Abstract: Objective To investigate the effect of scalp acupuncture on cerebral blood flow and gross motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods From January to November, 2016, 79 children with spastic cerebral palsy were randomly divided into conventional group (n=40) and scalp acupuncture group (n=39). Both groups received conventional rehabilitation treatment, and the scalp acupuncture group was given scalp acupuncture in addition, for five months. The systolic blood flow velocity (Vs), mean flow velocity of cerebral artery (Vm) and vascular resistance index (RI) of anterior cerebral artery (ACA), middle cerebral artery (MCA) and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) before and after treatment were assessed with color transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD). The clinical effect was evaluated with the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Results Five cases dropped out during the follow-up, three cases in the conventional group and two cases in the scalp acupuncture group. There was no significant difference in all the indexes between two groups before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the Vs and Vm of ACA, MCA and PCA improved (t>2.051, P<0.05), no improvement was found in the RI of ACA, MCA and PCA in the conventional group (t<1.1631, P>0.05), and they decreased in the scalp acupuncture group (t>2.659, P<0.05). After treatment, the Vs and Vm of ACA, MCA and PCA were higher in the scalp acupuncture group than in the conventional group (t>2.098, P<0.05), the RI of ACA was lower in the scalp acupuncture group than in the conventional group (t=2.375, P<0.05), and no significant difference was found in the RI of MCA and PCA between two groups (t<1.637, P>0.05). The total effective rate was higher in the scalp acupuncture group than in the conventional group (χ2=6.887, P<0.05). Conclusion Scalp acupuncture facilitates to increase the cerebral blood flow, decrease the vascular resistance, and improve gross motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Key words: spastic cerebral palsy, scalp acupuncture, cerebral blood flow, transcranial Doppler, gross motor function, Gross Motor Function Classification System