title: [Nourishing Xin and Shen method improved mild cognitive impairment due to subcortical small vessel disease: a clinical study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the intervention effect of nourishing Xin and Shen method (NXSM) on the cognitive function of mild cognitive impairment due to subcortical small vessel disease (MCI-SSVD).
  
  
  METHODS
  All 54 MCI-SSVD patients came from Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University from June 2010 to August 2013. They were randomly assigned to the treatment group (28 cases) and the control group (26 cases). Another 33 volunteers were recruited as a healthy control group. On the basis of targeting risk factors of blood vessels, MCI-SSVD patients were treated respectively with NXSM and donepezil hydrochloride, with the therapeutic course of 12 weeks. Neuropsychological scales [mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA)], and Chinese medical dementia syndrome scales were performed in all subjects, and results were compared among groups or intra-group before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MMSE and MoCA scores of the two treatment groups decreased more, when compared with those of the healthy control group (P < 0.05). In particular, MoCA score was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). MMSE and MoCA scores of the two treatment groups increased more after treatment than before treatment (P < 0.05). But there was no statistical difference in MMSE or MOCA score after treatment between the two groups (P > 0.05). Chinese medical dementia syndrome scales decreased more significantly in the treatment group, when compared with before treatment (P < 0.01). But there was no statistical difference in Chinese medical dementia syndrome scales in the control group between before and after treatment (P > 0.05). Visual spatial and executive function scores or delayed recall scores of the two treatment groups increased more, when compared with the same group before treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NXSM could effectively improve cognitive functions of MCI-SSVD.
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease; D035843:Biomedical Research; D003071:Cognition; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy; D000077265:Donepezil; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007189:Indans; D010880:Piperidines; D000077265:Donepezil