Top 7 Recent & Relevant Chiropractic Research Studies

            In our profession, research is immensely important not only for the chiropractic community, but also for those who have not accepted it is a safe and efficient modality amongst standard medicine professionals. Additionally, new research allows for exponential growth in the chiropractic field, and beneficial research is being performed now more than ever on chiropractic. In this article we will look at the top 7 chiropractic research studies from the last 5 years demonstrating efficiency and validity so that as chiropractic providers we can stay on top of these research developments to incorporate these outcomes into our practices.

 

Chiropractic Research:

 

1. Manual Therapy for the Pediatric Population, 2019:

   1. This review researched the utilization of manual therapy for pediatric conditions, and the quality and/or validity of studies found.
   2. There were 6 databases searched, and a total of 50 studies met the search inclusion criteria; 24 of those newly identified studies. There were a multitude of pediatric conditions that were reviewed, and they are as follows: upper cervical dysfunction, suboptimal infant breastfeeding, torticollis, scoliosis, preterm infants, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, pulled elbow, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), postural asymmetry, asthma, autism, obstructive apnea, pediatric dysfunctional voiding, otitis media, pediatric nocturnal enuresis, constipation, low back pain, headache, clubfoot, cerebral palsy, infantile colic, cuboid syndrome, and cranial asymmetry.
   3. Positive results were found especially for low back pain, premature infants, and pulled elbow, and inconclusive or favorable for other conditions.

2. Neurobiological Basis of Chiropractic Manipulative Treatment of the Spine in the Care of Major Depression, 2020:

   1. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of chiropractic treatment on major depression, and how it can affect various other neurobiological and psychological issues on a molecular level such as anxiety.
   2. A literature search was performed for relevant material as to the effects of chiropractic and depression on the autonomic nervous system.
   3. After evaluation of literature, it was found that chiropractic can regulate the autonomic nervous system, and may activate the parasympathetic system as a counterbalance.
   4. This study concluded that chiropractic is an effective treatment for major depression finding that chiropractic treatment “releases neurotrophins essential for anti-depressive therapies, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor.”

3. The Effect of Reduced Access to Chiropractic Care on Medical Service Use for Spine Conditions Among Older Adults, 2021:

   1. The goal of this study was to determine if better access to chiropractic treatment affects medical treatment amongst older adults with spine issues.
   2. A total of 39,278 Medicare claims for older adult chiropractic care users were looked at, and there was a comparison made in the use of medical services in those who had less access to chiropractic treatment and those who didn’t.
   3. It was found that in those patients who didn’t have access to chiropractic care, there was a significant increase in both primary care physicians and spine surgeries. This group with reduced access to chiropractic additionally resulted in “an additional cost of $114,967 per 1,000 beneficiaries on medical services.”

4. The Effects of Four Weeks of Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments on Blood Biomarkers in Adults with Chronic Stroke, 2022:

   1. This study outlined the specific blood biomarkers that are related to neural plasticity and neural protection. This study aimed to look into the effects that chiropractic treatment has “on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II), and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in people with stroke.”
   2. Two groups were evaluated; chiropractic plus PT, and sham chiropractic with PT over four weeks in 63 adults with stroke. These blood samples were reviewed prior, at four weeks of treatment, and at 8 weeks (4 weeks post treatment).
   3. It was found that there was a considerable rise in log concentration of GDNF, and fall in log concentration of BDNF and IGF-II at the follow up visits. Further research is needed.

5. Vertebral Subluxation and Systems Biology: An Integrative Review Exploring the Salutogenic Influence of Chiropractic Care on the Neuroendocrine-Immune System, 2024:

   1. The goal of this study was to evaluate the benefit of chiropractic treatment on integrated physiology and the inner workings on the neuroendocrine-immune system (NEI). A meticulous analysis, there were 2 decades of researched reviewed on chiropractic treatment outcomes spanning a multitude of study types
   2. The result of this extensive research showed that there were positive outcomes and support the plausibility from a biological standpoint that chiropractic care is beneficial. They also found that the benefits of chiropractic treatment was found to not be limited to neuromusculoskeletal outcomes, and “open new avenues for future research, specifically on the exploration and mapping of the precise neural pathways and networks influenced by chiropractic adjustment.”

6. The Effects of Chiropractic Spinal Adjustment on EEG in Adults with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, 2024:

   1. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of chiropractic treatment on EEG (electroencephalography) recordings as well as SEPs (somatosensory evoked potentials) in those with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
   2. This study involved 14 adults with Parkinson’s disease and 14 adults with Alzheimer’s disease, and they had chiropractic spinal adjustments performed as well as sham chiropractic in a random order with one week in between each. There were EEG’s recorded before and after each treatment during rest and stimulation of the right median nerve.
   3. Results of this study showed that in just one session of chiropractic treatment, the N30 SEP decreased and boosted the “connectivity within the DMN (Default Mode Network) at the alpha, beta, and theta frequency bands in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.” It was also found that the EEG at a resting state was shown an increase in power after chiropractic treatment in all frequency in both Alzheimer and Parkinson’s patients.

7. Investigating the Effects of Chiropractic Care on Resting State EEG of MCI Patients, 2024:

   1. This study explored the benefits of chiropractic treatment on those with mild cognitive impairment which is the time frame between healthy and dementia on symptoms like language, visuospatial impairment, and memory. Researchers looked to see if chiropractic treatment could improve function in these patients.
   2. There were 2 groups of 13 people utilized in this study, and EEG’s were recorded both pre and post control as well as chiropractic treatment. The support vector machine (SVM) and non-parametric cluster-based permutation test was utilized to compare relative power and show that these groups could be identified with accuracy.
   3. The results showed that chiropractic treatment had a significant effect on the frontal areas of the brain, and interhemispheric coherence in all areas also increased post chiropractic treatment. It was found that chiropractic treatment achieved positive outcomes on mild cognitive impairment, and “may slow down the progression of mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease.”

 

While there is always more research to do in the chiropractic field, these recent studies do validate that the benefits of chiropractic treatment are wide-spread. It is vital that we as chiropractic providers continue to do our part, and push for research to be performed to continue to understand and have the standard medical field further accept the positive outcomes of chiropractic treatment.