Jou nal o Complemen a y The apies in Heal h
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Jou nal o Complemen a y The apies in Heal h 2025:3(3). doi:10.5281/zenodo.17257364 ins i u op c.com/jou nal-complemen a y- he apies
Re iew
Acupunc u e and E idence-Based T adi ional Chinese
Medicine App oaches o Men al Heal h.
Alexand e Penelas Cons an ino1*, Tânia Ma ins Fe ei a2, E melinda Lei ão1, Paula Sil a1, and E a Viei a2.
1 Independen esea che ;
2 ABS – Heal h Le el, A lân ico Business School, Vila No a de Gaia, Po o, Po ugal;
* Co espondence: a pcons an [email protected]
Abs ac
Backg ound: Men al heal h is a complex opic wi h physical, emo ional, and social implica ions.
T adi ional Chinese Medicine is a he apeu ic op ion o a ious pa hologies, wi h ele an applica-
ions o public heal h.
Objec i e: To analyse he e ec i eness o T adi ional Chinese Medicine (TCM), wi h a ocus on ac-
upunc u e, as a complemen a y he apy o men al heal h.
Me hods: Re iew o he scien i ic li e a u e on he applica ion o T adi ional Chinese Medicine, es-
pecially acupunc u e, based on s udies o sys ema ic e iews wi h me a-analyses.
Resul s: Acupunc u e has demons a ed e ec i eness in he ea men o a ious men al heal h con-
di ions, wi h signi ican imp o emen s obse ed in symp oms o dep ession, schizoph enia, cogni-
i e impai men and insomnia. The combina ion o acupunc u e wi h con en ional ea men s po-
en ia ed he clinical esul s. The mechanisms o ac ion o acupunc u e in ol e he egula ion o
neu o ansmi e s, he modula ion o he hypo halamic-pi ui a y-ad enal (HPA) axis and he p o-
mo ion o neu oplas ici y. O he T adi ional Chinese Medicine echniques, such as Taichi Chuan,
Qigong and he bal medicine, ha e also shown ele an bene i s.
Conclusion: T adi ional Chinese Medicine, wi h a ocus on acupunc u e, ep esen s a p omising
complemen a y app oach o men al heal h, o e ing pe sonalized and e ec i e ea men s. I s in e-
g a ion in o men al heal h ca e can enhance clinical ou comes. Ongoing esea ch is essen ial o
deepen knowledge and op imize he applica ion o hese echniques.
Keywo ds: Men al heal h; Dep ession; Schizoph enia; Pa kinson's Disease; Cogni i e impai men ;
Insomnia; T adi ional Chinese Medicine; Acupunc u e.
1. Men al Heal h
Men al heal h is a b oad domain encompassing cogni i e, emo ional, social, and be-
ha iou al unc ioning 1. Acco ding o he DSM-5 (Diagnos ic and S a is ical Manual o
Men al Diso de s, 5 h edi ion), a men al diso de co esponds o a clinically signi ican
al e a ion o cogni i e p ocesses, emo ional egula ion, o beha iou , e lec ing psycho-
logical, biological, o de elopmen al dys unc ion 2.
Men al heal h p oblems ep esen a signi ican bu den a he indi idual, social, and
economic le els. They a e o en associa ed wi h wo k incapaci y 3, e lec ed bo h in loss
o p oduc i i y and inc eased cos s wi h medical ca e, he apies, and suppo se ices.
In addi ion, hey mani es in physical consequences, such as sleep dis u bances,
ch onic a igue, and wo sening o o he heal h condi ions. These epe cussions also ex-
end o amilies and suppo ne wo ks, who ace conside able emo ional and inancial
bu dens, while he social s igma associa ed wi h men al diso de s may exace ba e exclu-
sion and disc imina ion 4.
Ci a ion: Cons an ino A.P., Fe ei a
T.M., Lei ão E., Sil a P., Viei a E. Ac-
upunc u e and E idence-Based T a-
di ional Chinese Medicine Ap-
p oaches o Men al Heal h. Jou nal
o Complemen a y The apies in
Heal h. 2025;3(3)
10.5281/zenodo.17257364
Academic Edi o : Jo ge Rod igues
Recei ed: 17 July 2025
Re iewed: 17 Augus 2025
Re ised: 27 Augus 2025
Re ised: 29 Sep embe 2025
Accep ed: 1 Oc obe 2025
Published: 3 Oc obe 2025
Publishe ’s No e: IPTC s ays neu al
conce ning ju isdic ional claims in
published maps and ins i u ional a -
ilia ions.
