Electro-acupuncture boosts Prozac

By Shelby D Burns, Tue, June 19, 2012

Electro acupuncture has long been used to provide effective treatment of refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), major depressive disorder, post-stroke depression and depression-related insomnia. Now, research shows that electro acupuncture when used with fluoxetine (brand name Prozac) may enhance its effectiveness and increase the therapeutic effect of the drug.

DCEAS should be used in early phase of SSRI treatment

Researchers conducted the study to see if a specific type of electro-acupuncture called DCEAS (dense cranial electro-acupuncture stimulation) would enhance antidepressant effects during the early phase of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment specifically for major depressive disorder.

Volunteer patients who suffered from depression were given nine treatments along with a prescription for fluoxetine. Fluoxetine (Prozac®) was chosen because it is a widely prescribed and popular SSRI for the treatment of major depression. The results were compared to a group who received a non-invasive approximation of electro-acupuncture or sham acupuncture plus fluoxetine.

A safe and effective way to augment pharmaceutical therapy

The electro-acupuncture stimulation did indeed increase the effectiveness of the popular anti-depressant. Researchers noted that electro-acupuncture “is a safe and effective intervention that augments the antidepressant efficacy. It can be considered as an additional therapy in the early phase of SSRI treatment of depressed patients,” in their report published in PLoS One.

Electro-acupuncture was administered three times per week along with the drugs for a period of three weeks. The treatment is known for its rapid effect in alleviating depressive symptoms in both clinician-rated and self-rated measures of depression.

Talk to your doctor if you think electro-acupuncture could enhance your current treatment for moderate to severe depression.

Source: PLoS One, PsychCentral

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