10/26/2025
"A 2024 study in Brain Sciences found that chiropractic care induces neuroplastic responses by altering brain activity, leading to improvements in pain, mood, sleep, and quality of life. These changes are linked to improved function in key brain structures like the primary somatosensory cortex, prefrontal cortex (PFC), and cerebellum. Specifically, chiropractic adjustments can decrease sensory input processing effort, improve the default mode network's connectivity, and positively affect mental health by reducing anxiety and depression. "
HOW CHIROPRACTIC AFFECTS THE BRAIN
Alters brain activity: chiropractic adjustments, particularly spinal adjustments, stimulate mechanoreceptors and create an input to the central nervous system that alters brain activity.
Impacts brain structure and function: The adjustments affect neuroplasticity in brain regions like the primary somatosensory cortex, primary motor cortex, prefrontal cortex (PFC), and cerebellum.
Improves sensory processing: Studies show that the brain's electrical response to sensory information from joints and muscles decreases after adjustments, indicating the brain is processing the information more efficiently.
Benefits of neuroplastic changes from chiropractic care
Pain relief: Adjustments can reduce pain unpleasantness and catastrophizing, which are linked to the prefrontal cortex.
Improved mental health: Participants in a 2024 study reported significant reductions in anxiety and depression.
Better sleep: Studies observed improvements in sleep, specifically in light sleep stages, among those receiving chiropractic care.
Enhanced quality of life: Overall quality of life improved significantly for participants receiving care.
Improved cognition and motor control: Some research suggests improvements in reaction time, cortical sensorimotor integration, and motor control.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39595887/
DrDavidTucker.com
These findings indicate that many health benefits of chiropractic care are due to altered brain activity.
