Effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in Alzheimer's Disease: A Narrative Review

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a leading cause of global dementia characterised by amyloid-β plaques and hippocampal atrophy. Current drugs offer only modest symptomatic re-lief without modifying disease progression. Acupuncture is being investigated as a promising, low-risk neuromodulatory alternative.Objective: To assess the efficacy, safety, and biological mechanisms of acupuncture for AD.Methods: A review of clinical and preclinical studies involving acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and moxibustion.Results: Combined acupuncture and pharmacotherapy (e.g., donepezil) significantly outper-formed drug monotherapy, particularly when applied ≥3 times weekly for two months. Preclin-ical models show stimulation at DU20 (Baihui) and BL23 (Shenshu) reduces Aβ deposition, in-creases hippocampal glucose metabolism, and normalises Wnt/β-catenin signalling. fMRI and PET scans confirm enhanced hippocampal connectivity and regional blood flow following treatment. Minimal, mild adverse events were reported, indicating a favourable safety profile.Conclusion: Acupuncture is an effective complementary therapy for AD that enhances cognitive outcomes and metabolic function. Future research should prioritise larger international trials and objective neuroimaging biomarkers to further validate these findings.