Neurologically Based Chiropractic

Stunning revelations are coming from the world of neuroscience research these days. Information on the ability of the brain to keep itself organized during its quiet times supports the Chiropractic theories of innate intelligence.  The chiropractic profession has suggested that the body is a self maintaining, self healing organism and that this ability is centered within the nervous system. However, mainly because the Chiropractic profession has mostly abandoned many of its basic theories while pursuing the Musculo-skeletal, mechanical model, the latest developments in neuroscience will bypass Chiropractic completely.

The article titled, “The Brain’s Dark Energy” (Scientific American, March 2010: pages 44-49) presents key concepts which include:

. “Neuroscientists have long thought that the brain’s circuits are turned off when a person is at rest.

. Imaging experiments however, have shown that there is a persistent level of background activity.

. This “default mode network” (DMN) as it is called may be critical in planning future actions.

. Miswiring of brain regions involved in the default mode may lead to disorders ranging from Alzheimer’s to schizophrenia.”

The Default Mode Network involves multiple areas of the brain with the Medial Prefrontal Cortex, in both hemispheres, being the largest.  This organization within the brain is not surprising as stated in the article, “the brain is not a free-for-all among independent systems but a federation of interdependent components.”  While there is a hierarchy within this federation, there are times when the outside environment stressors will override it so that the brain faces a challenge between planned responses and immediate needs.

If there is a heavy level of immediate needs (alert responses or threats) and/or restricted downtimes, the DMN cannot function and the brain becomes over loaded. Researchers were able to identify when a subject was about to commit an error in a computer test because the DMN took control during focused concentration.

The current understanding suggests that the DMN plays a very important role in illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, depression, and schizophrenia. Research is now looking into the DMN role to provide deeper insights into the cause of disease and treatment strategies.

So what does all this mean? It means the chiropractic theories regarding Innate’s ability to self organize were correct. It also means that we are about to lose ground once again in the healing arts because we have abandoned the very concepts that were our unique positioning.  In so doing we have basically sold our “souls” in order to get reimbursed by insurance companies. Short term gain – long term loss!

There is more to be said  here as the April Issue of Scientific American contains an article on the brain’s faulty wiring or what Neurologically Based Chiropractic calls “subluxation”.

My first question is, “What are you reading, books on spinal mechanics or disc decompression?” My next question is, “What do you think is really the cause of those problems?”

Time to catch up with neuroscience!