Background Acupuncture in the treatment of stroke and other neurological diseases has a long history and rich clinical experiences. Electro-acupuncture is a therapy based on traditional acupuncture combined with modern electrical techniques, which was reported to have important impacts on the pathological evolution of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury(I/RI). Objective The purpose of this review is to determine the neuroprotective effects of electro-acupuncture and its’ mechanism. Content In accordance with the pathophysiological mechanisms, summarized and analyzed the protective effects and mechanism of electro-acupuncture for cerebral I/RI. Trend As a complementary and alternative treatment, electro-acupuncture has good prospects in prevention, treatment or adjuvant treatment for cerebral I/RI.