Anatomy and Physiology

Anatomy and Physiology 2021 A set of over 27 hours of video lectures, with online video tutorials with Laurence Hattersley
Covers all major structures and systems. ITEC recognized.

The price is €120 and €130 to take ITEC exam, if certificate is required A video lecture set, with online video tutorials
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Covers all major structures and systems. The price is €150

The Brain Systems That Control Gait (Why Walking Tells the Truth)Gait is regulated through a hierarchy of systems: • Spi...
28/12/2025

The Brain Systems That Control Gait (Why Walking Tells the Truth)

Gait is regulated through a hierarchy of systems:
• Spinal Central Pattern Generators (CPGs)
Generate rhythmic flexor–extensor patterns
• Brainstem Locomotor Regions (MLR, PPN, PMRF)
Initiate, modulate, and scale walking
• Basal Ganglia
Control initiation, automaticity, and movement fluidity
• Cerebellum
Timing, coordination, symmetry, and error correction
• Vestibular Nuclei
Postural tone, head–body coordination, balance
• Cortex
Attention, dual-tasking, adaptability, navigation

When any of these systems are impaired — especially after concussion, TBI, whiplash, or neurodegeneration — gait changes before patients consciously notice symptoms.

⸻

Why Gait Is a Core Assessment at theFNC

At theFNC, we don’t just watch someone walk down a hallway.

We analyze how the brain manages walking under stress.

Because real life requires walking while thinking.

⸻

Key Gait Metrics We Assess at theFNC

1. Walking Speed

Speed reflects:
• Brainstem drive
• Basal ganglia output
• Cerebellar efficiency

Slow gait is strongly associated with:
• Concussion history
• Cognitive decline
• Vestibular dysfunction
• Increased fall risk

We look for:
• Reduced speed
• Inconsistent acceleration
• Difficulty scaling speed on command

⸻

2. Hesitations & Freezing

Subtle pauses during gait often indicate:
• Basal ganglia dysfunction
• Impaired motor initiation
• Cognitive-motor interference

These are red flags in post-concussion and Parkinsonian patterns.

⸻

3. Stride Length & Symmetry

Stride length tells us about:
• Cerebellar timing
• Vestibular contribution
• Confidence in movement

We assess:
• Shortened stride
• Asymmetry side-to-side
• Variability with fatigue or cognitive load

Asymmetry often correlates with:
• Unilateral vestibular loss
• Hemispheric brain injury
• Cervical proprioceptive dysfunction

⸻

4. Arm Swing

Arm swing is not optional neurologically.

Reduced or asymmetric arm swing reflects:
• Basal ganglia dysfunction
• Trunk rigidity
• Impaired interlimb coordination

In concussion patients, we frequently see:
• Reduced arm swing during dual tasking
• Loss of rhythmic coupling between arms and legs

⸻

5. Dual-Task Gait (The Concussion Stress Test)

This is where deficits become obvious.

We assess walking while simultaneously:
• Counting backward
• Naming words or categories
• Performing cognitive tasks
• Turning the head or navigating obstacles

Why this matters:
• Concussion often spares simple walking
• But breaks down under cognitive load

Common findings:
• Slowed gait speed
• Shortened stride
• Increased variability
• Hesitations or stops
• Loss of arm swing

👉 This reflects cortical–subcortical disintegration, not weakness.

⸻

Why Dual-Task Gait Is So Important After Concussion

Concussion disrupts:
• Frontal-basal ganglia circuits
• Cerebellar timing loops
• Vestibular–cortical integration

Patients may say:

“I feel fine… until I’m busy, stressed, or multitasking.”

Dual-task gait reproduces real-world demands:
• Walking in a store
• Talking while moving
• Navigating crowds
• Sports participation

If gait collapses under cognitive load, the brain is not fully healed.

⸻

What Gait Tells Us That Imaging Often Misses

MRI and CT often look “normal” after concussion.

Gait does not lie.

Changes in:
• Speed
• Rhythm
• Symmetry
• Automaticity
• Dual-task tolerance

Are functional biomarkers of brain health.

