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Neurology

Brain Mechanisms of Anticipated Painful Movements and Their Modulation by Manual Therapy in Chronic Low Back Pain

By |September 3, 2025|Chronic Low Back Pain, Fear Avoidance, Neurology|

Brain Mechanisms of Anticipated Painful Movements and Their Modulation by Manual Therapy in Chronic Low Back Pain

The Chiro.Org Blog


SOURCE:   J Pain 2018 (Nov); 19 (11): 1352–1365

Dan-Mikael Ellingsen • Vitaly Napadow • Ekaterina Protsenko • Ishtiaq Mawla • Matthew H Kowalski • David Swensen • Deanna O’Dwyer-Swensen • Robert R Edwards • Norman Kettner • Marco L Loggia

A. A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging,
Department of Radiology,
Massachusetts General Hospital,
Harvard Medical School,
Boston, Massachusetts.



Heightened anticipation and fear of movement-related pain has been linked to detrimental fear-avoidance behavior in chronic low back pain (cLBP). Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) has been proposed to work partly by exposing patients to nonharmful but forceful mobilization of the painful joint, thereby disrupting the relationship among pain anticipation, fear, and movement. Here, we investigated the brain processes underpinning pain anticipation and fear of movement in cLBP, and their modulation by SMT, using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Fifteen cLBP patients and 16 healthy control (HC) subjects were scanned while observing and rating video clips depicting back-straining or neutral physical exercises, which they knew they would have to perform at the end of the visit. This task was repeated after a single session of spinal manipulation (cLBP and HC group) or mobilization (cLBP group only), in separate visits. Compared with HC subjects, cLBP patients reported higher expected pain and fear of performing the observed exercises. These ratings, along with clinical pain, were reduced by SMT. Moreover, cLBP, relative to HC subjects, demonstrated higher blood oxygen level-dependent signal in brain circuitry that has previously been implicated in salience, social cognition, and mentalizing, while observing back straining compared with neutral exercises. The engagement of this circuitry was reduced after SMT, and especially the spinal manipulation session, proportionally to the magnitude of SMT-induced reduction in anticipated pain and fear. This study sheds light on the brain processing of anticipated pain and fear of back-straining movement in cLBP, and suggests that SMT may reduce cognitive and affective-motivational aspects of fear-avoidance behavior, along with corresponding brain processes. PERSPECTIVE: This study of cLBP patients investigated how SMT affects clinical pain, expected pain, and fear of physical exercises. The results indicate that one of the mechanisms of SMT may be to reduce pain expectancy, fear of movement, and associated brain responses.

Keywords:   Expectation; Fear-avoidance; Pain anticipation; Physical exercise; Spinal Manipulative Therapy; chronic Low Back Pain; functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.


From the FULL TEXT Article:

Background

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Vertebral Subluxation and Systems Biology: An Integrative Review Exploring the Salutogenic Influence of Chiropractic Care on the Neuroendocrine-Immune System

By |April 24, 2024|Neurology, Subluxation|

Vertebral Subluxation and Systems Biology: An Integrative Review Exploring the Salutogenic Influence of Chiropractic Care on the Neuroendocrine-Immune System

The Chiro.Org Blog


SOURCE:   Cureus 2024 (Mar 15); 16 (3): e56223

  OPEN ACCESS   

Amy Haas • Jonathan Chung • Christopher Kent • Brooke Mills and Matthew McCoy

Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation
4390 Bells Ferry Road
Kennesaw, Georgia 30144



In this paper we synthesize an expansive body of literature examining the multifaceted influence of chiropractic care on processes within and modulators of the neuroendocrine-immune (NEI) system, for the purpose of generating an inductive hypothesis regarding the potential impacts of chiropractic care on integrated physiology. Taking a broad, interdisciplinary, and integrative view of two decades of research-documented outcomes of chiropractic care, inclusive of reports ranging from systematic and meta-analysis and randomized and observational trials to case and cohort studies, this review encapsulates a rigorous analysis of research and suggests the appropriateness of a more integrative perspective on the impact of chiropractic care on systemic physiology. A novel perspective on the salutogenic, health-promoting effects of chiropractic adjustment is presented, focused on the improvement of physical indicators of well-being and adaptability such as blood pressure, heart rate variability, and sleep, potential benefits that may be facilitated through multiple neurologically mediated pathways. Our findings support the biological plausibility of complex benefits from chiropractic intervention that is not limited to simple neuromusculoskeletal outcomes and open new avenues for future research, specifically the exploration and mapping of the precise neural pathways and networks influenced by chiropractic adjustment.