Copy igh : ©2025 by he au ho s.
Submi ed o open access publica-
ion unde he e ms and condi ions
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(CC BY) license (h ps://c ea i ecom-
mons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/).
Jou nal o Complemen a y The apies in Heal h 2025: 3(3). 2 o 18
Cons an ino A.P., Fe ei a T.M., Lei ão E., Sil a P., Viei a E.
Acupunc u e and E idence-Based T adi ional Chinese Medicine App oaches o Men al Heal h. doi:10.5281/zenodo.17257364
Men al diso de s a e also among he main di ec and indi ec causes o hospi aliza-
ion 5-7, and acco ding o Ga cia-Ceja e al. 4, he de ici in access o ea men emains a
global p oblem, bo h in de eloped and de eloping coun ies. Con ibu ing ac o s include
he sho age o quali ied p o essionals, he high cos o ea men s, and he insu iciency
o quali y men al heal h se ices. In many cases, people wi h men al diso de s end up
seeking eme gency se ices o being hospi alized due o acu e c ises o heal h complica-
ions.
Se e al ac o s in luence men al heal h, in e ac ing wi h one ano he and placing
men al diso de s on a spec um ha in eg a es bo h biological and psychosocial compo-
nen s 8.
The ela ionship be ween men al heal h and physiological pa ame e s has been doc-
umen ed: ele a ed in lamma o y le els a e associa ed wi h dep essi e symp oms, pla ele
dis ibu ion wid h may ep esen a isk ma ke , and he neu ophil- o-lymphocy e a io
nega i ely co ela es wi h psychological well-being 9.
This in e dependence helps explain he high como bidi y be ween men al diso de s
and ca dio ascula , oncological, and me abolic diseases 10-13.
Despi e his complexi y, isk ac o s o men al heal h can be g ouped in o h ee ma-
jo ca ego ies: biological, psychological, and social 14.
Among biological ac o s, physical heal h and clinical condi ions s and ou , o en as-
socia ed wi h anxie y, dep ession 15-18, and inc eased isk o suicide19. Sleep diso de s ep-
esen an addi ional physiological ulne abili y 20,21, and gene ic ac o s play a signi ican
ole in his domain 22,23.
Rega ding psychological ac o s, se e al can be iden i ied, namely pe sonali y ai s,
sel -es eem, coping mechanisms, and li e expe iences 14,24,25. Pa ien s wi h ea men - e-
sis an dep ession end o p esen pe sonali y ai s o high ha m a oidance and low e-
wa d-seeking, which may hinde eco e y 26. Likewise, O h e al. 27 indica e ha low sel -
es eem is associa ed wi h an inc eased isk o dep ession h oughou adul hood. Simi-
la ly, c ises such as na u al disas e s and nuclea acciden s ha e demons a ed a subs an-
ial impac on he psychological su e ing o popula ions, likely in ensi ied by he pe cep-
ion o isk 28.
As o social ac o s, hese include social suppo , in e pe sonal ela ionships, wo k
con ex , socioeconomic condi ions, and cul u e 24,29,30. A longi udinal s udy wi h La ino
you h in he USA showed ha leng h o s ay in he USA was associa ed wi h ce ain chal-
lenges and school engagemen , while pa en al in ol emen in Ame ican cul u e appea ed
p o ec i e agains social and beha iou al p oblems. In e es ingly, adolescen s’ in ol e-
men wi h hei cul u e o o igin p o ed bene icial o sel -es eem and was associa ed wi h
less hopelessness and agg ession o e ime 31.
Romi o e al. 32 also indica e ha pas and p esen expe iences o physical iolence o
ela ional abuse a e s ongly ela ed o wo se men al heal h ou comes.
In his scena io, he explo a ion o complemen a y in e en ions has gained ele-
ance, o e ing new pe spec i es o men al heal h p omo ion. Among hese, TCM, pa -
icula ly acupunc u e, s ands ou , whose in eg a ion wi h con en ional ea men s may
con ibu e o mo e holis ic, pe sonalized, and po en ially e ec i e app oaches.
