Acupuncture may relieve depression by restoring the balance of cellular energy-producing structures through several complementary protective mechanisms.
This review examined recent research on acupuncture as a treatment for depression, focusing on its effects on mitochondrial homeostasis, the processes that maintain the health, renewal, function, and balance of cellular energy-producing structures. It synthesized evidence concerning mitochondrial self-clearance, oxidative damage, programmed mitochondrial death, creation of new mitochondria, and changes in mitochondrial shape and movement.
Across the reviewed studies, acupuncture was associated with improved depression-like behaviours and regulation of biological signalling pathways and proteins linked to mitochondrial function. Reported effects included reduced oxidative stress and excessive mitochondrial division, enhanced removal of damaged mitochondria and formation of new ones, and preservation of normal mitochondrial dynamics, suggesting that mitochondrial regulation may be a key pathway through which acupuncture influences depression.
