By Iain B. McIntosh BA (Hons), MBChB, DGMRCP, DRCOG, FTTMRCPS(Glas)

Fears and phobias are common. Fear and anxiety can be the psychological stimuli to drive personal behaviour. Phobias however may prove an annoying inconvenience or a major disability. Fear is a normal condition of life and a response to a real or imagined threat. Minor fears are within the cultural norm, with a continuum of fear between mild and intense phobia- a morbid response disproportionate to causative stimulus. Phobias can be simple and specific, or be associated with panic reaction and wider ranging agoraphobia.

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There is a need to further our understanding of the neurophysiological effects of chiropractic spinal manipulation on brain activity as it pertains to both musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal complaints. This paper aims to provide a basic overview of the most commonly utilised techniques in the neurosciences for functional imaging the brain (positron emission tomography, single-photon emission computerised tomography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography, and magnetoencephalography), and discuss their applicability in future chiropractic research. Functional neuroimaging modalities are used in a wide range of different research and clinical settings, and are powerful tools in the investigation of neuronal activity in the human brain. There are many potential applications for functional neuroimaging in future chiropractic research, but there are some feasibility issues, mainly pertaining to access and funding. We strongly encourage the use of functional neuroimaging in future investigations of the effects of chiropractic spinal manipulation on brain function.

JCCA J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2009 Mar;53(1):59-72. Lystad RP, Pollard H. Postgraduate Student, Department of Health and Chiropractic, Macquarie University.

Postural control in subjects with high (Highs) and low (Lows) susceptibility to hypnosis is differentially affected by changes in visual and neck tactile/proprioceptive input. The aim of the present experiment was to investigate whether imagery of the visual and tactile sensory modalities also induces different modulation of postural control in Highs and Lows. Fourteen Highs and 16 Lows were included in the study; they were recorded while standing upright with eyes closed during visual and tactile imagery tasks and during mental computation. Their posture and movement were recorded with an Elite System and their experience was assessed after each task in a structured interview. Visual imagery was judged "easier" than tactile imagery by Lows, while Highs performed both tasks easily and judged the tactile imagery less effortful and more vivid than Lows. No difference was observed for the mental computation. The Highs' body sway was not affected by the cognitive tasks, while Lows showed a task-related modulation of body sway. The results are in line with the hypothesis of lower vulnerability of Highs to the effects of tasks interfering with postural control and of different sensory-motor integration in Highs and Lows.

Exp Brain Res. 2007 May;179(2):147-54. Carli G, Cavallaro FI, Rendo CA, Santarcangelo EL. Department of Physiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.