Acupuncture for Multiple System Atrophy: A Case Report

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare and fatal progressive disorder, characterised by autonomic dysfunction
and motor impairment. MSA patients exhibit neurodegenerative changes in the brain, involving the accumulation
of the protein alpha-synuclein in glial cells. This case study describes a 65-year-old female diagnosed with MSA,
who was treated with 192 sessions of acupuncture over a 15-month period. After a year of acupuncture treatment,
the patient’s condition, measured on the Unified MSA Rating Scale (UMSARS), Scale for the Assessment and
Rating of Ataxia (SARA), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D), was found to have
improved significantly. Furthermore, no side effects of treatment were reported. The results of this single clinical
case study are encouraging and provide evidence supporting the positive effects of acupuncture treatment in
reducing the symptoms of MSA.