Acupuncture, as a cornerstone therapeutic modality within traditional Chinese medicine, has long attracted scholarly attention regarding the scientific elucidation of its mechanisms of action. With continuous advancements in research technologies within the field of brain science, a theoretical framework of acupuncture neuroscience has progressively taken shape and evolved, bridging the gap between empirical medical practices in traditional acupuncture and evidence-based research in modern neuroscience. Current studies, employing advanced methodologies such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and neuromodulation techniques, have gradually uncovered its neurobiological mechanisms. These investigations demonstrate that acupuncture can modulate cerebral functional activity and promote neural network reorganization and activation, thereby providing a physiological basis for its therapeutic effects. In light of the challenges facing the development of acupuncture neuroscience—including the high complexity of its mechanisms, multi-target integrative characteristics, as well as the need for standardized research paradigms and evaluation criteria—this analysis aims to systematically synthesize multidisciplinary evidence, clarify key scientific questions, and propose research pathways to advance the field toward more standardized and precise approaches.

As a crucial intervention for stroke rehabilitation, acupuncture therapy has demonstrated definite efficacy and been widely used in clinical practice. However, its specific mechanisms in brain protection remain imcompletely elucidated, which limits the standardization and popularization of acupuncture therapy. In recent years, the rapid advancement of neuroimaging technologies has provided a new visualized perspective for deciphering the mechanisms underlying acupuncture-induced post-stroke brain protection, gradually revealing its multi-dimensional regulatory effects on brain networks, metabolism, and structure. Based on studies of acupuncture in stroke using multimodal neuroimaging techniques, this article summarizes key findings regarding acupuncture's roles in regulating cerebral metabolism, promoting structural remodeling of white matter and gray matter, and optimizing cerebral functional reorganization. It clarifies that acupuncture exerts neuroprotective effects through multiple mechanisms such as cross-network regulation, metabolic modulation, and structural remodeling. Additionally,the article points out the challenges faced in current research in terms of methodology, technology, mechanism, and translation, as well as proposes potential future directions. The aim is to provide references for the modern application of acupuncture in stroke treatment.

Stroke is one of a leading global cause of disability and mortality, with approximately one-third of survivors experiencing residual aphasia. Acupuncture therapy has shown unique advantages in improving such language function dysfunction. Its pathophysiological mechanisms involve the dual effects of structural and functional brain damage and neuroinflammatory responses.The introduction of multi-omics technologies provides a systematic research tool for mechanism studies: proteomics can identify key differential proteins in neural remodeling, metabolomics can regulate the body's metabolic network, and multimodal neuroimaging omics can reveal the regulatory effects of acupuncture on brain function from multiple dimensions. Future research should focus on three directions: conducting multi-center clinical trials to verify the stability of therapeutic effects; deeply integrating multi-omics data with artificial intelligence to construct mechanism prediction models; and developing biomarker-based personalized treatments and multi-therapy synergistic schemes to promote clinical translation and application.

Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease in clinical practice. The pathogenesis of hypertension is relatively complex and remains under ongoing research. Currently, the medical community's understanding of the mechanisms underlying acupuncture treatment for hypertension is not yet fully understood. As a remarkably effective clinical auxiliary therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture is more readily accepted by the general public due to its characteristic of causing no significant adverse reactions. Therefore, elucidating the therapeutic mechanisms of acupuncture for hypertension is of great significance for guiding clinical practice. The mechanisms of acupuncture in treating hypertension encompass multiple aspects, including ameliorating vascular endothelial remodeling, regulating the central nervous system and neuroendocrine system, improving oxidative stress responses, modulating the expression of vascular endothelial-related genes, and preventing target organ damage. Thus, this article aims to review and analyze the mechanisms of acupuncture in treating hypertension, further clarify the current research progress in acupuncture therapy for hypertension, and provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of acupuncture in hypertension treatment.

As one of the external therapies in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), umbilical therapy possesses the effects of stimulating meridian qi, dredging meridians, and regulating primordial qi (yuan qi) as well as the functions of zang-fu organs. Professor Gao Shuzhong has developed the “Four Passes Theory” (Si Guan Li Lun), emphasizing the importance of the “umbilical pass” (Qi Guan). He proposed specific acupoints with both diagnostic and therapeutic functions, including Umbilical Heart Point (Qi Xin Xue), Umbilical Kidney Point (Qi Shen Xue), Umbilical Liver Point (Qi Gan Xue), Umbilical Lung Point (Qi Fei Xue), and Umbilical Stomach Point (Qi Wei Xue). Professor Gao has fully explored the characteristics of externally applied TCM herbs, constructed a framework for medication in umbilical therapy, and created the “Gao-style Umbilical Moxibustion Prescriptions”—exquisitely formulated recipes that achieve complex therapeutic effects through simple approaches.​In clinical practice, Professor Gao mainly adopts the “herb-separated umbilical moxibustion” technique, with key operational points including appropriate size of moxa cones, proper dosage of herbal powder filled into the umbilicus, and moderate duration of moxibustion. Additionally, he flexibly applies other umbilical therapy methods such as umbilical acupuncture, umbilical application (tapping), and umbilical massage. Umbilical therapy has shown favorable clinical efficacy in preventing and treating various diseases, making it worthy of promotion.