1.1. Mos Common Men al Diso de s
Men al heal h, unde s ood as a s a e o well-being in which he indi idual ecognizes
and de elops hei abili ies, copes wi h daily s ess, wo ks p oduc i ely, and con ibu es
o hei communi y, is undamen al o indi idual and social unc ioning 33. Howe e ,
men al diso de s, cha ac e ized by al e a ions in hinking, mood, and/o beha iou , a e
p e alen and ha e a subs an ial pe sonal, amilial, and social impac .
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Acupunc u e and E idence-Based T adi ional Chinese Medicine App oaches o Men al Heal h. doi:10.5281/zenodo.17257364
Dep ession
I is one o he mos equen diso de s, cha ac e ized by pe sis en ly dep essed
mood, anhedonia, changes in sleep and appe i e, a igue, eelings o guil o wo hless-
ness, concen a ion de ici s, and, in se e e cases, suicidal idea ion 34. Epidemiological
s udies demons a e high li e ime p e alence 35,36. I s impac is as , e lec ed in educed
quali y o li e, inc eased isk o physical como bidi ies, and p ema u e mo ali y. I com-
p omises he abili y o main ain heal hy in e pe sonal ela ionships, a ec ing amily li e,
iendships, and ma i al s abili y. I is also associa ed wi h wo k absen eeism, educed
p oduc i i y, and inc eased heal hca e cos s 37,38.
Anxie y Diso de s
The p e alence o anxie y diso de s a e high 39-41, wi h epe cussions on in e pe -
sonal ela ionships, academic and wo k pe o mance, and an inc eased isk o o he men-
al and physical diso de s 42. They include gene alized anxie y diso de , panic diso de ,
speci ic phobias, social anxie y diso de , and pos - auma ic s ess diso de 43,44.
• Gene alized anxie y diso de is cha ac e ized by excessi e and pe sis en wo y
abou a ious aspec s o li e;
• Panic diso de in ol es sudden a acks o in ense ea accompanied by physical
symp oms;
• Speci ic phobias a e i a ional ea s o pa icula objec s o si ua ions;
• Social anxie y diso de in ol es ea o social o pe o mance si ua ions;
• Pos - auma ic s ess diso de occu s a e auma ic e en s, mani es ing as lash-
backs, hype igilance, a oidance, and nega i e mood and cogni i e changes 34.
Bipola Diso de
This condi ion in ol es al e na ing episodes o mania/hypomania and dep essi e ep-
isodes, cha ac e ized by ex eme luc ua ions in mood, ene gy, cogni ion, and beha iou
34. I s p e alence is signi ican 45, wi h impo an consequences: occupa ional and social
dys unc ion, high suicide isk, and como bidi ies wi h o he men al and physical diso -
de s 46.
Schizoph enia
I is a ch onic men al diso de ha a ec s hinking, emo ions, and beha iou . I man-
i es s h ough posi i e symp oms (delusions, hallucina ions, diso ganized speech), nega-
i e symp oms (lack o a ec , mo i a ion de ici s, po e y o speech), and cogni i e symp-
oms (memo y and a en ion de ici s) 34. The p e alence is a ound 1% o he global popu-
la ion, ypically appea ing in la e adolescence o ea ly adul hood 47. The impac is se e e,
comp omising social and occupa ional unc ioning and signi ican ly inc easing suicide
isk 48. I s ea men is mul imodal, combining pha maco he apy (an ipsycho ics) and
psychosocial in e en ions (cogni i e-beha iou al he apy, social ehabili a ion), wi h
ea ly in e en ion being c ucial o p ognosis 49-52.
Pa kinson’s Disease
Al hough i is a p og essi e neu odegene a i e diso de caused by he loss o dopa-
mine-p oducing neu ons in he b ain, p ima ily a ec ing mo emen h ough es ing
emo , muscle igidi y, b adykinesia (slowness o mo emen ), and pos u al ins abili y
53,54, i has a s ong impac on men al heal h. In addi ion o mo o symp oms, dep ession,
anxie y, loss o smell, cogni i e de ici s, and sleep dis u bances a e common 55-57. I s p e -
alence inc eases wi h age, leading o g owing disabili y and dependence, a ec ing abou
1% o indi iduals o e 60 yea s 58. T ea men p ima ily aims o con ol symp oms h ough
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Acupunc u e and E idence-Based T adi ional Chinese Medicine App oaches o Men al Heal h. doi:10.5281/zenodo.17257364
medica ion ha inc eases dopamine le els (such as le odopa) and o he pha macological
he apies 59. Physio he apy, occupa ional he apy, and speech he apy a e also essen ial
o main ain mobili y and unc ion 60.