⸻

How theFNC Uses Gait Findings Clinically

Gait assessment guides:
• Vestibular rehabilitation strategies
• Cerebellar timing work
• Brainstem locomotor stimulation
• Dual-task cognitive-motor training
• Return-to-play and return-to-life decisions

We don’t just rehab symptoms —
we retrain the brain’s movement networks.

⸻

The Bottom Line

Walking is not just movement.

Walking is a neurological exam in motion.

At The Functional Neurology Center, gait analysis allows us to:
• Detect subtle brain dysfunction
• Objectively track recovery
• Stress-test real-world function
• Individualize rehabilitation

If someone has dizziness, balance issues, brain fog, concussion symptoms, or unexplained instability —
their gait holds critical answers.

TheFNC.com
612 223 8590

https://www.oaepublish.com/articles/and.2023.45

Takakusaki K, Takahashi M, Kaminishi K, Fukuyama S, Noguchi T, Chiba R, Ota J. Neural mechanisms underlying upright bipedal gait: role of cortico-brainstem-spinal pathways involved in posture-gait control. Ageing Neur Dis. 2024;4:14. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/and.2023.45

Simplified neuroanatomical representation of information flow within the amygdala.This description outlines how informat...
28/12/2025

Simplified neuroanatomical representation of information flow within the amygdala.
This description outlines how information flows through different parts of the amygdala, a brain structure involved in emotion and motivation. The amygdala is made up of several nuclei, each with a specific role. The lateral nucleus (LA) is a major entry point for sensory information, while the basolateral complex includes the basolateral (BLA) and basomedial (BM) nuclei, which help integrate and evaluate that information. The central nucleus (CE) mainly acts as an output region, sending signals to other brain areas that control behavioral and physiological responses. Intercalated neurons (IN) help regulate communication between these nuclei, often by inhibiting signal flow.

The cortical and medial parts of the amygdala, including the cortical nucleus (Co) and medial nucleus (ME), are especially important for processing olfactory and social cues. These regions are closely connected to brain areas involved in smell, which reflects the evolutionary importance of odors for survival and reproduction. Information from these nuclei can influence both emotional learning and instinctive behaviors by interacting with the basolateral and central nuclei.

The periamygdaloid or prepiriform cortex is a transition zone between the olfactory cortex and the amygdala. Because this paleocortical region contains diverse cell types and connections, it has been difficult to classify precisely. It receives direct input from the olfactory bulb and indirect input from the piriform cortex, making it an important relay for smell-related information. From there, it sends projections mainly to the lateral nucleus of the amygdala and receives weaker feedback connections from the basomedial, medial, and central nuclei, allowing olfactory signals to influence emotional processing.

Reference: Šimić, G., et al. (2021).

Basal GangliaThe basal ganglia are subcortical grey matter nuclei located deep within cerebral white matter and form par...
28/12/2025

Basal Ganglia

The basal ganglia are subcortical grey matter nuclei located deep within cerebral white matter and form part of the extrapyramidal motor system. They modulate voluntary movement rather than initiate it.

They include five paired nuclei: caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus, and substantia nigra.
The caudate and putamen form the striatum, the main input nucleus.
The globus pallidus (GPi, GPe) and substantia nigra pars reticulata act as output nuclei, while substantia nigra pars compacta provides dopaminergic modulation.

Motor control occurs via three pathways:
The direct pathway facilitates movement,
the indirect pathway suppresses unwanted movement,
and the hyperdirect pathway rapidly inhibits competing motor programs.

Striatal neurons are GABAergic and inhibitory, the subthalamic nucleus is glutamatergic and excitatory, and dopamine modulates movement via D1 and D2 receptors.

Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta causes Parkinson’s disease.

The basal ganglia ensure smooth, precise, and goal-directed movement while linking motor control with cognition and motivation.

🧠 THE BRAIN’S MOST OVERLOOKED SYSTEM: CEREBROSPINAL FLUID (CSF)And how we address it at The Functional Neurology CenterW...
28/12/2025

🧠 THE BRAIN’S MOST OVERLOOKED SYSTEM: CEREBROSPINAL FLUID (CSF)
And how we address it at The Functional Neurology Center

When people think about brain health, they usually hear about neurons, neurotransmitters, or blood flow.

