Abstract: Objective To observe the effect of scalp acupuncture combined with cognitive training on the cognitive function of stroke patients in the acute stage. Methods 68 stroke patients with cognitive disorder were divided into the treatment group (n=34) and the control group (n=34). All patients of two groups were treated with routine therapy and cognitive rehabilitation training by professional physiotherapists, but the treatment group were added with scalp acupuncture. They were regularly evaluated with Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognition Assessment (LOTCA) before and 2 months after treatment. Results The scores of LOTCA significantly improved in the two groups after treatment (P<0.05), and improvement of the treatment group was better than those of the control group（P<0.05）. Conclusion The scalp acupuncture combined with cognitive training can significantly improve the acute stroke patients with cognitive disorder.

Key words: stroke, acute stage, cognitive disorder, scalp acupuncture, Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognition Assessment (LOTCA)