I should be no ed ha hese diso de s o en coexis , complica ing diagnosis and
ea men and exace ba ing clinical and social impac 61. Risk ac o s such as amily his-
o y, auma ic expe iences, subs ance use, and ch onic diseases con ibu e o inc eased
ulne abili y 33.
2. T adi ional Chinese Medicine
TCM is a holis ic heal hca e sys em wi h mo e han 2,500 yea s o his o y in ancien
China 62-64. I is deeply oo ed in he belie ha he human body is an in e connec ed sys-
em o physical, emo ional, and spi i ual aspec s, whose balance is essen ial o main ain-
ing heal h 65. In con as o Wes e n medicine, o en o ien ed owa d ea ing speci ic dis-
eases o symp oms, TCM seeks o main ain and es o e o e all ha mony in he body
h ough na u al me hods, including bo h p e en i e s a egies and he apeu ic in e en-
ions, always indi idualized acco ding o he pa ien ’s needs 66-70.
I s o igins ace back o ancien China, whe e ea ly medical knowledge was o ally
ansmi ed by shamans, he balis s, and heale s. These eachings we e shaped by philo-
sophical adi ions such as Taoism, Con ucianism, and Buddhism, emphasizing ha mony,
balance, and in e dependence among all hings 71,72. Ea ly w i en eco ds da e om he
Shang Dynas y (1600–1046 BCE), bu i was p ima ily du ing he Han Dynas y (206 BCE–
220 CE) ha TCM’s heo e ical ounda ions we e consolida ed 72.
Among he mos in luen ial classical wo ks, he Huangdi Neijing (The Inne Canon o
he Yellow Empe o ), w i en a ound he 3 d cen u y BCE and a ibu ed o he legenda y
Yellow Empe o , Huangdi, is conside ed he ounda ion o TCM heo y. I add esses he
p inciples o Qi, Yin-Yang, he Fi e Elemen s, and he ela ionship be ween he human
body and he na u al wo ld, o ming TCM’s concep ual co e 73,74. The Shennong Bencao Jing
(Di ine Fa me ’s Ma e ia Medica) o he 1s cen u y CE is ano he ounda ional wo k, ca -
aloguing o e 365 subs ances o plan , mine al, and animal o igin, se ing as a guide o
he bal medicine p ac ice o his day 75.
Wi h he de elopmen o Chinese ci iliza ion, TCM e ol ed alongside o he scien-
i ic and philosophical ad ancemen s. Du ing he Tang and Song Dynas ies (618–1279 CE),
i lou ished and became mo e sys ema ized, expanding i s in luence o neighbou ing e-
gions such as Ko ea, Japan, and Vie nam 76-79. Du ing he Qing Dynas y (1644–1912 CE), i
eached a high deg ee o consolida ion, wi h well-es ablished schools o hough and a
wide ne wo k o p ac i ione s h oughou China. These legacies con inue o unde pin con-
empo a y TCM p ac ice, main aining i s ele ance bo h in adi ional con ex s and in di-
alogue wi h mode n medicine.
2.1. T adi ional Concep s in Chinese Medicine
The concep o Qi holds a cen al posi ion in TCM. I e e s o he i al o ce o ene gy
ha lows h ough all li ing beings. F om he TCM pe spec i e, heal h esul s om he
ha monious and con inuous low o Qi along he me idians (ene gy channels), while dis-
ease a ises when his low is blocked, de icien , o excessi e. The goal is o main ain o
es o e balanced Qi ci cula ion, ensu ing p ope body and mind unc ion. Impo an ly, Qi
is no only de ined as physical ene gy bu also as a o ce in luencing men al, emo ional,
and spi i ual le els, di ec ly a ec ing emo ions and consciousness 80,81.
Ano he undamen al p inciple is he Yin-Yang heo y, desc ibing he dynamic po-
la i y p esen in all na u al and bodily phenomena. Yin and Yang a e opposi e bu com-
plemen a y and in e dependen o ces, cons an ly ans o ming. Yin ep esen s passi e
aspec s (cold, da k, nou ishing), whe eas Yang co esponds o ac i e quali ies (wa m,
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Acupunc u e and E idence-Based T adi ional Chinese Medicine App oaches o Men al Heal h. doi:10.5281/zenodo.17257364
b igh , s imula ing). Heal h is unde s ood as he dynamic balance be ween Yin and Yang.