But there’s another system—quiet, powerful, and often ignored—that plays a massive role in how your brain actually functions day to day:

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

CSF is not just a cushion for the brain. It is a living, moving system that nourishes the brain, regulates pressure, supports immune signaling, and—most importantly—helps clear metabolic waste from the nervous system.

And here’s the key point most people never hear:

👉 CSF only works well if it MOVES well.

⸻

🌊 CSF IS NOT STATIC — IT IS DYNAMIC

CSF is constantly circulating through the brain’s ventricles and along the spinal cord. Its movement is influenced by several core drivers:

• Heartbeat (cardiac pulsation)
• Breathing (respiratory pressure changes)
• Posture
• Spinal motion

Modern neuroscience is now recognizing that how the spine moves, how we breathe, and how the head and neck are positioned directly influence CSF flow—especially along the spinal axis.

This means CSF health isn’t just about the brain itself.
It’s about movement, alignment, and mechanics.

When those systems are disrupted—by injury, poor posture, chronic stress, jaw dysfunction, or repetitive strain—CSF circulation can become less efficient.

And when CSF doesn’t move well, the brain doesn’t clear waste well.

⸻

🚨 WHY THIS MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK

Suboptimal CSF dynamics are increasingly being discussed in connection with:

• Chronic headaches and pressure sensations
• Dizziness and balance issues
• Brain fog and cognitive fatigue
• Post-concussion and whiplash syndromes
• Autonomic nervous system dysfunction
• Poor recovery from neurological injury

Many patients are told their scans are “normal”
Their labs are “fine”
Their symptoms are “stress-related”

Yet the system that helps clean, nourish, and regulate the brain is rarely assessed or addressed.

At theFNC, this is where we think differently.

⸻

🧠 FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY MEANS LOOKING AT SYSTEMS — NOT JUST SYMPTOMS

We don’t wait for pathology to appear.

We look at how neurological systems are functioning right now, including the mechanical drivers that influence CSF circulation.

That’s why we integrate a multi-system approach that works with the body’s natural physiology instead of fighting it.

⸻

🌀 CIATRIX: MOVEMENT-DRIVEN CSF SUPPORT

One of the advanced technologies we use at theFNC is Ciatrix.

Ciatrix is a non-invasive system designed to use controlled spinal motion combined with breathing to support CSF circulation.

Here’s why that matters:

• Spinal flexion and extension influence pressure inside the spinal canal
• Breathing creates rhythmic pressure shifts that affect CSF pulsatility
• Coordinated movement can support fluid exchange within the central nervous system

Ciatrix allows us to apply slow, deliberate, neurologically purposeful movement, synchronized with respiration, to help support the body’s own CSF propulsion mechanisms.

This is not exercise for conditioning.
This is neuromechanical input for brain physiology.

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🧩 WHY JAW, NECK & POSTURE MATTER (ROCABADO 6×6)

CSF flow does not exist in isolation.

The position of the jaw, head, and neck directly affects:

• Cervical spinal mechanics
• Breathing efficiency
• Muscle tone around the upper spine
• Postural load on the nervous system

That’s why we frequently integrate Rocabado’s 6×6 exercises into CSF-focused care plans.

These exercises emphasize:

• Proper tongue and jaw posture
• Controlled TMJ movement
• Cervical stabilization
• Head and neck alignment

Clinically, improving these relationships often leads to:

✔ Reduced forward head posture
✔ Better diaphragmatic breathing
✔ Less cervical tension
✔ Improved mechanical conditions for CSF movement

Rocabado exercises help build a stable foundation so CSF-directed movement strategies like Ciatrix can work more effectively.

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🦴 CHIROPRACTIC CARE — BUT WITH A NEUROLOGICAL PURPOSE

At theFNC, chiropractic care is not about “cracking backs.”

It’s about restoring precise spinal motion and alignment to support neurological function.

