The Biological Specificity of Acupoints Between Major Depressive Disorder Patients and Healthy Controls

Inclusion Criteria: Inclusion criteria for the healthy control participants: * provided a recent depression screening report, and be free of any cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, hematological, endocrine, or neurological disease; * 18 ≤ age ≤60 years, male or female; * had clear consciousness and could communicate with others normally; - understand the full study protocol and have high adherence; * signed the written informed consent. Inclusion criteria for the MDD participants: * consistent with the diagnosis of MDD in the International Classification of Diseases 10th Edition (ICD-10); * 18 ≤ age ≤ 60, male or female; * had clear consciousness and could communicate with others normally; * understand the full study protocol and have high adherence; * signed the written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * The exclusion criteria of the HC participants were as follows: (1) had serious primary diseases of cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases, kidney diseases, urinary diseases, and hematological diseases; (2) pregnant or lactating; (3) had scars, hyperpigmentation, red and swollen of the skin at the test site; (4) were participating in other trials; (5) had a mental illness, alcohol dependence, or a history of drug abuse. Exclusion criteria for the MDD participants: (1)-(4) same exclusion criteria as healthy subjects; (5) MDD caused by organic mental disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychoactive substances, and non-addictive substances; (6) had psychiatric disorders other than MDD; (7) with suicidal tendencies. In addition, IRT is not be performed on female subjects during their menstrual and ovulatory periods.