Rela i e Yang p edominance may mani es as e e , in lamma ion, o men al agi a ion,
while ela i e Yin excess may esul in a igue, eeling cold, o le ha gy 65,81.
The Fi e Elemen s heo y (Wood, Fi e, Ea h, Me al, and Wa e ) complemen s hese
p inciples, explaining in e ac ions be ween di e en aspec s o he human body and he
na u al en i onmen . Each elemen is associa ed wi h a speci ic o gan, season, emo ion,
colou , and sound, o ming a sys em o co espondences guiding bo h diagnosis and clin-
ical ea men . Fo example, Wood co esponds o he Li e and is linked o ange , while
Fi e is associa ed wi h he Hea and ela es o joy. Figu e 1 illus a es how he Fi e Ele-
men s ela e o he physiological and emo ional dimensions o he body, o ganized in o
wo essen ial cycles: gene a ion and con ol. In he gene a ion cycle, each elemen nou -
ishes o p omo es he nex : Wood eeds Fi e, Fi e gene a es Ea h, Ea h p oduces Me al,
Me al condenses and collec s Wa e , and Wa e nou ishes Wood. In he con ol cycle, each
elemen keeps ano he in check, p e en ing excess: Wood con ols Ea h, Ea h con ains
Wa e , Wa e domina es Fi e, Fi e mel s Me al, and Me al cu s Wood.
Figu e 1. The Fi e Elemen s heo y: O gans, Seasons, Emo ion, and Sounds.
Fundamen ally, TCM seeks o main ain a s a e o dynamic balance be ween he in-
e nal and ex e nal en i onmen . The concep o balance pe mea es all aspec s o TCM,
om Qi low o he egula ion o bodily luids, emo ions, and he balance o hea and cold.
The body is iewed as a cons an ly adap ing sys em seeking homeos asis and in eg a ion
wi h i s su oundings.
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2.2. T adi ional Chinese Medicine and Men al Heal h
TCM is a holis ic medicine ha conside s heal h as he coope a i e unc ioning o
a ious biological sys ems, which may in e ac nega i ely when dis u bed. Men al heal h
has eme ged as a global p io i y in ecen decades, leading o in e es in complemen a y
and in eg a i e he apeu ic app oaches. TCM, wi h i s holis ic ision o he human being,
unde s ands heal h as a ha monious and coope a i e s a e among di e en biological sys-
ems, which can in e ac nega i ely when he e is imbalance o dys unc ion 82.
In he Wes , esea che s ha e sough o in e p e TCM’s philosophical and heo e ical
ounda ions and ela e hem o mode n biomedical language 65,83-86. Wi h scien i ic ad-
ances suppo ing he e icacy o some TCM echniques, i s ole in in eg a i e medicine is
inc easingly ecognized, conside ed a p omising complemen o con en ional Wes e n
medicine 87-93.
Speci ically ega ding men al heal h, TCM has been obse ed o play a complemen-
a y and bene icial ole, helping o p o ide mo e accessible, cos -e ec i e, and easible
men al heal hca e 85,94-98.
Se e al co e concep s and p inciples o TCM a e impo an o unde s and ega ding
his opic.
Shen
In TCM, he concep o Shen plays a c ucial ole, ep esen ing he men al, emo ional,
and spi i ual dimension o he human being. Shen is conside ed he sub les mani es a ion
o li e, e lec ing consciousness, emo ions, and spi i 99. I is desc ibed as he “spi i ual
essence” ha esides in he body and coo dina es men al, cogni i e, and emo ional acul-
ies. Toge he wi h Jing, he i al essence, and Qi, he i al ene gy, i cons i u es he so-
called Th ee T easu es (San Bao), which sus ain human exis ence in all dimensions 100.
