The Prefrontal Cortex

The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain needed for us to be able to carry out all goal directed tasks, decision making, memory and attention, intelligence, processing of pain and emotional responses to it, autonomic function, movement control, eye movements and spatial awareness.

The way your spine works actually changes the way your brain works!

Spatial Awareness

Being able to accurately perceive where you are, and where your arms and legs are, is very, very important. You need to know where you are to be able to move without having accidents. And it’s also very important to be able to accurately perceive the world around you! This is a vital skill we need all day every day.

References

1. Lelic D, Niazi IK, Holt K, et al. Manipulation of Dysfunctional Spinal Joints Affects Sensorimotor Integration in the Prefrontal Cortex: A Brain Source Localization Study. Neural plasticity 2016;2016:3704964.
2. Holt KR, Haavik H, Lee AC, et al. Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care to Improve Sensorimotor Function Associated With Falls Risk in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2016.
3. Haavik H, Murphy B. Subclinical neck pain and the effects of cervical manipulation on elbow joint position sense. Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics 2011;34:88-97.
4. Haavik H, Murphy B. The role of spinal manipulation in addressing disordered sensorimotor integration and altered motor control. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology 2012;22(5):768-76.
5. Christiansen TL, Niazi IK, Holt K, Nedergaard RW, Duehr J, Allen K, Marshall P, Türker KS, Hartvigsen J, Haavik H. The effects of a single session of spinal manipulation on strength and cortical drive in athletes. European journal of applied physiology. 2018 Apr 1;118(4):737-49.
6. Niazi IK, Turker KS, Flavel S, et al. Changes in H-reflex and V-waves following spinal manipulation. Exp Brain Res 2015.
7. Holt, K., Niazi, I.K., Nedergaard, R.W., Duehr, J., Amjad, I., Shafique, M., Anwar, M.N., Ndetan, H., Turker, K.S. and Haavik, H., 2019. The effects of a single session of chiropractic care on strength, cortical drive, and spinal excitability in stroke patients. Scientific reports, 9(1), pp.1-10.
8. Haavik, H., Murphy, B.A. and Kruger, J., 2016. Effect of Spinal Manipulation on Pelvic Floor Functional Changes in Pregnant and Nonpregnant Women: A Preliminary Study. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, 39(5), pp.339-347.
9. Kelly DD, Murphy BA, Backhouse DP. Use of a mental rotation reaction-time paradigm to measure the effects of upper cervical adjustments on cortical processing: a pilot study. Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics 2000;23(4):246-51