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SUBLUXATION Section

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The Contemporary Model of Vertebral Column Joint Dysfunction and Impact of High-velocity, Low-amplitude Controlled Vertebral Thrusts on Neuromuscular Function

By |December 17, 2021|Neurology, Subluxation|

The Contemporary Model of Vertebral Column Joint Dysfunction and Impact of High-velocity, Low-amplitude Controlled Vertebral Thrusts on Neuromuscular Function

The Chiro.Org Blog


SOURCE:   European J Applied Physiology 2021 (Oct); 121 (10): 2675–2720

Heidi Haavik, Nitika Kumari, Kelly Holt, Imran Khan Niazi, Imran Amjad, Amit N Pujari, Kemal Sitki Türker, Bernadette Murphy

Centre for Chiropractic Research,
New Zealand College of Chiropractic,
Auckland, New Zealand.



Purpose:   There is growing evidence that vertebral column function and dysfunction play a vital role in neuromuscular control. This invited review summarises the evidence about how vertebral column dysfunction, known as a central segmental motor control (CSMC) problem, alters neuromuscular function and how spinal adjustments (high-velocity, low-amplitude or HVLA thrusts directed at a CSMC problem) and spinal manipulation (HVLA thrusts directed at segments of the vertebral column that may not have clinical indicators of a CSMC problem) alters neuromuscular function.

Methods:   The current review elucidates the peripheral mechanisms by which CSMC problems, the spinal adjustment or spinal manipulation alter the afferent input from the paravertebral tissues. It summarises the contemporary model that provides a biologically plausible explanation for CSMC problems, the manipulable spinal lesion. This review also summarises the contemporary, biologically plausible understanding about how spinal adjustments enable more efficient production of muscular force. The evidence showing how spinal dysfunction, spinal manipulation and spinal adjustments alter central multimodal integration and motor control centres will be covered in a second invited review.

Results:   Many studies have shown spinal adjustments increase voluntary force and prevent fatigue, which mainly occurs due to altered supraspinal excitability and multimodal integration. The literature suggests physical injury, pain, inflammation, and acute or chronic physiological or psychological stress can alter the vertebral column’s central neural motor control, leading to a CSMC problem. The many gaps in the literature have been identified, along with suggestions for future studies.

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Patients Receiving Chiropractic Care in a Neurorehabilitation Hospital: A Descriptive Study

By |April 28, 2021|Chiropractic Care, Neurology|

Patients Receiving Chiropractic Care in a Neurorehabilitation Hospital: A Descriptive Study

The Chiro.Org Blog


SOURCE: J Multidiscip Healthc. 2018 (May 3); 11: 223–231


Robert D Vining, Stacie A Salsbury, W Carl Cooley, Donna Gosselin, Lance Corber, and Christine M Goertz

Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research,
Palmer College of Chiropractic,
Davenport, IA, USA.


OBJECTIVES: Individuals rehabilitating from complex neurological injury require a multidisciplinary approach, which typically does not include chiropractic care. This study describes inpatients receiving multidisciplinary rehabilitation including chiropractic care for brain injury, spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, and other complex neurological conditions.

DESIGN: Chiropractic services were integrated into Crotched Mountain Specialty Hospital (CMSH) through this project. Patient characteristics and chiropractic care data were collected to describe those receiving care and the interventions during the first 15 months when chiropractic services were available.

SETTING: CMSH, a 62–bed subacute multidisciplinary rehabilitation, skilled nursing facility located in Greenfield, New Hampshire, USA.

