An unexpected way to speed up recovery after a stroke has been named

Scientists from Shanghai have found that acupuncture can help restore motor functions in people who have suffered a stroke. The results of the study were published in the scientific journal CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics.

As reported by BAKU.WS, 56 patients participated in the experiment. Over the course of two weeks, one group underwent a course of traditional acupuncture, while the other received a procedure without stimulation of therapeutic points.

In patients who received real acupuncture, the recovery of arm and leg mobility was noticeably more successful. Brain scans also showed an increase in gray matter volume in areas responsible for movement and coordination. The more pronounced these changes were, the better the motor functions recovered.

According to the Chinese researchers, acupuncture may stimulate brain neuroplasticity — the ability of the nervous system to form new connections after damage. At the same time, the scientists emphasize that larger-scale clinical studies are needed to draw definitive conclusions.