Clinical Neuroscience Research

Exploration of the Application of Chronomedicine in Insomnia Based on the Midday-Midnight Circadian Qi Flow Na Zi Method

Xiaoru Zhou — 2026-03-19

This paper explores insomnia and chronomedicine from the perspective of the Midday-Midnight Circadian Qi Flow Na Zi Method. Chronomedicine is regarded as a “biological clock therapy”, among which the Midday-Midnight Circadian Qi Flow acupuncture method, based on the law of the ebb and flow of qi and blood at different times, opens and closes along the meridians and selects acupoints according to the time, which is an important manifestation of acupuncture chronotherapy. The Na Zi Method in the Midday-Midnight Circadian Qi Flow combines the circulation of qi and blood in the twelve meridians with the earthly branches, and conducts acupoint compatibility treatment in conjunction with the five elements’ generation and restriction, as well as the deficiency and excess of syndromes. As a common sleep disorder, insomnia is mainly characterized by the frequent inability to obtain normal sleep. Its basic pathogenesis is the malnutrition of the spirit and the imbalance of yin and yang, leading to the failure of defensive qi to enter yin normally. The treatment of insomnia mainly focuses on calming the spirit, communicating yin and yang, tonifying deficiency, and reducing excess. Clinical studies have shown that the use of Na Zi Method acupuncture, time-selected auricular point therapy, time-selected music therapy, etc., can significantly improve the sleep quality of insomnia patients, and the total effective rate is higher than that of conventional treatment methods. Chronomedical therapy provides new ideas and methods for the treatment of insomnia, which is conducive to unlocking the “time code” of insomnia and is worthy of further promotion in clinical practice.

Gallic Acid: A Natural Compound with Multi-dimensional Potential for Repairing Neurodegenerative Diseases

Miao Li — 2026-03-19

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) encompass a spectrum of chronic, progressive disorders defined by the insidious loss of neuronal structure and function, the multifactorial etiologies of which remain incompletely understood. To date, clinical interventions for NDs have primarily targeted four domains: neuroprotection, the clearance of aberrant protein aggregates, restoration of neurotransmitter homeostasis, and suppression of neuroinflammation. However, most conventional pharmacotherapies provide only palliative symptomatic relief rather than addressing the fundamental etiological drivers of NDs. Furthermore, their clinical utility is often hampered by off-target effects and a mono-targeted approach, which fails to counteract the multifaceted nature of disease progression. Conversely, natural products derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offer unique advantages, characterized by high biocompatibility, minimal toxicity, and the capacity for pleiotropic regulation through multi-target synergistic mechanisms, ranging from the preservation of cellular homeostasis to the modulation of the neuro-microenvironment and the promotion of neuroplasticity and regeneration. Focusing on gallic acid (GA) as a prototypical bioactive polyphenolic compound, this review provides a comprehensive synthesis of recent advances and the molecular underpinnings of its neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects, offering critical insights and a theoretical framework for the development of TCM-derived candidates as novel neurotherapeutics.

From the Perspective of TCM Theory of “Vigorous in Day and Sleeping Well at Night”: The Interactive Influence Between Insomnia and Digestive System Diseases

Kongxi Zhu — 2026-03-19

For a long time, insufficient attention has been paid to the complex relationship between insomnia and digestive system diseases. Studies have found that “vigorous in day and sleeping well at night” plays an important regulatory role in both. The imbalance of arousal-sleep rhythm can lead to various forms of insomnia and digestive system diseases, which may also be one of the keys to the bidirectional influence between insomnia and digestive system diseases. Therefore, this paper will sort out the relationship between insomnia and digestive system diseases based on this characteristic, in order to provide a basis for clinical treatment.

Research Progress on Alzheimer’s Disease and m⁶A Modification

Yuhan Dai — 2026-03-19

As a complex neurodegenerative disease, the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has not been fully elucidated. This article reviews the role and regulatory mechanism of m⁶A modification in AD, with the aim of exploring how m⁶A modification participates in the pathological process of AD by regulating the “writer”, “eraser”, and “reader” proteins, and evaluating its potential in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. This article systematically summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of m⁶A modification on amyloid metabolism, Tau protein phosphorylation, neuronal apoptosis, synaptic function, and neuroinflammation, and reviews the research progress on m⁶A-related biomarkers and targeted therapy strategies. The results indicate that abnormal levels of m⁶A modification and related enzyme expression in brain tissue and peripheral blood of AD patients lead to metabolic disorders of key genes such as APP, BACE1, and MAPT mRNA, which promote A β deposition and Tau pathology, while exacerbating neuronal damage and neuroinflammation. In addition, peripheral blood m⁶A regulatory factors and modification sites can serve as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of Alzheimer’s disease, and targeted therapy strategies targeting METTL3, FTO, and non-coding RNA have shown promising application prospects. The conclusion is that in-depth analysis of the dynamic regulatory network modified by m⁶A is expected to provide new ideas and targets for early diagnosis, precise treatment, and prognosis improvement of AD.

