PERSPECTIVE article
Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Gut-Brain Axis
This article is part of the Research TopicThe Gut-Brain Axis: Microbiota-Driven Immune Modulation and its Impact on Neurological HealthView all 12 articles
Acupuncture Modulates the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Provisionally accepted
- Shenzhen People’s Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, and The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) represents a critical prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet effective therapeutic interventions to prevent or delay this conversion remain an unmet clinical need. Growing evidence implicates dysregulation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA)-a complex bidirectional communication network involving neural, immune, and endocrine pathways-in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. This perspective proposes that acupuncture, as a multi-target therapeutic approach, may modulate gut microbiota composition and restore MGBA homeostasis, thereby potentially decelerating the progression from aMCI to AD. A systematic understanding of the precise mechanisms through which acupuncture influences the MGBA carries substantial implications for both neuroscience and clinical practice. Future investigations should prioritize the elucidation of these mechanisms and the generation of robust clinical evidence through well-controlled experimental designs.
Keywords: cognitive impairment, amnestic mild cognitive impairment, Acupuncture, Alzheimer's disease, Microbiota-gut-brain axis
Received: 21 Sep 2025; Accepted: 27 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Xing, Hu and Bao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Sheng-yong Bao, baoshengyong271334972@outlook.com
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