Objective: To investigate the effects of spinal manipulation (SM) on brain functional activity in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH).
Methods: Eleven patients with LDH were recruited in the study. All patients received 6 times of lumbar SM treatment and then clinical efficacy was evaluated. All patients received brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans before and after SM treatment.
Results: Three subjects dropped out and 8 subjects completed the study, among whom 4 cases were effective and 4 ineffective after SM treatment. The required pressure value producing the same level (VAS 50) pain was (7.43 ± 1.47) kg and (10.53 ± 0.55) kg before and after SM treatment in effective patients(P<0.05); however, there was no significant difference in ineffective patients (P>0.05). Compared to pre-treatment level, the brain functional activity in effective patients was mainly inhibited, the inhibited areas were located in the right side of prefrontal cortex and cerebellum; while the brain functional activity was generally enhanced in ineffective patients.
Conclusion: SM can affect the brain functional activity of patients with LDH, the inhibited areas is mainly located in prefrontal cortex and cerebellum when SM treatment is effective.
目的: 观察脊柱推拿治疗对腰椎间盘突出症患者脑功能活动的影响。
方法: 招募11例腰椎间盘突出症患者，8例受试者完成了研究。所有患者接受6次腰部脊柱推拿治疗，并在脊柱推拿治疗前、后对患者进行颅脑功能核磁共振成像检测，评估患者脑功能活动的改变及与疗效关系。
结果: 4例腰椎间盘突出症患者脊柱推拿治疗有效，4例无效。脊柱推拿有效患者治疗前、后产生视觉模拟评分（VAS）为50分时的疼痛压力值分别为（7.43±1.47）kg和（10.53±0.55）kg（ P < 0.05），而无效患者的则无明显差异（ P＞0.05）。颅脑功能核磁共振成像检测结果提示，脊柱推拿治疗有效患者的脑功能活动以抑制为主，抑制区域主要位于右侧前额叶及小脑区域；而脊柱推拿治疗无效患者的脑功能活动以增强为主。
结论: 脊柱推拿能够影响腰椎间盘突出症患者的脑功能活动，其治疗有效患者的抑制区域主要在额叶及小脑。