Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a complication after stroke and refers to a group of affective disorder syndromes that mainly manifest as emotional and personality changes, such as depression and decreased interest; it is often accompanied by physical symptoms and cognitive impairment of varying degrees1. This affects patients’ rehabilitation and treatment, reduces their quality of life, and increases their recurrence rate of stroke and even their mortality. The incidence of PSD is high. Studies have revealed that the prevalence of depression in the acute stage (within two weeks) after stroke was 27%2,3.

Research has confirmed that4, 5, 6 inverse moxibustion could regulate immune function, improve blood circulation, and prevent and treat a variety of diseases. Inverse moxibustion is an important means of "preventing disease" in TCM. Fan Wang of the Eastern Jin Dynasty first put forward the term inverse moxibustion in Fan Dongyang Miscellaneous Disease Prescription, and Gao Wu of Ming Dynasty explained it in Acupuncture and Moxibustion Gathered Blooms as follows: "Acupuncture and moxibustion prior to disease is called inverse. Inverse, referring to going against it and meeting it before it arrives." The ancients relied heavily on acupuncture and moxibustion to treat healthy people. Acupuncture is mostly used to treat current disease and prevent aggravation8, while moxibustion is mostly used to prevent disease before disease onset. Through the appropriate stimulation at the corresponding acupoints, inverse moxibustion stimulates a patient's own regulatory potential, starts the body's endogenous protection mechanism, and balances the Yin and Yang to achieve disease prevention and treatment.

This study investigates the preventive effect of inverse moxibustion on PSD and the effect of functional rehabilitation via inverse moxibustion at the Baihui and Dazhui points in patients with acute stroke.