Effect of Denervation on XBP1 in Skeletal Muscle and the Neuromuscular Junction.

Denervation of skeletal muscle is a debilitating consequence of injury of the peripheral nervous system, causing skeletal muscle to experience robust atrophy. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling the wasting of skeletal muscle due to denervation are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that transection of the sciatic nerve in Sprague-Dawley rats induced robust skeletal muscle atrophy, with little effect on the neuromuscular junction (NMJ).

Effects of Thrust Magnitude and Duration on Immediate Postspinal Manipulation Trunk Muscle Spindle Responses.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize trunk muscle spindle responses immediately after high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation (HVLA-SM) delivered at various thrust magnitudes and thrust durations.

Methods: Secondary analysis from multiple studies involving anesthetized adult cats (N = 70; 2.3-6.

Role for Endocannabinoids in Spinal Manipulative Therapy Analgesia?

Chronic pain is quite prevalent and causes significant disabilities and socioeconomic burdens. Spinal manipulative therapy and other manipulative therapies are used to manage chronic pain. There is a critical knowledge gap about mechanisms and sites of action in spinal manipulative therapy pain relief, especially the short-term analgesia that occurs following a treatment.

Spinal manipulative therapy reduces peripheral neuropathic pain in the rat.

Spinal manipulative therapy, including low-velocity variable-amplitude spinal manipulation (LVVA-SM), relieves chronic low back pain, especially in patients with neuropathic radiating leg pain following peripheral nervous system insult. Understanding the underlying analgesic mechanisms requires animal models. The aim of the current study was to develop an animal model for the analgesic actions of LVVA-SM in the setting of peripheral neuropathic pain.

Decreased spontaneous activity and altered evoked nociceptive response of rat thalamic submedius neurons to lumbar vertebra thrust.

The thalamus is a central structure important to modulating and processing all mechanoreceptor input destined for the cortex. A large number of diverse mechanoreceptor endings are stimulated when a high velocity low amplitude thrust is delivered to the lumbar spine during spinal manipulation. The objective of this study was to determine if a lumbar thrust alters spontaneous and/or evoked nociceptive activity in medial thalamic submedius (Sm) neurons.

Characteristics of Paraspinal Muscle Spindle Response to Mechanically Assisted Spinal Manipulation: A Preliminary Report.

Objectives: The purpose of this preliminary study is to determine muscle spindle response characteristics related to the use of 2 solenoid powered clinical mechanically assisted manipulation (MAM) devices.

Methods: L6 muscle spindle afferents with receptive fields in paraspinal muscles were isolated in 6 cats. Neural recordings were made during L7 MAM thrusts using the Activator V (Activator Methods Int.

Neural Responses to Physical Characteristics of a High-velocity, Low-amplitude Spinal Manipulation: Effect of Thrust Direction.

Study Design: Electrophysiological recordings were obtained from proprioceptors in deep lumbar paraspinal muscles of anesthetized cats during high-velocity low-amplitude spinal manipulation (HVLA-SM).

Objective: To determine how thrust direction of an HVLA-SM affects neural input from back musculature.

Summary Of Background Data: A clinician's ability to apply the thrust of an HVLA-SM in a specified direction is considered an important component of its optimal delivery.

Antinociceptive Effects of Spinal Manipulative Therapy on Nociceptive Behavior of Adult Rats during the Formalin Test.

Optimizing pain relief resulting from spinal manipulative therapies, including low velocity variable amplitude spinal manipulation (LVVA-SM), requires determining their mechanisms. Pain models that incorporate simulated spinal manipulative therapy treatments are needed for these studies. The antinociceptive effects of a single LVVA-SM treatment on rat nociceptive behavior during the commonly used formalin test were investigated.

Neural Response During a Mechanically Assisted Spinal Manipulation in an Animal Model: A Pilot Study.

Introduction: Mechanoreceptor stimulation is theorized to contribute to the therapeutic efficacy of spinal manipulation. Use of mechanically-assisted spinal manipulation (MA-SM) devices is increasing among manual therapy clinicians worldwide. The purpose of this pilot study is to determine the feasibility of recording muscle spindle responses during a MA-SM in an intervertebral fixated animal model.

Effect of spinal manipulation thrust magnitude on trunk mechanical activation thresholds of lateral thalamic neurons.

Objectives: High-velocity low-amplitude spinal manipulation (HVLA-SM), as performed by doctors who use manual therapy (eg, doctors of chiropractic and osteopathy), results in mechanical hypoalgesia in clinical settings. This hypoalgesic effect has previously been attributed to alterations in peripheral and/or central pain processing. The objective of this study was to determine whether thrust magnitude of a simulated HVLA-SM alters mechanical trunk response thresholds in wide dynamic range (WDR) and/or nociceptive specific (NS) lateral thalamic neurons.

Introducing the external link model for studying spine fixation and misalignment: current procedures, costs, and failure rates.

Objective: This is the last article in a series of 3 articles introducing a new animal model, the external link model (ELM), that permits reversible, nontraumatic control of the cardinal biomechanical features of the subluxation: fixation and misalignment. A detailed description of current ELM procedures is presented and practical issues are reviewed such as expense (dollars and time) and construct failure rates during and after the surgical implant procedure.

Method: Descriptive report of current ELM procedures, refinements to the spinous attachment units (SAUs), and tabulation of costs and failure rates drawn from recent studies.