Based on data mining technology

the acupoints compatibility rules of acupuncture for depression diseases were explored. The randomized controlled trial（RCT） articles regarding acupuncture for depression diseases published from establishment of database to September 2nd

2022 were searched in CNKI database

Wangfang database

VIP database

Sino Med database

Pub Med

EMbase

Web of Science and Cochrane Library. The use frequency of acupoints

meridian tropism

selection of special acupoints and acupoint association rules for five common depression diseases

including primary depression

post-stroke depression

menopausal syndrome

psychoneurosis and anxiety disorder

were analyzed by Python programming language. Cytoscape software was used to analyze the acupoint association and the disease-acupoint co-occurrence network. As a result

totally 387 articles were included

and 319 acupoints prescriptions for the above five common depression diseases were extracted

involving 159 acupoints. The use frequency of acupoints was 2 574 times in total. The frequently-used acupoints were Baihui（GV 20）

Sanyinjiao（SP 6）

Taichong（LR 3）

Neiguan（PC 6）

Shenmen（HT 7）

Yintang（GV 24+）

Zusanli（ST 36）

Hegu（LI 4）

Sishencong（EX-HN 1） and Taixi（KI 3）

etc. The frequently involved meridians were the governor vessel

foot-taiyang bladder meridian

foot-taiyin spleen meridian

and foot-jueyin liver meridian.The frequency of the special acupoints from high to low was crossing points

five-shu points

yuan-primary points

back-shu points

luo-connecting points

and eight confluent points

etc

which were often used in combination with "Baihui（GV 20）-Yintang（GV 24+）"（the highest degree of association）. At the same time

the analysis of the co-occurrence network of depression diseases and acupoints showed that the core acupoints group of acupuncture for depression diseases were Baihui（GV 20）

Taichong（LR 3）

Shenmen（HT 7）

Zusanli（ST 36）

Neiguan（PC 6） and Sanyinjiao（SP 6）. In conclusion

acupuncture treatment for depression diseases has gradually formed a rule of acupoint compatibility

with special acupoint as the main body and "unblocking the governor vessel

and regulating the spirit and qi " as the main therapeutic principle.