🧠 3.5 Years After a Concussion… Finally Turning the Corner
Kaitlyn fell off a UTV (gator) and hit her head hard on the ground.
She doesn’t remember the accident.
She doesn’t remember the rest of that day.
She had persistent vomiting that day and into the next — clear signs her brain took a significant hit.
And then the long road began.
For 3.5 years she struggled with:
• Constant headaches
• Ongoing dizziness
• Neck pain
• Nausea and stomach pain
• Difficulty with schoolwork and cognitive fatigue
This wasn’t “just a concussion.”
This was a brain that hadn’t fully recovered.
⸻
At theFNC, we evaluated her visual, vestibular, cervical, and autonomic systems — because concussion is never just one system.
Concussions are not just about impact.
They’re about integration — vestibular, visual, cervical, autonomic, metabolic.
Kaitlyn’s story is a reminder:
Even years later, the brain can change.
There is hope.
—
The Functional Neurology Center
Minnetonka, MN
theFNC.com
02/26/2026
We are excited to have Dr. Harvey teaching for the Carrick Institute in June!
🧠 CNS-01 Is Coming to Minnesota 🧠
The journey begins June 26–28, 2026 in Minnesota with CNS-01: History, Development & Neuromuscular Applications — the foundational module of the CNS Program.
Led by Dr. Ryan Harvey, this immersive weekend sets the tone for the entire series. This is where you build the clinical framework that transforms how you assess, diagnose, and treat neurological conditions.
Why start here?
Because CNS-01 is more than an introduction. It’s the core foundation that prepares you for:
✅ Advanced diagnostic thinking
✅ Real-world neuromuscular application
✅ Structured progression through the full CNS series
✅ Completing the recognized 300-hour requirement for ACNB board eligibility
And here’s the big picture —
Complete this series and you can be board eligible for the Fall 2027 ACNB Neurology Diplomate exam.
That’s not just continuing education.
That’s committing to mastery.
📅 June 26–28, 2026
📍 Minnesota
🎓 Faculty: Dr. Ryan Harvey DC DACNB
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to step into the next level of your professional identity — this is it.
🧠 FNC Case Study: When Reading Feels Hard — A Vergence Control Story
At theFNC, we recently evaluated a patient struggling with:
• Eye strain with reading
• Words blurring or shifting
• Headaches during near work
• Fatigue with computer use
• Difficulty shifting focus from near to far
• Motion sensitivity in busy environments
The question wasn’t: “Are the eyes weak?”
The real question was:
How well is the brain controlling binocular alignment?
⸻
🔬 What We Measured
Vergence is your brain’s ability to move the eyes in opposite directions to maintain single, clear vision.
• Slower-than-normal initiation
• Reduced early motor burst
• High instability and variability
• Mild convergence vulnerability
• Saccadic intrusions during vergence
This is measurable.
This is quantifiable.
And most importantly — this is modifiable.
There is hope.
DC DACNB
02/25/2026
Can brain injuries cause depression? Yes.
When brain regions that regulate mood and motivation are disrupted, it can lead to symptoms of depression.
You might feel flat, disconnected, unmotivated, or emotionally overwhelmed and it’s not just psychological.
There’s a neurological component we can evaluate and support. 🧠💔😔
There is hope and there are solutions.
Call our office at 612-223-8590 for a complimentary consult.
DC, DACNB
02/25/2026
If you’ve felt more withdrawn, unmotivated, or hopeless after a concussion or traumatic brain injury, you’re not alone, and it may be neurological.
In this video, Dr. Jeremy Schmoe DC, DACNB explains how brain injuries can disrupt the circuits responsible for mood, motivation, and emotional balance.
He discusses how inflammation, hormonal shifts, autonomic dysfunction, and changes in specific brain regions can all contribute to depressive symptoms after a head injury. Most importantly, he explains why addressing the root neurological cause is essential for real recovery.
When saccades are abnormal, it tells us the brain network is dysregulated.
When they improve with treatment, we know the brain is adapting.
⸻
🛠 How We Use This at FNC
At FNC, saccadometry helps us:
• Build targeted rehab protocols
• Train specific eye movement pathways
• Integrate vestibular and cerebellar circuits
• Monitor progress objectively
• Adjust treatment in real time
If you:
• Get dizzy in stores
• Can’t tolerate screens
• Feel overwhelmed in motion environments
• Have persistent headaches
• Struggle with reading or focus
Your brain may not be structurally damaged.
