PMID: 11898013Mar 19, 2002Paper

First Prize: Central motor excitability changes after spinal manipulation: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
J Donald DishmanJeanmarie R Burke

Abstract

The physiologic mechanism by which spinal manipulation may reduce pain and muscular spasm is not fully understood. One such mechanistic theory proposed is that spinal manipulation may intervene in the cycle of pain and spasm by affecting the resting excitability of the motoneuron pool in the spinal cord. Previous data from our laboratory indicate that spinal manipulation leads to attenuation of the excitability of the motor neuron pool when assessed by means of peripheral nerve Ia-afferent stimulation (Hoffmann reflex). The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of lumbar spinal manipulation on the excitability of the motor neuron pool as assessed by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation. Motor-evoked potentials were recorded subsequent to transcranial magnetic stimulation. The motor-evoked potential peak-to-peak amplitudes in the right gastrocnemius muscle of healthy volunteers (n = 24) were measured before and after homolateral L5-S1 spinal manipulation (experimental group) or side-posture positioning with no manipulative thrust applied (control group). Immediately after the group-specific procedure, and again at 5 and 10 minutes after the procedure, 10 motor-evoked potential responses were measured at a rate...Continue Reading

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