Objective To observe the therapeutic effect and adver se reactions of ac upuncture intervention for depression.Methods Ninety e ight depression patients were randomized into control group of 54 cases and intervention group of 44 cases.Both groups were given one kind of selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor （SSRI） antidepressants orally.The treatment course lasted for 6 weeks.The inte rvention group was added with acupuncture on Shenting（GV24）

Baihui（GV20）

Fen gchi（GB20）

Dazhui（GV14）

Shendao（GV11） and Zhiyang（GV9）.The total scores o f Hamilton Depression Rating Scale for Depression（HAMD） were recorded befor e the treatment and in the 1st

2nd

4th and 6th week of the treatment and after 1 month of follow-up.The scores of Side Effect Rating Scale（SERS） were re corded before the treatment and in the 2nd

4th and 6th week of the treatment.T he therapeutic effect was analyzed according to the reduced rate of HAMD.Results The excellence rate and total effective rate of the c ontrol group was 61.11% a nd 85.19%

which was inferior to 90.90% and 100% of the intervention group resp ectively（P<0.01 or P<0.05）.The total scores of HAMD in the interventi on group w ere significantly lower than those in the control group in the 1st

2nd

4th and 6th week of the treatment（P<0.05 or P<0.01）.The scores of SERS in t he interve ntion group were significantly lower than those in the control group in the 2nd

4th and 6th week of the treatment（P<0.01）.Conclusion The intervention with ac upuncture is more effective than the single drug therapy for depression with a r apid onset and lower adverse reactions.