Clinical Study on Tenecteplase for Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Xiaoxia Zhao — 2026-03-19

Objective: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and comparative advantages of intravenous thrombolytic therapy with tenecteplase versus alteplase in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Methods: A total of 60 patients with acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to the neurology ward of the hospital within 4.5 hours of onset from 2022 to 2024 were enrolled. Among them, 30 patients in the observation group received intravenous thrombolysis with tenecteplase, while the other 30 patients in the control group received intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase. The clinical efficacy of the two groups was compared. Results: The NIHSS scores of both groups at 1 hour, 24 hours, 72 hours, and 7 days after thrombolysis were lower than those before thrombolysis, and the Barthel index at 90 days after thrombolysis was higher than that before thrombolysis. The overall response rates of the observation group at 1 hour, 24 hours, 72 hours, and 7 days after thrombolysis were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidence of adverse reactions and mortality between the two groups after thrombolysis (P > 0.05). The observation group had a higher rate of favorable functional outcomes and a higher Barthel index at 90 days after thrombolysis compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Tenecteplase can enhance early neurological function and improve functional outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke without increasing the incidence of adverse reactions.

Research on the Clinical Outcome Evaluation of Intravenous Thrombolysis in Elderly Patients with Cerebral Infarction Using Thromboelastography (TEG)

Jingjing Liu — 2026-03-19

Objective: To investigate the role and value of thromboelastography (TEG) in the clinical evaluation of intravenous thrombolysis in elderly patients with cerebral infarction. Methods: This study selected 33 patients who underwent intravenous thrombolysis within the 3–4.5-hour treatment window as the intravenous thrombolysis group, and included 202 patients who received conventional drug therapy. All patients underwent thromboelastography evaluation and were divided into three age groups: 60–70 years old, 70–80 years old, and 80–90 years old. Thromboelastography indicators were compared among different groups. Results: Compared to pre-treatment values, the R and K values significantly increased, while the α angle and CI significantly decreased in the 60–70 years old, 70–80 years old, and 80–90 years old groups, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). Compared to pre-treatment values, the MA value in the intravenous thrombolysis group significantly decreased, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). Within the intravenous thrombolysis group, the R and K values in the 70–80 years old group were longer than those in the 60–70 years old group and the conventional drug therapy group, while the CI was higher than in the 60–70 years old group and the conventional drug therapy group. The α angle and MA values were lower than in the 60–70 years old group and the conventional drug therapy group, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Thromboelastography can be used to evaluate the clinical outcomes of intravenous thrombolysis in elderly patients with cerebral infarction and can provide an optimized treatment plan for intravenous thrombolysis in elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction, making it worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Efficacy of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide Combined with Bevacizumab in the Treatment of Recurrent High-Grade Brain Glioma and Its Effect on Immune Function

Chongqiao Qin — 2026-03-19

Objective: To investigate the effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) combined with bevacizumab (BEV) in the treatment of recurrent high-grade glioma and its effect on immune function. Methods: A total of 103 patients with recurrent high-grade cerebral glioma admitted to Guigang People’s Hospital, the Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, from January 2020 to December 2023 were selected. According to different treatment methods, they were divided into an experimental group (n=52) and a control group (n=51). The control group was treated with BEV, and the experimental group was treated with LBP on the basis of the control group. Both groups were treated for 3 cycles. The clinical efficacy, Kelch-like epichlorohydrin-related protein-1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway level, immune function indexes (CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺), improvement of quality of life, and incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results: After 3 cycles of treatment, the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of serum Keap1 and Nrf2 in the two groups were higher than those before treatment, and those in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, except for no significant change in CD8⁺ level, the levels of CD3⁺, CD4^+, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ in the two groups were higher than those before treatment, and those in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group (P< 0.05). The scores of psychological function, living status, physical function, and social function in the two groups were higher than those before treatment, and those in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups after treatment (𝑥²=0.001, P=0.982). Conclusion: The clinical efficacy of LBP combined with BEV in the treatment of recurrent high-grade glioma is significant, which can improve immune function and improve quality of life, which may be related to the activation of the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway.

Comparative Efficacy of Interventions for Postpartum Depression: A Frequentist Network Meta-analysis

Zhiqiang Zeng — 2026-03-19

Objective: To compare the efficacy of different interventions for postpartum depression and to identify the intervention with the highest probability of benefit. Methods: Randomized controlled trials were identified through searches of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science up to May 2023. The change in depression scores from baseline to post-intervention was extracted and synthesized as standardized mean differences (SMDs) using a frequentist network meta-analysis. Treatments were ranked according to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Results: Eight randomized controlled trials involving 641 participants were included. According to the SUCRA rankings, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) had the highest probability of being the most effective intervention. CBT did not significantly differ from fluoxetine (SMD 0.19, 95% CI -1.14 to 1.51), saffron (SMD 0.30, 95% CI -0.93 to 1.53), or sertraline (SMD 0.61, 95% CI -0.13 to 1.36), but it was superior to brexanolone (SMD 1.60, 95% CI 0.50 to 2.70) and zuranolone (SMD 1.72, 95% CI 0.61 to 2.84). Brexanolone and zuranolone did not significantly differ from each other (SMD 0.12, 95% CI -0.30 to 0.54), although both were superior to placebo. Conclusion: With the exception of estradiol, all interventions showed greater efficacy than placebo in reducing depressive symptoms. The ranking results suggest that CBT, fluoxetine, saffron, and sertraline may be among the more effective options for postpartum depression; however, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because of the limited number of studies and the scarcity of direct head-to-head comparisons.