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Hemiplegia — weakness or paralysis on one side of the body — is a frequent and disabling consequence of ischemic stroke. Recovery depends partly on the brain’s ability to reorganise its networks, a process known as neuroplasticity. Acupuncture has shown promise in supporting motor rehabilitation, but the underlying brain mechanisms have been poorly understood.
This randomised controlled trial assigned stroke patients in a 2:1 ratio to receive either true acupoint or sham acupoint treatment over two weeks. Researchers used multimodal MRI to measure changes in cortical grey matter volume and the dynamics of functional brain networks. Motor and neurological outcomes were tracked using standard clinical scales including the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Brunnstrom Scale, and the NIH Stroke Scale.
Patients in both groups showed improvements on some clinical measures, but only the true acupoint group demonstrated significant gains on the Brunnstrom Scale, which specifically assesses motor recovery stages. Brain imaging revealed that true acupoint — but not sham acupoint — reduced instability within the default mode network and increased grey matter volume across multiple regions involved in sensorimotor processing and cognitive-motor control. Several of these structural changes correlated with better motor outcomes. No comparable neuroimaging changes were detected in the sham group.
Conclusion: This trial provides neuroimaging evidence suggesting that acupuncture at true acupoints may promote measurable brain plasticity associated with improved motor recovery after ischemic stroke, though larger and longer studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Source: Yu X, Zhao N, Liu Y and colleagues. CNS neuroscience & therapeutics (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 42231817) · doi:10.1002/cns.70955