

  • once per day, and 3 days per week for 8 weeks)

 Computerized cognitive rehabilitation treatment (CCRT) (n = 15) (once per day, and 3days per week for 8 weeks)

  • Measured before intervention, at the end of intervention, 8 weeks after the first intervention, and 4 weeks after completion of the intervention

  • Cognitive function assessment: LOTCA

  • Daily activities: MBI

  • Quality of Life: EQ-5D-3L
Xiong et al., 2020 [19]

  • N = 70

  • Age range: 30–80

  • Scalp acupuncture and cognitive training (n = 35)

  • 3∼4 h per day, six days per week for 8 weeks

 Sham scalp acupuncture and cognitive training (n = 35)
  • 2

    per day for 12 weeks

  • Measured before and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MMSE, LOTCA

  • Daily activities: MBI

  • Motor function: FMA

  • Cognitive function:

  • MMSE: Significant improvements were found in both the experimental group and control group following the 12-week treatment (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups following treatment (p > 0.05).

  • LOTCA: the total LOTCA scores were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group post-treatment (p < 0.05)

  • Daily activities: the ADL scores in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05)

  • Motor function: the FMA scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05)
Yang et al., 2014 [20]

  • N = 240

  • Age range: 18–75

  • the combination of acupuncture and RehaCom cognitive training (n = 60)

  • 30 min per day, and 5 days per week for 12 weeks

  • Conventional treatment (n = 60)

  • 30 min per day, and 5days per week for 12 weeks

  • Measured at baseline and again at 4, 8 and 12 weeks (within a time window: ±3 days)

  • Neuropsychological: MMSE, MoCA, FIM
Wang et al., 2016 [21]

  • N = 60

  • Age range: ?

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 20)

  • 30 min per day, and 6 days per week for 8 weeks

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 20)

  • 30 min per day, and 6 days per week for 8 weeks

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: LOTCA

  • Motor function: FMA

  • Daily activities: MBI

  • LOTCA: significantly improved of cognitive function score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.01). In the aspects of visual motor organization and thinking operation, the treatment group scores were higher than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01).

  • FMA: significantly improved of motor function score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.01)

  • MBI: significantly improved of daily activities score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.01)
Zhang2 et al., 2020 [22]

  • N = 120

  • Age range: 39-71

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 60)

  • Once per day, and 5 days per week for 8 weeks

  • Scalp acupuncture (n = 60)

  • Once per day, and 5 days per week for 8 weeks

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MMSE, HDS and WAIS

  • Daily activities: BI

  • Quality of Life: SIS

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of MMSE, HDS and WAIS score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05).

  • Daily activities: significantly improved of SIS score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05).
Xing et al., 2017 [23]

  • N = 86

  • Age range: 52-79

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 30)

  • Once per day, and 6 days per week for 8 weeks

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 26)

  • 30 min per day, and 6 days per week for 8 weeks

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: LOTCA

  • Motor function: FMA

  • Daily activities: MBI

  • Quality of Life: EQ-5D-3L

  • Cognitive function: In the aspects of orientation, thinking operation and motor praxis, the treatment group scores were higher than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.005).

  • FMA: significantly improved of motor function score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05)

  • MBI: significantly improved of daily activities score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05)
Wang et al., 2011 [24]

  • N = 60

  • Age range: 35–75

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 20)

  • 6

    days per week for 4 weeks

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 20)

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MMSE

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of MMSE score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.01).
Wang et al., 2018 [25]

  • N = 120

  • Age range: 35–70

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 40)

  • 6

    days per week for 4 weeks

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 40)

  • 6

    days per week for 4 weeks

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MMSE

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of MMSE score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.01).
Lin et al., 2015 [26]

  • N = 40

  • Age range: 38–75

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 20)

  • 30 min per day, 6 days per week for 4 weeks

  • Scalp acupuncture and manual cognitive training (n = 20)

  • 30 min per day, 6 days per week for 4 weeks

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MOCA

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of MMSE score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05).
Han et al., 2014 [27]

  • N = 185

  • Age range: ?

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 62)

  • 30 min once time, 2 times per day, 5 days per week for 6 weeks

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 62)

  • 30min once time, 2 times per day, 5 days per week for 6 weeks

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: LOCTA

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of LOTCA score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05)
Zhang et al., 2020 [28]

  • N = 60

  • Age range: 60–80

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 30)

  • 30 min per day, 5 days per week for 6 weeks

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 30)

  • 30 min per day, 5 days per week for 6 weeks

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MOCA

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of MOCA score both in the intervention group and control group compared with the baseline (P < 0.05).

  • Except of the area of abstract ability, the scores of other areas was significantly improved in intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05).
Hua et al., 2016 [29]

  • N = 100

  • Age range: 48–74

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 50)

  • Once one day, 10 times totally

  • Scalp acupuncture and manual cognitive training (n = 50)

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MMSE

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of MMSE score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05)
Yu et al., 2013 [30]

  • N = 90

  • Age range: 25–77

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 30)

  • 30 min per day, 6 days per week for 2 months

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 30)

  • 30 min per day, 6 days per week for 8 weeks

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: LOTCA

  • Memory: MCY-08-03

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of LOTCA scores and other memory assessments in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05)
Chen et al., 2020 [31]

  • N = 60

  • Age range:?

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 30)

  • 30 min per day, 6 days per week for 8 weeks

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 30)

  • 30 min per day, 6 days per week for 4 weeks

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MOCA

  • Daily activities: MBI

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of MOCA score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05)

  • Daily activities: significantly improved of MBI score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05)
Li et al., 2019 [32]

  • N = 62

  • Age range: 38–77

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 31)

  • 30 min one time, 2 times one day, 5 days per week for 2 months

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 31)

  • 30 min one time, 2 times one day, 5 days per week for 2 months

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MOCA

  • Daily activities: MBI

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of MOCA score in the intervention group compared with control group (t = 2.9, P < 0.05)

  • Daily activities: significantly improved of MBI score in the intervention group compared with control group (t = 2.69, P < 0.05)
Wei et al., 2019 [33]

  • N = 60

  • Age range: 45–75

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 30)

  • 30 min one day, 5 days per week for 6 months

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 30)

  • 30 min one day, 5 days per week for 6 months

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MOCA

  • Neuro function: NHISS

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of MMSE score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05)

  • Neuro function: significantly improved of NHISS score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.001)
Guan et al., 2019 [34]

  • N = 88

  • Age range: 18–80

  • Scalp acupuncture and Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 29)

  • 30 min one day, 6 days per week for one month

  • Computer-assisted cognitive training (n = 30)

  • 30 min one day, 6 days per week for one month

  • Measured at baseline and after treatment

  • Cognitive function: MOCA

  • Cognitive function: significantly improved of MOCA score in the intervention group compared with control group (P < 0.05)