The Effect of Acupuncture Therapy on Cognitive Function in Post-COVID-19 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Inclusion Criteria: * 18-60 years old * Fatigue occurred during or after initial recovery of COVID-19 confirmed by nasopharyngeal swab reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) or antigen testing lasts for at least 6 months * Fulfilling US National Academy of Medicine(NAM) criteria for ME/CFS * Chinese native speaker * Right handedness * Voluntary to participate in the study and signing the informed consent form. Exclusion Criteria: * Persistent fatigue occurs prior to COVID-19 * Previous or current diagnosis of severe chronic diseases such as heart, kidney or liver failure, tumor * Previous or current diagnosis of neurological or psychiatric disorder such as neurodegenerative disease, stroke, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia * Previous or current diagnosis of endocrine or metabolic disease such as hypothyroidism, adrenocortical hypofunction, type 2 diabetes * Previous or current diagnosis of autoimmune disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis * Chronic infection or inflammatory disease such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS), chronic hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome * Substance or alcohol abuse * Obesity (Body Mass Index≥28) * Long-term use of immunosuppressant or glucocorticoid * Within one year after major surgery * Metal or electronic device implants * Claustrophobia * Pregnancy or lactation * Previous acupuncture treatment in the latest 3 months * Participating in another clinical research within a month