Objective:To investigate if manual acupuncture can improve the primary insomnia-induced impairments of attention network function and its safety.Methods:Totally 64 eligible participants were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial,with 32 cases allocated to the treatment group and 32 cases allocated to the control group,respectively.The participants in the treatment group received real-acupuncture therapy[acupuncture at 'Five Spirits Acupoints' including Shéntíng(神庭 GV 24),Běnshén(本神 GB 13),Sìshéncōng(四神聪 EX-HN 1),Shéndào(神道 GV11)and Shénmén(神门 HT 7)]whereas participants in control group received sham-acupuncture therapy with Streitberger placebo-needle and same acupoints.Interventions were offered every two days and three times a week for total 8 weeks.Both Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI)and Attention Network Task(ANT)were employed to assess the changes of sleep quality and attention network function at pretreatment and post-treatment,respectively.Meanwhile,adverse effects were monitored and recorded.Results:(1)After 8-week treatment,the total score of PSQI in the treatment group decreased from14.22±3.46 to 8.19±3.34(P<0.001),and the total score of PSQI in the control group decreased from12.84±3.90 to 11.41±3.90(P<0.05).The decrease in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group(P<0.001).(2)After treatment,the alerting efficiency of both groups increased,the treatment group increased from 40.44±5.62 to 56.44±5.37(P<0.001),and the control group increased from 39.50±6.39 to 40.06±6.14(P<0.05).The increase in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group(P<0.001).The total reaction time of both groups decreased,the treatment group decreased from 574.94±10.1 to 548.34±15.05(P<0.001),and the control group decreased from578.25±13.26 to 576.78±12.15(P<0.05).The decrease in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group(P<0.001).(3)No obvious change in orienting efficiency was observed in bo