A University of Colorado Boulder study published in the January 2011 issue of the Journal of Neurotrauma indicates that Jin Shin acupressure treatment (in which fingertip pressure is applied to instead of acupuncture needles) can improve cognitive function in people with mild TBI. The mild TBI group treated by an expert with acupressure to 26 points on the body from head to toe showed improved attention and working memory on neuropsychological testing. The placebo group which was treated by a non-expert with acupressure to random points on the body showed no cognitive improvement. The treated group also showed more rapid brain activity in response to testing than the placebo group.
Funded by the Colorado Traumatic Brain Injury Trust Fund, the study is believed to be one of the first placebo-controlled studies ever published in a peer-reviewed medical journal showing the benefit of acupressure to treat patients with TBI, Hernandez said. The Jin Shin acupressure treatment can be taught to family and friends of those with TBI and can even be used as a self-treatment, which could allow for more independence said lead study author Theresa Hernandez, Ph.D.
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