Shen is closely associa ed wi h he Hea , conside ed i s esidence in TCM. The
Huangdi Neijing s a es ha “ he Hea is he so e eign o he o gans and houses he Shen”, em-
phasizing he Hea ’s cen al ole in go e ning he mind and emo ions. Thus, he ha mo-
nious ci cula ion o Qi and Xue o he Hea is essen ial o nou ish Shen and ensu e men al
cla i y and emo ional s abili y 100,101. Balanced Shen mani es s as a clea , calm, and ocused
mind, es ul sleep, app op ia e emo ional exp ession, b igh eyes, and cohe en commu-
nica ion. Con e sely, when Shen is dis u bed, signs such as anxie y, insomnia, excessi e
d eaming, palpi a ions, memo y loss, dep ession, agi a ion, o e en manic s a es may ap-
pea , depending on he se e i y o he imbalance 49-52. Unde s anding and nu u ing Shen
is he e o e essen ial o p e en ing men al diso de s and p omo ing a balanced and ul-
illing li e 99.
Men al P ocesses in T adi ional Chinese Medicine
In TCM, men al and emo ional p ocesses a e in insically linked o physiological
unc ions. Excessi e o poo ly egula ed emo ions can a ec he balance o Qi, Xue (blood),
and in e nal o gans, leading o disha monies e lec ed in bo h body and mind 84.
Acco ding o he Fi e Elemen s heo y, each Zang-Fu o gan is associa ed wi h a spe-
ci ic emo ion o men al p ocess, so psychological and spi i ual heal h depends di ec ly on
he ha mony among hese sys ems. When an o gan is balanced, he co esponding emo-
ion mani es s heal hily; in imbalance, physical and psychological symp oms eme ge. Ta-
ble 1 p esen s hese associa ions be ween elemen s, o gans, and men al p ocesses acco d-
ing o classical TCM.
Thus, he impo ance o emo ions in physiological sys ems is clea . In TCM’s bidi ec-
ional iew, men al and physiological p ocesses mu ually in luence each o he , no as iso-
la ed en i ies bu as exp essions o in e nal o gan ac i i y. Each emo ion is linked no only
o an o gan bu also o i s ene ge ic unc ion. Ange , o example, ela es o he Li e and
may mani es as Qi s agna ion, headaches, muscle ension, o mens ual dis u bances.
Emo ions a e no inhe en ly nega i e unless excessi e o disha monious. Joy, o ins ance,
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is posi i e bu when excessi e may “agi a e he Hea ,” causing insomnia and men al ag-
i a ion. Repe i i e hinking, linked o he Spleen-Panc eas, impai s diges ion and men al
cla i y, while p olonged sadness weakens he Lung, p edisposing o isola ion and physi-
cal ulne abili y.
Table 1. Associa ions be ween Elemen s, O gans, and Thei Emo ions acco ding o T adi ional Chinese Medicine.
Elemen
O gans (Zang-Fu)
Emo ions and Men al P ocesses
Excess
De iciency
Wood
Li e - Gallbladde
Excessi e ange , i i abili y, us-
a ion
Shyness, indecision, lack o mo i a-
ion
Fi e
Hea - Small In es ine
Joy/eupho ia, insomnia, agi a ion
Apa hy, dep ession, lack o i ali y
Ea h
Spleen-Panc eas - S omach
Rumina ion, obsessi eness
Men al a igue, concen a ion di i-
cul ies
Me al
Lung - La ge In es ine
Sadness, melancholy, excessi e a -
achmen , excessi e wo y
Inabili y o eel sadness o p ocess
loss, emo ional de achmen
Wa e
Kidney - Bladde
In ense ea , panic, shock
Recklessness, loss o willpowe
In diagnosis, he p ac i ione obse es no only physical signs bu also emo ional as-
pec s, such as eye b igh ness, acial colou , and one o oice. Con e sely, physiological
imbalances can gene a e emo ional s a es. Fo example, Kidney imbalance may cause ea
o insecu i y, and p olonged Lung de iciency may inc ease ulne abili y o sadness o
social wi hd awal.
This in eg a ed iew expands he apeu ic possibili ies, allowing ea men o emo-
ional imbalances by ha monizing he co esponding o gans h ough acupunc u e, he bal
he apy, Qigong, o die o he apy, highligh ing TCM’s p e en i e and he apeu ic alue in
p omo ing men al and emo ional heal h.
2.3. Acupunc u e o Men al Heal h
Acupunc u e consis s o he inse ion o ine needles a speci ic poin s along he me-
idians, aiming o egula e he low o Qi and p omo e he body’s homeos asis 82,102. The
selec ion o poin s is indi idualized, conside ing he pa ien ’s symp oms and ene ge ic
diagnosis. S udies show ha acupunc u e can be e ec i e in ea ing ch onic pain, s ess,
and condi ions such as mig aines, insomnia, and nausea, sugges ing mechanisms o ac ion
ela ed o neu o ansmi e modula ion and au onomic ne ous sys em ac i i y 103-110.
