Table 10 Results from seven studies included in a systematic review on the effect of spinal manipulation on ‘brain function’, comparing spinal manipulation to an inactive control
1st Author Year Ref | Type of study subjects | Outcome | Was a statistically significant difference between groups observed? | Time of assessment | Quality classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kelly 2000 [29] | Healthy | Reaction-time to a mental rotation task | Yes (p < .05) Statistically significant decrease post-SM compared to control | Unknown | Medium |
Dishman 2002 [17] | MEP amplitudes | Yes (p < .05) Statistically significant increase from 20 to 120 s. post-SM compared to control | -Immediately after (each 20s during 120 s after SM or control) − 5 min − 10 min | Medium | |
Dishman 2008 [18] | MEP amplitudes | Yes (p < .05) Statistically significant increase at 10 s. post-SM compared to control | Immediately after (each 10s during 100 s after SM or control) | Low | |
Fryer 2012 [16] | MEP amplitudes | Yes (p = .04) Statistically significant decrease post-SM compared to control | Unknown (approximately 10 min after one intervention or the other) | Medium | |
MEP latencies | No | ||||
CSP durations | No | ||||
Ogura 2011 [19] | Symptomatic (mechanical neck pain and shoulder stiffness) | Regional cerebral metabolic rate | Yes (p < .001) Statistically significant increase post-SM compared to control in the inferior prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and middle temporal gyrus; and statistically significant decrease post-SM compared to control in the cerebellar vermis and visual association cortex | Between 35 to 55 min | Low |
Inami 2017 [8] | Regional cerebral metabolic rate | Yes (p < .05) Statistically significant increase post-SM compared to control in the Broca’s area, anterior cingulate cortex, somatosensory association cortex, Wernike’s area, visual association cortex, cerebellar vermis, and visual cortex; and statistically significant decrease post-SM compared to control in the inferior parietal lobule, frontal pole, inferior frontal gyrus, pars triangularis, premotor area/supplementary motor area, primary motor cortex, frontal eye field, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, angular gyrus, fusiform gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, and temporal pole. | Between 35 to 65 min | Low | |
Haavik 2010b [21] | “Subclinical neck/spinal pain” | P14-N18 SEP peak ratio | No | Unclear (said to be within 25 min post-SM or control, possibly 45 min after one intervention or the other) | Medium |
N20-P25 SEP peak ratio | No | ||||
P22-N30 SEP peak ratio | Yes (p = .00005) Statistically significant decrease post-SM compared to control |