| Objective: To present a broad overview of the literature in relation to the volume and variety of published material referring to spine-related neural reflexes upon organic symptoms, signs and conditions - the somato-autonomic influence. This presentation particularly emphasises somato-autonomic reflexes and to a degree, somato-autonomic-visceral reflexes mediated through the spinal influence of the neuraxis. It seeks to catalogue the evidence of the potential for further influence upon the function of internal anatomical structures - that is, other than those which may be regarded as purely musculoskeletal. The study further highlights the significant formal original neurophysiology research activities by chiropractors and medical researchers. These activities tend to explain the phenomena of this neurovertebral influence upon autonomic and internal function. Data Sources: Citations were extracted from a number of sources including: The Index to Chiropractic Literature, PubMed, Reference lists of previously published papers and textbooks, and two osteopathic electronic indexes. Over 500 papers were assessed and in a few cases only the abstracts were obtainable. Data Syntheses: There appears to be a developing interest in the infuence of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) as depicted by the number of medical texts currently emerging. The most extensive work to date has been by Sato et al, where their studies correlate with spine-related concepts so pertinent to this presentation. The volume, variety and depth of material listed does not appear to have been presented previously. The inter-professional co-operative research projects are noted. Conclusion: It is noted that the volume of material presented tends to further define the neurological basis of the many clinical observations, and may provide additional explanation for the subjective patient reports of positive responses to manual manipulative intervention. Effectively at this stage, this both underpins and builds upon a long-established empirically based rationale. This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher, who has also granted access to free full text.
Supplementary materials: References; Appendix 3: Early Medical Papers of HIstorial Interest to Spine Related Conditions
|
