Study procedures and time points
EVENT
Once a week for 10–12 weeks, participants will receive their respective treatments. The two-week buffer will be considered in the event of unexpected, missed treatment visits, such as illness or COVID-19 exposure. During the treatment period, there will be three time points at which participants will complete five questionnaires, a computerized neuropsychological test and have their blood collected for biomarker assessment. For the five questionnaires, study participants will be given the option to have the questionnaires administered before their treatment visit remotely. There will be a follow-up visit four to twelve weeks after their last EA treatment, where participants will again be assessed using the same questionnaires and cognitive tests and having their blood drawn for biomarker assessment. In terms of the optional neuroimaging aspect of our study, participants opting in will undergo an fMRI at baseline before they begin the treatments and after they finish their tenth and final treatment. In summary, the time points are as follows (Fig. 
Study flow chart. Time point 1 (T1): Before initiation of verum EA or sham EA treatment; Time point 2 (T2): Between the 4th and 5th treatment visits; Time point 3 (T3): Within 1 week after the last planned verum EA or sham EA treatment visit; Time point 4 (T4): At least 4 weeks, and up to 12 weeks, after the last planned verum EA or sham EA treatment visit
Time point 1 (T1): Before initiation of verum EA or sham EA treatment.Time point 2 (T2): Between the 4th and 5th treatment visits.Time point 3 (T3): Within 1 week after the last planned verum EA or sham EA treatment visit.Time point 4 (T4): At least 4 weeks and up to 12 weeks after the last planned verum EA or sham EA treatment visit.