But it may not be functioning optimally.
And that’s something we can measure.
And train.
And improve.
⸻
🧠 Brain injuries are complex.
👁 Eye movements tell the truth.
📊 Objective data changes care.
There is hope.
theFNC.com | Minnesota
The Functional Neurology Center
02/24/2026
🧠 From Fear to Function – A TBI Recovery Story
In November 2010, I was dropped four floors in an elevator going 65 mph. When I landed, my brain crashed into my skull.
At first, many of my injuries didn’t show obvious symptoms. But within months, it became clear: I had suffered a concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
I couldn’t read.
I couldn’t work on a computer.
Crowds overwhelmed me.
I had constant headaches, balance problems, anxiety, light and sound sensitivity, and severe nerve and musculoskeletal pain.
Despite seeing highly respected neurologists, the therapies I was given weren’t helping. In fact, after a year and a half, I was getting worse. I was scared, frustrated, and physically and emotionally exhausted.
Then someone suggested I meet the team at theFNC.
I will always be grateful that I did.
theFNC introduced me to Functional Neurology — a comprehensive, science-based approach that addressed not just symptoms, but brain function itself. Their testing was unlike anything I had experienced. Their protocols were detailed and personalized — from blood work and nutrition to exercise, therapy, and retraining brain pathways.
I knew recovery from an injury like mine would require hard work. For the first time, I had someone who could truly guide me through it.
Over the years, with their guidance (and collaboration with other experts they recommended), my improvements have been life-changing.
I have improved on every level.
I am engaging more in life every day.
I still have TBI, and I know healing is an ongoing process. But I am no longer alone in it.
I am incredibly grateful to have theFNC on my team as I continue moving forward.
Vertical optokinetic weakness is common in concussion — especially with cerebellar nodulus/uvula stress.
⸻
🎯 Vertical Pro-Saccades
Latency:
• ~158–160 ms (slower than expected)
Velocity:
• Reduced with downward bias
Accuracy:
• 84–89% range
We also observed:
• Downward undershooting
• Increased variability
• Greater scatter in velocity curves
Vertical saccades rely heavily on:
• Rostral interstitial nucleus of the MLF
• Interstitial nucleus of Cajal
• Cerebellar vermis
• Superior colliculus integration
Vertical networks are metabolically demanding — and often the first to show stress after repeated concussions.
⸻
👀 Horizontal Pro-Saccades
Latency:
• ~114–122 ms
Velocity:
• Within expected range but slightly asymmetric
Accuracy:
• 94–99%
Mild slowing, but much stronger than vertical system.
⸻
🔄 Smooth Pursuit Findings
Horizontal Pursuit
• Relatively smooth sinusoidal pattern
• Minimal phase lag
• Preserved gain
Vertical Pursuit
• Gain variability (55–89%)
• Down cycle weaker than up cycle
• Increased asymmetry
• Reduced neural endurance across cycles
⚖️ Gaze Stability & VOR
• Horizontal VOR: Normal gain (~100%)
• Vertical VOR: Dropped to 55% at faster speeds
• Vertical stability more fragile under load
This is classic in athletes with repeated head trauma:
The vertical system loses resilience before horizontal.
⸻
📊 Gain & Symmetry Patterns
Symmetry plots showed:
• Subtle right-sided relative weakness
• Increasing asymmetry with higher frequency loading
• Progressive drift under sustained stimulation
This reflects:
Neural fatigue, not structural damage.
And fatigue under load is exactly what matters in high-speed sport.
⸻
🚶 Motor Findings
• Reduced right arm swing during automatic gait
• Improved when cognitive load added
• Mild left-sided rapid alternating movement dyscoordination
This is cortical-cerebellar automaticity disruption.
When thinking improves movement, automatic circuitry is underperforming.
Vertical optokinetic weakness is common in concussion — especially with cerebellar nodulus/uvula stress.
