The Acupuncture Treatment of Schizophrenia: A Review with Case Studies

Schizophrenia is a complex, multifactorial mental disorder with unknown aetiology and a heterogeneous presentation. Because of its complexity, in order to be effective the treatment approach should be individualised, integrative and multidisciplinary and include the necessary biopsychosocial components. The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the treatment of mental disorders is increasing, especially acupuncture, which constitutes a safe and effective treatment modality. This article reviews schizophrenia from the perspective of both Western and traditional Chinese medicine and includes two case studies of patients with chronic schizophrenia who were successfully treated as part of a larger clinical trial that investigated the effectiveness of the acupuncture treatment of schizophrenia.