TITLE:
Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine for Meige Syndrome: A Research Progress
AUTHORS:
Yu Liu, Yanlin Zheng
KEYWORDS:
Meige Syndrome, Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Acupuncture Therapy, Deep Brain Stimulation, Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.14 No.4,
March
27,
2026
ABSTRACT: Meige Syndrome is a rare extrapyramidal disorder of the nervous system, characterized by core clinical manifestations including blepharospasm, oromandibular dystonia, and spasmodic torticollis. In severe cases, it may involve the limbs and trunk, and even present critical symptoms such as dyspnea. The clinical manifestations are significantly heterogeneous and progressively worsen with disease progression, which severely impair patients’ facial function, motor activity, and quality of life. The pathogenesis and etiology of Meige Syndrome have not yet reached a unified conclusion. Existing hypotheses include basal ganglia dysfunction and neuroinhibitory deficits at multiple levels of the central nervous system. These abnormalities may involve multiple brain regions including the brainstem, spinal cord, basal ganglia, and cerebral cortex. Current main Western medicine treatments include pharmacotherapy, botulinum toxin injection, surgical intervention, and supportive care, but they are limited by short duration of efficacy and obvious adverse reactions. Under the guidance of holistic syndrome differentiation and treatment, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has formed various therapeutic regimens such as acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and combined acupuncture-medicine therapy, showing unique advantages.