A ecen sys ema ic e iew 82 concluded ha TCM echniques, including acupunc-
u e, may be use ul in ea ing men al diso de s and imp o ing quali y o li e in pa ien s
wi h physical condi ions associa ed wi h psychological dis ess. The ollowing sec ions
p esen scien i ic s udies using acupunc u e speci ically in a ious a eas o men al heal h.
Dep ession
Analyzing se en clinical ials, Wang e al. 111 sugges ha acupunc u e can signi i-
can ly educe he se e i y o majo dep ession and dep essi e neu osis compa ed o pla-
cebo con ol.
Mo e ecen ly, Smi h e al. 112 analysed 64 clinical ials using acupunc u e as an in-
e en ion o dep ession. They concluded ha acupunc u e may ha e posi i e e ec s on
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dep ession, emphasizing he bene i s o combining acupunc u e wi h medica ion. In he
12 s udies compa ing acupunc u e plus medica ion wi h medica ion alone, he combined
app oach was s a is ically supe io . When compa ed wi h psychological he apy, acu-
punc u e ended o p oduce mo e posi i e ou comes wi h ewe side e ec s.
These me a-analy ic s udies sugges ha acupunc u e can be a aluable ool in ea -
ing dep ession, especially when used alongside con en ional medica ion.
Schizoph enia
Shen e al. 113 analyzed he use o acupunc u e in combina ion wi h con en ional an-
ipsycho ic ea men in schizoph enia. Among he 30 s udies included, hey obse ed
ha adding acupunc u e o s anda d-dose an ipsycho ics led o sho - and medium- e m
imp o emen s in psychia ic symp om se e i y compa ed o medica ion alone. Sho -
e m imp o emen s in psycho ic symp oms we e also no ed. Fo nega i e symp om se-
e i y, acupunc u e showed alue as an adjunc o con en ional medica ion in bo h sho -
and medium- e m ollow-up. Relapse a es we e also educed when acupunc u e was
used alongside a low dose o an ipsycho ics compa ed o a s anda d dose, wi h he addi-
ional bene i o educing medica ion- ela ed side e ec s. These indings sugges ha ac-
upunc u e may ha e he apeu ic alue in schizoph enia, pa icula ly as a complemen o
an ipsycho ic medica ion.
Pa kinson’s Disease and Cogni i e De ici
Liu e al. 114 analyzed 11 clinical ials ega ding acupunc u e’s e ec on Pa kinson’s
disease. They concluded ha acupunc u e combined wi h he con en ional d ug
Madopa imp o ed clinical e icacy compa ed o he d ug alone. Addi ionally, he
combina ion p oduced signi ican ly ewe ad e se e ec s, including gas oin es inal
eac ions, “on-o ” phenomena, and men al dis u bances.
Rega ding cogni i e imp o emen , Kim e al. 115 analysed acupunc u e’s po en ial
compa ed o con en ional medica ion. Resul s sugges ed ha acupunc u e could e ec-
i ely enhance cogni i e unc ion in pa ien s wi h mild cogni i e impai men .
These indings indica e ha acupunc u e may be a use ul complemen a y he apy in
Pa kinson’s disease, po en ially p o iding ad an ages in cases o cogni i e decline.
Insomnia
Kim e al. 116 analysed 19 clinical ials, sugges ing ha in a pe sonalized app oach
acco ding o TCM p inciples, acupunc u e may be mo e e ec i e han medica ion o in-
somnia, bo h in esponse a es and sleep quali y.
