Acupuncture Intervention in Subacute Mild Traumatic Brain Injury With Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Project Background: Acupuncture has been shown in other settings to alleviate symptoms of TBI that are reported to be precursors of post-concussion symptom, including affective (depression, anxiety) and somatic (headache, sleep difficulties) complaints. Evidence suggests that the increased intensity of these symptoms, particularly greater affective distress and injury-associated pain, increases vulnerability to neurodegenerative disease and PTSD. By treating post-TBI symptoms with acupuncture, these predisposing conditions will improve, and, as a result, the incidence of PCS in this patient population will be reduced.

Research plan: The overarching focus of this study is the use of acupuncture treatment, targeted to symptoms of mild TBI. The investigators propose a randomized, sham procedure and usual care-controlled clinical trial of acupuncture beginning at acute phase following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants meeting eligibility requirements will be randomized to 1 of 3 groups: verum acupuncture, sham acupuncture or waiting-list control. Acupuncture treatments will continue for one month, at which point all participants will be assessed for presence of mild TBI symptoms. Participants will be evaluated again after one-month acupuncture treatment and follow-up post-hospital discharge. The investigators hypothesize that true acupuncture will be more effective than sham acupuncture in reducing these outcomes at after treatment and follow-up stage. Patients were also scanned by 3T MRI scanner at baseline, one-month (after acupuncture treatment).