⸻
🎯 Vertical Pro-Saccades
Latency:
• ~158–160 ms (slower than expected)
Velocity:
• Reduced with downward bias
Accuracy:
• 84–89% range
We also observed:
• Downward undershooting
• Increased variability
• Greater scatter in velocity curves
Vertical saccades rely heavily on:
• Rostral interstitial nucleus of the MLF
• Interstitial nucleus of Cajal
• Cerebellar vermis
• Superior colliculus integration
Vertical networks are metabolically demanding — and often the first to show stress after repeated concussions.
⸻
👀 Horizontal Pro-Saccades
Latency:
• ~114–122 ms
Velocity:
• Within expected range but slightly asymmetric
Accuracy:
• 94–99%
Mild slowing, but much stronger than vertical system.
⸻
🔄 Smooth Pursuit Findings
Horizontal Pursuit
• Relatively smooth sinusoidal pattern
• Minimal phase lag
• Preserved gain
Vertical Pursuit
• Gain variability (55–89%)
• Down cycle weaker than up cycle
• Increased asymmetry
• Reduced neural endurance across cycles
⚖️ Gaze Stability & VOR
• Horizontal VOR: Normal gain (~100%)
• Vertical VOR: Dropped to 55% at faster speeds
• Vertical stability more fragile under load
This is classic in athletes with repeated head trauma:
The vertical system loses resilience before horizontal.
⸻
📊 Gain & Symmetry Patterns
Symmetry plots showed:
• Subtle right-sided relative weakness
• Increasing asymmetry with higher frequency loading
• Progressive drift under sustained stimulation
This reflects:
Neural fatigue, not structural damage.
And fatigue under load is exactly what matters in high-speed sport.
⸻
🚶 Motor Findings
• Reduced right arm swing during automatic gait
• Improved when cognitive load added
• Mild left-sided rapid alternating movement dyscoordination
This is cortical-cerebellar automaticity disruption.
When thinking improves movement, automatic circuitry is underperforming.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Functional Neurology Center: Concussion Brain Injury Minnetonka, MN. posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact The Practice
Send a message to The Functional Neurology Center: Concussion Brain Injury Minnetonka, MN.:
The Functional Neurology Center (The FNC) started out of one room, with a focus on caring for the whole person. And now we’ve grown to a 6,000 square foot clinic that treats more than just your brain, but also how your brain health affects your quality of life and the lives of those who love you. During your Neuro-Exam, Discovery Day, Intensive Program, or even just a single visit for a ‘tune-up’, you’ll always work one-on-one with a small team of doctors who are just as invested in your recovery as you are.
Of course, we have the latest diagnostics and high tech therapies and treatments, but your recovery hinges on more than what we know and the tools we can buy. It’s our personalized investment in your health, and a rock-solid believe that There is Hope, that sets us apart.
The most important component of your recovery is the relationship you form with your Doctors.
Based on your individual condition and needs, you’ll work directly with a small dedicated team of Doctors, working together for the full duration of treatment. During this time, it’s essential to be open and trusting with your doctors, knowing they are with you every step of the way. This relationship, coupled with your motivation and commitment to your recovery is the ultimate key to success.
The Six Key Systems
Your rehabilitation experience starts with a Neuro-Exam that looks at your personal history as well as the six key systems involved brain health: Cognitive, Pain, Ocular Motor, Autonomic, Proprioceptive, and Vestibular. By assessing these systems, we can identify the areas of your brain suffering from injury or trauma. Our unique approach of assessing all things neurological, structural, and metabolic can uncover issues that may have been missed by other providers, and that could make all the difference in your recovery.
Get Answers, get better.
If you’ve had it with your symptoms, lack of answers from other providers and are ready to find hope again then an Intensive Program is for you. We’ll begin by diving into your Neuro-Exam to uncover the root causes of your symptoms and get you started on the road to recovery on Day one. Working with a small team of doctors, you’ll be supported and guided through 5, 8 or 10-days of world-class treatment using high-tech therapies in an emotionally supportive environment.
On-Going Care
Your treatment won’t stop when you go home. We’re with you every step of the way. Even after your Intensive Program, you’ll have two months of at-home support and an app to help you track ongoing improvement and symptoms and function.
Optional Lab Tests with a review of results via phone call
Home Nutrition Program
Nutritional Supplementation
Bi-Monthly email Check-ins
Phone call check-in once every three weeks (3 total)
