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This pilot randomised controlled trial investigated whether electroacupuncture directed at neuropsychiatric-specific acupoints could ease the cluster of co-occurring symptoms — including cognitive impairment, fatigue, insomnia, and psychological distress — commonly reported by breast cancer survivors. Thirty-five participants were randomly assigned to receive ten weekly sessions of either neuropsychiatric-specific electroacupuncture or a sham comparator targeting non-neuropsychiatric acupoints, with 30 participants completing all sessions.
Participants receiving neuropsychiatric-specific electroacupuncture showed statistically significant improvements in attention and psychological distress at two follow-up time points. A greater proportion of these participants were classified as responders for objective cognition (approximately 43% versus 13%) and distress (50% versus 38%) compared with the sham group. Neuroimaging data revealed that neuropsychiatric-specific electroacupuncture was associated with increased grey matter volume, which positively correlated with better attention performance. Changes in brain network connectivity — particularly within the default mode network and the dorsal attention network — were linked to improvements in memory and response speed respectively. All recorded adverse events were mild to moderate in severity.
The authors acknowledge the small sample size as a limitation and call for larger, multicentre trials to validate these promising preliminary findings.
Conclusion: This pilot trial provides encouraging early evidence that electroacupuncture targeting neuropsychiatric-specific acupoints may meaningfully improve cognitive function and psychological distress in breast cancer survivors, supported by measurable changes in brain structure and connectivity.
Source: Ng DQ, Heshmatipour M, Trudeau J and colleagues. Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 41926740) · doi:10.1093/jnci/djag096