To systematically evaluate the efficacy of pure acupuncture in the treatment of essential hypertension.

Databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, VIP Chinese Journal Service Platform, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed), PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on pure acupuncture for essential hypertension, from database establishment to February 29th of 2024. After data extraction and bias risk assessment of the included studies, Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software.

A total of 19 RCTs involving 1738 patients were included. The Meta-analysis results showed that: compared with Western medicine, acupuncture was superior in improving the effective rate of blood pressure reduction ［RR=1.10, 95%CI (1.01, 1.20), P=0.03］, reducing patients' systolic blood pressure ［MD=-5.55, 95%CI (-9.85, -1.25), P=0.01］ and diastolic blood pressure ［MD=-5.27, 95%CI (-8.74, -1.80), P=0.003］； compared with sham acupuncture, acupuncture was superior in reducing patients' diastolic blood pressure ［MD=-2.11, 95%CI (-3.95, -0.26), P=0.03］, but there was no statistically significant difference in reducing systolic blood pressure between acupuncture and sham acupuncture ［MD=-3.52, 95%CI (-10.57, 3.54), P=0.33］; the incidence of adverse reactions in the acupuncture group was lower than that in the control group ［RR=0.19, 95%CI (0.08, 0.42), P<0.001］.

Pure acupuncture can effectively reduce patients' systolic and diastolic blood pressure, improve the effective rate of blood pressure reduction, with fewer adverse reactions. However, limited by the quantity and quality of included studies, the above conclusions need to be verified by more researches.

To analyze the acupoint selection rules of acupuncture and moxibustion for post-stroke urinary retention (PSUR) based on data mining technology.

Databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database, VIP Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, Chinese Biomedical Database (SinoMed), and English databases PubMed and Web of Science were searched for literatures on acupuncture for PSUR from database establishment to June 20, 2023. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, effective information was extracted to establish a database. Descriptive analysis was conducted on the selected acupoints, meridian affiliations, and specific points; SPSS Modeler 18.0 software was used for association rule analysis of acupoints; Cytoscape 3.9.1 software was used to draw complex network diagrams; SPSS Statistics 26.0 software was used for cluster analysis and dendrogram drawing of high-frequency acupoints.

A total of 79 articles were included, involving 88 acupuncture and moxibustion prescriptions and 113 acupoints with a total frequency of 563. The top 5 acupoints in terms of usage frequency were Guanyuan(CV 4), Zhongji(CV 3), Qihai(CV 6), Sanyinjiao(SP 6) and Baihui(GV 20) . Most selected acupoints belonged to the Ren meridian(Cnception Vessel) and Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang. Among specific acupoints, Front-Mu points, Five-Shu points, and Back-shu points were used more frequently. Association rules showed that Guanyuan (CV 4)-Zhongji (CV 3)-Qihai (CV 6)-Sanyinjiao (SP 6)-Baihui (GV 20) was the core acupoint group. Cluster analysis of the top 15 high-frequency acupoints divided them into 3 categories: Category 1 included Shangliao (BL 31), Xialiao (BL 34), Zhongliao (BL 33), Ciliao (BL 32), Shenshu (BL 23), and Pangguangshu (BL 28); Category 2 included Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Qihai (CV 6), Baihui (GV 20), and Shuidao (ST 28); Category 3 included Shenque (CV 8) and Shimen (CV 5).

The core acupoints of acupuncture for PSUR and Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Qihai (CV 6), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and Baihui (GV 20). The therapeutic principles are strengthening the root and replenishing primordial qi, regulating spirit and qi simultaneously, and dredging and benefiting the lower jiao. Acupoints can be selected based on syndrome differentiation in clinical practice.

In 2025, the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societiess (WFCMS) officially released the international organizational standard International Standardized Manipulations of Chinese Medicine: Tiaoshen Yizhi Acupuncture Therapy for Post-Stroke Mild Cognitive Impairment (SCM87-2025) (here after abbreviated as the "Standard"). Guided by Academician Shi Xuemin's academic concept of  "the brain governing spirit and consciousness", the Standard centers on the pathogenesis of "brain marrow depletion with dysfunctional mental faculties", and establishes the treatment principle of "restoring consciousness, tonifying the brain, regulating spirit, and enhancing intelligence". It clarifies the scope of application, composition of acupoints, standardized operational procedures and manual quantitative standards of "Tiaoshen Yizhi" acupuncture therapy. The Standard emphasizes the acupuncture sequence of "first awakening the spirit, then nourishing the spirit", defines the reinforcing and reducing operation spercifications of "Tiaoshen Yizhi" acupuncture aherapy based on acupuncture manual quantitation, and explains relevant precautions and contraindications. Its purpose is to guide clinicians in accurately understand and apply this method standardizedly, and promote the standardized and international application of "Tiaoshen Yizhi" acupuncture therapy in clinical practice.