RESULTS: Patient mean (SD) age (n=27) was 42.8 (13) years, ranging from 20 to 64 years. Males (n=18, 67%) and those of white race/ethnicity (n=23, 85%) comprised the majority. Brain injury (n=20) was the most common admitting condition caused by trauma (n=9), hemorrhage (n=7), infarction (n=2), and general anoxia (n=2). Three patients were admitted for cervical SCI, 1 for ankylosing spondylitis, 1 for traumatic polyarthropathy, and 2 for respiratory failure with encephalopathy. Other common comorbid diagnoses potentially complicating the treatment and recovery process included myospasm (n=13), depression (n=11), anxiety (n=10), dysphagia (n=8), substance abuse (n=8), and candidiasis (n=7). Chiropractic procedures employed, by visit (n=641), included manual myofascial therapies (93%), mechanical percussion (83%), manual muscle stretching (75%), and thrust manipulation (65%) to address patients with spinal-related pain (n=15, 54%), joint or regional stiffness (n= 14, 50%), and extremity pain (n=13, 46%). Care often required adapting to participant limitations or conditions. Such adaptations not commonly encountered in outpatient settings where chiropractic care is usually delivered included the need for lift assistance, wheelchair dependence, contractures, impaired speech, quadriplegia/paraplegia, and the presence of feeding tubes and urinary catheters.

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The Effect of Spinal Manipulation on Brain Neurometabolites

By |December 3, 2019|Low Back Pain, Neurology|

The Effect of Spinal Manipulation on Brain Neurometabolites in Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The Chiro.Org Blog


SOURCE:   Irish Journal of Medical Science 2019 (Nov 26) [Epub]

Daryoush Didehdar, Fahimeh Kamali, Amin Kordi Yoosefinejad, Mehrzad Lotfi

Department of Physical Therapy,
School of Rehabilitation Sciences,
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,
Shiraz, Iran.



BACKGROUND:   In patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain (NCLBP), brain function changes due to the neuroplastic changes in different regions.

AIM:   The current study aimed to evaluate the brain metabolite changes after spinal manipulation, using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS).

METHODS:   In the current study, 25 patients with NCLBP aged 20-50 years were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to lumbopelvic manipulation or sham. Patients were evaluated before and 5 weeks after treatment by the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and 1H-MRS.

RESULTS:   After treatment, severity of pain and functional disability were significantly reduced in the treatment group vs. sham group (p < 0.05). After treatment, N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) in thalamus, insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) regions, as well as choline (Cho) in the thalamus, insula, and somatosensory cortex (SSC) regions, had increased significantly in the treatment group compared with the sham group (p < 0.05). A significant increase was further observed in NAA in thalamus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and SCC regions along with Cho metabolite in thalamus and SCC regions after treatment in the treatment group compared with the baseline measures (p < 0.05).

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Spinal Manipulation Therapy: Is It All About the Brain?

By |May 29, 2019|Neurology|

Spinal Manipulation Therapy: Is It All About the Brain? A Current Review of the Neurophysiological Effects of Manipulation

The Chiro.Org Blog


SOURCE:   Journal of Integrative Medicine 2019 (May 9) [Epub]

Giles Gyer, Jimmy Michael, James Inklebarger, Jaya Shanker Tedla

The London College of Osteopathic Medicine,
London NW1 6QH, United Kingdom.


Spinal manipulation has been an effective intervention for the management of various musculoskeletal disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying the pain modulatory effects of spinal manipulation remain elusive. Although both biomechanical and neurophysiological phenomena have been thought to play a role in the observed clinical effects of spinal manipulation, a growing number of recent studies have indicated peripheral, spinal and supraspinal mechanisms of manipulation and suggested that the improved clinical outcomes are largely of neurophysiological origin.

In this article, we reviewed the relevance of various neurophysiological theories with respect to the findings of mechanistic studies that demonstrated neural responses following spinal manipulation. This article also discussed whether these neural responses are associated with the possible neurophysiological mechanisms of spinal manipulation. The body of literature reviewed herein suggested some clear neurophysiological changes following spinal manipulation, which include neural plastic changes, alteration in motor neuron excitability, increase in cortical drive and many more. However, the clinical relevance of these changes in relation to the mechanisms that underlie the effectiveness of spinal manipulation is still unclear. In addition, there were some major methodological flaws in many of the reviewed studies. Future mechanistic studies should have an appropriate study design and methodology and should plan for a long-term follow-up in order to determine the clinical significance of the neural responses evoked following spinal manipulation.

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