Depression is characterized by depressed mood and loss of interest in activities, associated with psychological and somatic symptoms. According to the latest estimates, depression affects more than 300 million individuals worldwide, with a global prevalence of 4.4% [1]. Therefore, depression has become a leading cause of the global burden of disease in the last decade.

Findings from epidemiological investigations [2], genome-wide association research [3], and animal studies [4] indicate that neuroimmune crosstalk significantly contributes to the pathophysiology of depression. This term refers to the intricate interactions between the nervous system and the immune system [5]. Alterations in immune cell phenotypes and the release of pro-inflammatory mediators in both peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid have observed in patients with depression, suggesting that depression is associated with neuroimmune dysfunction and an exacerbated inflammatory state 6, 7, 8, 9.

Despite progress in depression research over recent years, the effective interventions are still insufficient. Currently, the primary clinical approach for depression involves antidepressant medications; however, this treatment is often limited by delayed therapeutic onset, adverse effects and treatment resistance [10]. Given these limitations, non-pharmacological interventions now play an important role in the management of depression. Acupuncture, an ancient therapy originating from traditional Chinese medicine, has gained increasing interest for its clinical effects on depressive and somatization symptoms 11, 12, representing a promising therapeutic alternative for patients with depression. Emerging evidence suggests that acupuncture may ameliorate dysregulated inflammatory responses in both clinical studies and preclinical models of depression 7, 13. However, the precise mechanisms underlying these effects have not yet fully understood. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the therapeutic potential and basis of acupuncture in regulating neuroimmune crosstalk and inflammation in depression.