Targeted adjustments help:

• Normalize segmental movement
• Improve cervical and thoracic biomechanics
• Enhance sensory input to the brainstem and cerebellum
• Support posture and breathing mechanics

Because CSF dynamics are influenced by spinal motion, restoring proper movement becomes a critical upstream driver of neurological health.

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🔆 LLLT: SUPPORTING THE BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT

Movement only works well if tissues are healthy and responsive.

That’s where Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) comes in.

LLLT helps by:

• Reducing inflammation
• Supporting mitochondrial energy production
• Improving tissue healing
• Calming irritated neural structures

By improving the tissue environment around the neck, jaw, and spine, LLLT helps reduce resistance to motion—making movement-based and postural therapies more effective.

⸻

✋ MANUAL TECHNIQUES: REMOVING ROADBLOCKS

We also use hands-on manual techniques to:

• Release fascial restrictions
• Normalize muscle tone
• Improve joint mobility
• Restore accurate sensory feedback

Think of manual therapy as removing the brakes so the nervous system can respond appropriately to movement, posture, and rehabilitation.

⸻

🧠 THE BIG PICTURE: WHY THIS WORKS

At The Functional Neurology Center, no single therapy stands alone.

Our CSF-focused care integrates:

• Neurological assessment
• Ciatrix-guided spinal motion and breathing
• Rocabado jaw and posture retraining
• Chiropractic adjustments
• Manual therapy
• Low-level laser therapy

Each piece reinforces the others.

Structure. Motion. Breath. Fluid. Neural signaling.
All working together.

⸻

🌊 THIS IS BRAIN HEALTH — REDEFINED

Cerebrospinal fluid is not an afterthought.
It is a core pillar of neurological resilience.

When we support the drivers of CSF circulation, we support:

• Brain detoxification
• Nutrient delivery
• Pressure regulation
• Autonomic balance
• Long-term neurological health

This is functional neurology the way it was meant to be practiced—
addressing systems, not chasing symptoms.

⸻

💬 If you’ve tried everything and still don’t feel like yourself…
It may be time to look at what’s been overlooked.

At The Functional Neurology Center, there is hope — and it starts by understanding how your brain, spine, and fluid systems truly work together.

TheFNC.com
612 223 8590

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.737217/full

Cerebral Cortex- Functions, HistologyHistologically, the cortex has six layers (I–VI) and is organized into vertical fun...
26/12/2025

Cerebral Cortex- Functions, Histology

Histologically, the cortex has six layers (I–VI) and is organized into vertical functional columns spanning all layers.
Functionally, it is divided into primary, secondary, and association areas.

Key cortices include primary motor (Area 4), premotor/supplementary (Area 6), primary somatosensory (Areas 3,1,2), primary auditory (Areas 41,42), primary visual (Area 17), Broca’s (44,45) and Wernicke’s area.
The insular cortex integrates visceral, taste, pain, and vestibular inputs, while the limbic cortex mediates emotion, memory, and autonomic regulation.

Phylogenetically, cortex is allocortex (3 layers), mesocortex (3–6 layers), and neocortex (6 layers, ~90%).
It is subdivided into 52 Brodmann areas.

Blood supply comes from anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries (MCA—lateral surface; ACA/PCA—medial and inferior surfaces)..

Efferent Pathways of the CerebellumAll cerebellar efferent output follows a fixed plan. The Purkinje cell of the cerebel...
26/12/2025

Efferent Pathways of the Cerebellum

All cerebellar efferent output follows a fixed plan. The Purkinje cell of the cerebellar cortex is always the first neuron, and it synapses on the deep cerebellar nuclei, which act as the second neuron. From these nuclei, efferent fibres leave the cerebellum to influence motor activity through brainstem centres and the thalamocortical system.

Output from the nodulo-floccular lobe is directed to the vestibular system. Nodulovestibular and flocculovestibular fibres, along with the fastigiovestibular tract (Russell’s bundle) from the nucleus fastigii, pass through the inferior cerebellar peduncle and terminate in the lateral vestibular (Deiters) nucleus, regulating balance and posture.