2.4. Mechanisms o Acupunc u e in Men al Heal h
In gene al, acupunc u e aims o egula e he ne ous, ci cula o y, endoc ine, and ex-
oc ine sys ems and p omo e well-being 102. Rega ding i s speci ic ac ion in men al diso -
de s, a ious mechanisms a e p oposed in he scien i ic li e a u e. Yang e al. 117 s a e ha
acupunc u e may alle ia e dep ession by p omo ing hippocampal neu oplas ici y, en-
hancing neu al ne wo k unc ion, and educing b ain in lamma ion. By egula ing neu o-
ansmi e le els and modula ing he neu oendoc ine axis, acupunc u e con ibu es o
imp o ed emo ional s a e and exhibi s an an idep essan e ec 118. Tu e al. 119, sugges ha
acupunc u e can modula e glu ama e ecep o s and exci a o y amino acid anspo e s,
po en ially se ing as complemen a y he apy o ce ain neu opsychia ic diso de s. In
addi ion, Zhao e al. 120 p opose ha acupunc u e can p o ec dopamine gic neu ons om
degene a ion ia an ioxidan , an i-in lamma o y, and an i-apop o ic pa hways, and mod-
ula e neu o ansmi e balance in he basal ganglia ci cui s. As well, acupunc u e has been
shown o egula e ho monal le els associa ed wi h he HPA axis 121,122, which has implica-
ions o ea ing anxie y, dep ession, s ess managemen , and sleep diso de s.
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2.5. O he TCM Techniques o Men al Heal h
TCM in eg a es a ious he apeu ic p ac ices beyond acupunc u e, many o which
a e ele an o men al heal h.
Taichi Chuan and Qigong
These a e ancien p ac ices in ol ing slow, delibe a e mo emen s combined wi h
con olled b ea hing and medi a ion o cul i a e and balance Qi 123,124. They a e belie ed
o imp o e heal h by ha monizing in e nal ene gy, educing s ess, and inc easing phys-
ical lexibili y and s eng h. Qigong is o en used as p e en i e medicine, while Taichi is
p ac iced as a low-impac exe cise 85.
A me a-analysis 125 sugges s ha Taichi Chuan signi ican ly imp o es dep essi e
symp oms. Simila ly, Qigong showed supe io i y o e ac i e and passi e con ols in e-
ducing dep ession 126.
Fo anxie y, bo h p ac ices appea o p o ide symp oma ic imp o emen 125,127. Re-
ga ding mild cogni i e impai men , Lin e al. 128 epo ed gains in global unc ion,
memo y, lea ning, isuospa ial abili y, and execu i e unc ion. Yang e al. 129 also epo ed
bene i s in a en ion, abs ac ion, and men al lexibili y. Addi ionally, Wu e al. 130 demon-
s a ed posi i e e ec s on sleep quali y.
Chinese He bal Medicine
This is a majo b anch o TCM, using plan s, mine als, and animal p oduc s o es o e
heal h 131,132. O e 500 subs ances a e equen ly used, gene ally combined in balanced o -
mulas a ge ing bo h he unde lying cause and symp oms. These may be adminis e ed as
decoc ions, powde s, capsules, o opical p epa a ions. Well-known he bs include Gin-
seng, Lico ice, Angelica Sinensis (Dong Quai), and Reishi mush oom 133-136.
Despi e being an ancien p ac ice, he bal medicine con inues o be widely applied
and s udied ac oss mul iple clinical a eas 131,132,137-141, including men al heal h 139,142,143.
Table 2 summa izes a ious he bal applica ions o men al heal h.
Table 2. Classic Chinese He bal Fo mulas Applied o Men al Heal h Diso de s.
Pa hology
Ac ions
E idence
Dep ession
Chai Hu Shu Gan San
Ha monizes Li e Qi, elie es
s agna ion, egula es emo ions
Sun e al. 144: supe io e icacy o
luoxe ine
Bupleu um
F ees Li e , egula es Qi, s abi-
lizes emo ions
Yang e al. 145: supe io o selec i e
se o onin eup ake inhibi o s
Schizoph e-
nia
Wendan Tang
Resol es phlegm-hea , ha mo-
nizes S omach and Gallbladde ,
calms Shen
Deng e al. 146: enhances an ipsy-
cho ic e ec s, educes ad e se e -
ec s
Insomnia
Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
D ains Li e Fi e, calms Shen, im-
p o es sleep
Fan e al. 147: sligh ly supe io o
con en ional medica ion, wi h
ewe side e ec s
Shumian
Nou ishes Hea and Spleen,
calms Shen, egula es sleep
Wang e al. 148: e icacy equi alen o
pha macological medica ion
3. Final Conside a ions
Men al heal h is a complex opic wi h physical, emo ional, and social implica ions.
This wo k shows ha TCM o e s a holis ic app oach, conside ing heal h as a esul o
balance among biological sys ems, and may play a complemen a y ole in men al heal h.
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