Publication Name	World Journal of Stem Cells
Manuscript ID	119872
Country	China

Category	Cell Biology
Manuscript Type	Editorial
Article Title	Acupuncture in neural stem cell-based therapy for cognitive impairment
Manuscript Source	Invited Manuscript
All Author List	Hao-Cai Chang
Funding Agency and Grant Number	Funding Agency Grant Number National Natural Science Foundation of China 62475076 Key Field Special Project of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Education 2023ZDZX2022 Youth S&T Talent Support Programme of Guangdong Provincial Association for Science and Technology SKXRC2025014
Corresponding Author	Hao-Cai Chang, Assistant Professor, PhD, MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, South China Normal University, No. 55 West Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510631, Guangdong Province, China. changhc@scnu.edu.cn
Key Words	Acupuncture; Neural stem cell; miR-124; Notch1; Wnt/β-catenin; Alzheimer’s disease; Neuromodulation
Core Tip	Dementia is a heterogeneous syndrome in which hippocampal circuit dysfunction is driven, in part, by a hostile microenvironment that compromises grafted neural stem cell (NSC) survival and fate determination. Li et al described a niche-licensing strategy in which acupuncture improves the hippocampal milieu and enhances the efficacy of transplanted NSCs through upregulation of the neuron-enriched miR-124. Increased miR-124 suppresses aberrant Notch signaling while restoring Wnt activity, thereby rebalancing the Notch/Wnt axis, modulating cyclin D1-related cell-cycle dynamics, and promoting NSC proliferation and neuronal differentiation. These effects attenuate Alzheimer-like pathology and improve cognitive function in SAMP8 mice, supporting acupuncture as a promising regenerative neuromodulatory strategy for dementia.
Citation	Chang HC. Acupuncture in neural stem cell-based therapy for cognitive impairment. World J Stem Cells 2026; In press

Received	2026-02-09 01:13
Peer-Review Started	2026-02-09 01:14
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-02-12 08:09
Return for Revision	2026-02-12 08:09
Revised	2026-02-28 06:43
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-04-01 02:41
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-04-01 04:55
Articles in Press	2026-04-01 04:55
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor	2026-04-01 13:14
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	1948-0210 (online)
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