From the cerebellar hemispheres, efferent fibres arise mainly from the nucleus dentatus. Through the superior cerebellar peduncle, they form the cerebellotegmental (dentatotegmental) tract to the reticular formation of the pons and midbrain, influencing muscle tone, and the cerebellorubral (dentatorubral) tract to the red nucleus, continuing via rubrospinal and rubro-olivary pathways.

Additional fibres descend via the inferior cerebellar peduncle as the cerebelloolivary tract to the contralateral inferior olivary nucleus, forming a feedback loop. Others ascend via the superior cerebellar peduncle as the cerebellotectal tract to the midbrain tectum, influencing reflex movements.

Cerebellar output also reaches the thalamus. Cerebellothalamic (embolothalamic) fibres pass through central thalamic nuclei with functional influence on the striatum, while dentatothalamic fibres terminate in the ventrolateral thalamic nucleus and project onward to the motor and premotor cortices (areas 4 and 6).

Overall, efferent pathways exit mainly through the inferior peduncle (fastigiovestibular, cerebelloolivary) and the superior peduncle (cerebellotegmental, cerebellorubral, cerebellotectal, cerebellothalamic)..

🧠🔥 THE CEREBELLUM & PAIN: A New Frontier in Brain-Based Pain Recovery (Evidence-Informed Insight from Current Neuroscien...
23/12/2025

🧠🔥 THE CEREBELLUM & PAIN: A New Frontier in Brain-Based Pain Recovery (Evidence-Informed Insight from Current Neuroscience)

Traditionally, clinicians and patients alike have understood the cerebellum as the brain’s motor coordination center — facilitating balance, movement precision, posture, and timing.

But modern neuroscience is redefining that narrative.

📌 Emerging evidence now shows that the cerebellum plays a substantive role in how pain is perceived, anticipated, modulated, and emotionally interpreted.
This places the cerebellum at the intersection of sensory, cognitive, emotional, and nociceptive processing.
(From the review PMC11044115)

⸻

🧠 HOW PAIN SIGNALS INVOLVE THE CEREBELLUM

The cerebellum receives input from multiple pain-related pathways:

🧩 Direct nociceptive inputs

Painful mechanical, thermal, and trigeminal stimuli activate specific cerebellar regions, including:
• Crus I & II
• lobules IV–VI
• lobule VIII
• posterior vermis

Trigeminal stimulation — particularly relevant for head, neck, TMJ, and migraine pain — strongly activates Crus I/II and lobules I–VI, underscoring the cerebellum’s role in craniofacial pain.

🧠 CHRONIC PAIN CHANGES THE CEREBELLUM

Imaging shows:
• altered Crus I/II connectivity
• increased vermis activation
• changes in cerebellar–brainstem–thalamic loops

These correlate with long-term pain conditions like:
• migraines
• neuropathic pain
• visceral pain
• low back pain

Meaning the cerebellum is not passively responding — it participates in pain chronification.

⸻

🧠 MECHANISMS OF CEREBELLAR PAIN PROCESSING

🔹 Purkinje cell modulation

Purkinje cells influence dentate output, affecting pain circuits through:
• thalamus
• brainstem
• periaqueductal gray

🔹 Cerebello-limbic loops

Connections with:
• amygdala
• prefrontal cortex
• limbic structures

→ explain why stress worsens pain
→ why emotions alter pain
→ why pain feels threatening

🔹 Trigeminal & cervical integration

The cerebellum integrates:
• cervical afferents
• trigeminal input
• vestibular signals

Which explains the common triad of:
• neck pain
• headaches
• dizziness

Especially post-concussion and whiplash.

⸻

🌟 THE TAKEAWAY

Pain is not just a tissue problem.
It is a brain-processing issue.

And the cerebellum — long ignored — plays a central role.

By understanding and addressing cerebellar pathways, we give patients the chance to:

✔ reduce pain
✔ restore movement
✔ decrease fear and sensitivity
✔ improve resilience

There is hope.

📍 The Functional Neurology Center — Minnesota
🌐 theFNC.com
📞 Complimentary phone consults

Pain is real.
Recovery is possible.
The cerebellum matters.

