Research published in Psychological Science (September 1998;9(5):397–401) examined the effects of acupuncture on depressive symptoms. This small study involved 38 women between the ages of 18 and 45 who were diagnosed with depression.
Participants were divided into three groups. One group received acupuncture targeted specifically for depression, a second group received non-specific acupuncture treatment, and a third group was placed on a waiting list. After eight weeks, the waiting-list group also received the specific acupuncture treatment. Women who received the targeted acupuncture showed significantly greater improvement in depressive symptoms than those receiving non-specific acupuncture.
Additional support for this approach comes from a randomized, placebo-controlled study published in Acupuncture Medicine (2005;23(3):103–111). This trial included 30 individuals with mild to moderate depression. Participants were assigned to receive either laser acupuncture or a sham treatment. Treatments were administered twice weekly for the first eight weeks and once weekly for the following eight weeks.
Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory. Participants receiving laser acupuncture showed significantly greater improvement than those in the control group, with an average reduction of 16.1 points compared with a 6.8-point reduction in the sham-treatment group.
Together, these studies suggest that acupuncture-based interventions may influence depressive symptoms beyond non-specific or placebo effects. While limited by small sample sizes, the findings support further investigation into acupuncture as an adjunctive approach for depression.