Resource:

https://www.jneurosci.org/content/44/17/e1538232024

The cerebellum receives afferent input from various cerebral structures involved in motor, somatosensory, cognitive, affective, and reward processing. Cortical and subcortical projections to the cerebellum are relayed via pontine nuclei as mossy fibers, or via the inferior olive as climbing fibers, as detailed in Armstrong (1974), Azizi et al. (1985), Brodal and Steen (1983), Giolli et al. (2001), Glickstein et al. (1985), Ikai et al. (1992), Kelly and Strick (2003), Kuypers and Lawrence (1967), Massion (1967), Mower et al. (1980), Olds and Milner (1954), Saint-Cyr and Courville (1981), Saint-Cyr and Courville (1982), Schmahmann (1996), Sheehan et al. (2004), Temel et al. (2005), and von Monakow et al. (1979). M1, primary motor cortex; S1, primary somatosensory cortex; V1, primary visual cortex; PFC, prefrontal cortex; VTA, ventral tegmental area; PAG, periaqueductal gray. Created with BioRender.com.

AFFERENT PATHWAYS OF THE CEREBELLUMThe cerebellum sits in the posterior cranial fossa, shaped like a compact landscape o...
23/12/2025

AFFERENT PATHWAYS OF THE CEREBELLUM

The cerebellum sits in the posterior cranial fossa, shaped like a compact landscape of grey cortex and white arbor vitae. It receives continuous information from multiple regions of the nervous system through afferent pathways that drive coordination, timing, and balance.

From the inferior olivary nucleus, olivocerebellar fibres cross to the opposite side and enter the cerebellum carrying motor error signals, enabling movement correction and learning.

From the vestibular nuclei and inner ear, vestibulocerebellar fibres reach the flocculonodular lobe and vermis, providing balance and head-position input for posture and eye-head coordination.

From the reticular formation, reticulocerebellar fibres influence postural tone and axial stability, integrating motor and autonomic control.

From the cerebral cortex, corticopontocerebellar fibres descend to pontine nuclei, cross midline, and enter the lateral hemispheres, delivering movement planning and sequencing signals.

Proprioceptive inputs join through trigeminocerebellar and spinocerebellar pathways, relaying body-position and facial proprioception, ensuring accurate limb and trunk control even without visual feedback.

Together these afferents create a continuous feedback network, allowing the cerebellum to compare intention with action and maintain precise, adaptive motor output. Without them, coordination, balance, timing, and spatial orientation would fail — the “little brain” cannot function in isolation.

🧠🚗 WHIPLASH & THE TECTORIAL MEMBRANEWhy a “neck injury” can become a brain–body integration problemMost people are told ...
19/12/2025

🧠🚗 WHIPLASH & THE TECTORIAL MEMBRANE

Why a “neck injury” can become a brain–body integration problem

Most people are told that whiplash is just a neck strain.
Modern neuroscience and craniocervical research tell a very different story.

Whiplash is an acceleration–deceleration injury that can disrupt:
• Deep craniocervical ligaments
• Brainstem-adjacent structures
• Central neural pathways involved in posture, balance, and autonomic regulation

One of the most critical—and most overlooked—structures involved is the tectorial membrane.

⸻

🦴 THE TECTORIAL MEMBRANE: A CRITICAL STABILIZER AT THE BRAIN–NECK JUNCTION

The tectorial membrane (TM) is not just another ligament.

🔹 It is the superior continuation of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL)
🔹 It runs from C2 (axis) to the clivus at the base of the skull
🔹 It lies directly in front of the spinal cord and brainstem, blending with intracranial dura

🧠 Why this matters:

The tectorial membrane acts as a protective barrier that:
• Limits excessive flexion/extension and translation at the craniocervical junction
• Helps prevent the dens (odontoid process) from migrating toward the brainstem
• Plays a role in brainstem stability, dural tension, and CSF dynamics

When this structure is stressed or injured, the consequences are neurological, not just mechanical.

⸻

🚗 WHAT WHIPLASH DOES TO THE TECTORIAL MEMBRANE

During whiplash, the head moves violently relative to the torso. This places enormous shear and tensile forces on the upper cervical ligaments—especially the tectorial membrane.

📌 A Cureus study demonstrated that:
• Tectorial membrane injury is frequently present in adult trauma patients
• TM disruption is commonly found in cases requiring occipital–cervical fusion
• Injury may exist even without obvious fractures or gross instability on initial imaging

👉 This means ligamentous failure can occur silently, but still destabilize the brain–neck interface.

⸻

🧠 WHIPLASH IS ALSO A NEUROLOGICAL INJURY

Research published in Frontiers in Neurology (2019) adds another layer:

Key findings:
• Patients with mTBI + whiplash had worse postural control than mTBI alone
• Advanced diffusion imaging showed greater injury to the corticoreticulospinal tract (CRT)
• CRT is a central pathway controlling posture, axial tone, and balance
• These changes occurred even when standard MRI looked normal

🧠 Translation:
Whiplash can simultaneously injure:
• Peripheral sensory systems (neck proprioceptors)
• Central neural pathways
• Craniocervical stabilizing ligaments

⸻

🔄 THE SENSORIMOTOR CASCADE AFTER WHIPLASH

When the tectorial membrane and upper cervical structures are compromised, the brain receives distorted information from multiple systems:

1️⃣ Cervical Proprioception

Damaged neck receptors send inaccurate head-position data, creating sensory mismatch.

2️⃣ Vestibular System

The inner ear depends on stable cervical input. Distortion here leads to:
• Dizziness
• Motion sensitivity
• Balance loss

3️⃣ Visual System

Eye movements rely on neck–vestibular coordination. Disruption causes:
• Visual motion intolerance
• Tracking difficulty
• Visual dizziness

4️⃣ Brainstem & Central Pathways

TM injury and abnormal motion at the craniocervical junction can:
• Alter brainstem signaling
• Increase autonomic dysregulation
• Stress pathways like the CRT

⸻

🌀 WHY SYMPTOMS PERSIST

When these systems fail to reintegrate, the nervous system stays in a state of uncertainty.

Common symptoms include:
• Dizziness & imbalance
• Head pressure and headaches
• Brain fog & poor concentration
• Neck tension that never “lets go”
• Fatigue & stress intolerance
• Heightened fight-or-flight responses

These symptoms are not psychological.
They are the brain’s response to conflicting and unreliable sensory input.

⸻

🧠 A FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY INTERPRETATION

From a functional neurology perspective:

✴ The upper cervical spine is a neurological gateway, not just a hinge
✴ The tectorial membrane plays a role in brainstem protection and sensory integration
✴ Whiplash can disrupt ligaments, sensory receptors, and central pathways simultaneously
✴ Symptoms reflect integration failure, not just tissue damage

This explains why:
• Imaging can look “normal”
• Pain-focused care alone often fails
• Patients feel dismissed despite real dysfunction

⸻

📌 KEY TAKEAWAY

Whiplash is not simply a neck strain.

It can involve:
🔹 Injury to the tectorial membrane
🔹 Craniocervical instability at a micro level
🔹 Altered brainstem and sensory processing
🔹 Central pathway disruption (e.g., CRT)
🔹 Long-term neurological adaptation

Understanding this shifts care from pain suppression to restoring brain–body integration—the foundation of true neurological recovery.

⸻

🧠 Knowledge changes outcomes.
At The Functional Neurology Center, we evaluate whiplash through the lens of neurology, not just orthopedics.

https://www.cureus.com/articles/53894-tectorial-membrane-injury-frequently-identified-in-adult-trauma-patients-who-undergo-occipital-cervical-fusion-for-craniocervical-instability #!/

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Coronal-illustration-of-the-craniocervcial-junction-from-a-posterior-orientation-with-cut_fig1_358874140

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2019.01199/full

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📞 612-223-8590
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A 6 day course in Cork, 2018, starting Feb 3/4. Check website (www.anatomy4beginners.com) or details Covers all major structures and systems. ITEC recognized. The price is €600

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