The Functional Neurology Center: Concussion Brain Injury Minnetonka, MN.

12/22/2025

THE HIDDEN LINK BETWEEN YOUR NECK, CSF FLOW, HEADACHES, DIZZINESS & BRAIN FOG — AND HOW WE ADDRESS IT AT theFNC

Most people think of brain health as purely neurological — chemistry, neurons, neurotransmitters.

But modern research is revealing something much bigger:

👉 Your neck mechanics and head movement patterns directly influence cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow.
👉 Your deep suboccipital muscles connect to your spinal dura through a structure called the Myodural Bridge (MDB).
👉 And impaired CSF flow may contribute to headaches, dizziness, pressure sensations, brain fog, post-concussion symptoms, and chronic autonomic problems.

This is one of the most important, overlooked areas in all of neurology — and it’s something we assess and treat every single day at The Functional Neurology Center.

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🔍 WHAT THE NEW RESEARCH SHOWS

A 2021 paper published in Nature Scientific Reports (s41598-021-93767-8) demonstrated something powerful:

Simple head-nodding movements change CSF flow patterns in real time.

Researchers used advanced cine MRI to measure CSF movement at the cranio-cervical junction. After just one minute of gentle head nodding, they found:
• Significant changes in maximum and average CSF flow velocities
• Measurable shifts in direction of CSF flow
• Increased CSF pressure (confirmed through lumbar puncture in a separate group)
• Altered cranial ↔ caudal flow balance

This means that CSF flow is not only driven by heart rate and breathing…

Movement matters.
Neck mechanics matter.
Head posture matters.

And this is where the Myodural Bridge becomes clinically important.

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🔗 THE MYODURAL BRIDGE: THE NECK–BRAIN CONNECTION NO ONE TALKS ABOUT

Deep under your skull, the small suboccipital muscles attach directly to the spinal dura — the protective sheath around your brainstem and spinal cord.

This connective-tissue linkage is called the Myodural Bridge.

Its role?

To transmit mechanical forces from your neck muscles to your dura — influencing CSF flow, pressure, and stability.

When these muscles function normally, the MDB helps:
• Maintain healthy CSF circulation
• Support brainstem mechanics
• Stabilize the cranio-cervical junction
• Assist with movement-driven CSF “pumping”

But when there is dysfunction — such as:
• Whiplash
• Concussion
• Forward-head posture
• Chronic neck tension
• Cervical instability
• Postural collapse
• Muscle hypertonicity
• Poor proprioception
• Trauma at C0–C1–C2

— the MDB may pull unevenly on the dura or fail to assist CSF movement properly.

And symptoms often follow.

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⚠️ WHEN THE NECK–CSF SYSTEM FAILS, YOU MAY FEEL…

These are EXACTLY the patients who show up at theFNC every week:
• Head pressure or “internal swelling”
• Worsening headaches with movement
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Visual motion sensitivity
• Neck tightness with “pulling” into the head
• Post-concussion symptoms that never resolve
• Difficulty tolerating upright posture
• Brain fog and cognitive slowing
• Sleep difficulty or “wired but tired” states
• Autonomic symptoms (heart racing, temperature issues, anxiety-like sensations)
• Feeling “full,” “pressurized,” or “floating”

Many of these patients have “normal” MRI results — because standard imaging does not assess functional CSF dynamics, dural tension, MDB mechanics, or vestibulo-cervical integration.

But when we test them functionally, we find the root causes.

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🏥 HOW theFNC EVALUATES THIS SYSTEM

We use a comprehensive Functional Neurology approach to evaluate:

✔ CSF-related mechanics through
• Positional testing
• Eye–head–neck integration
• Dural tension indicators
• Motion-driven symptom mapping

✔ Deep neck flexor + suboccipital muscle function

(Where the MDB originates)

✔ C0–C1–C2 biomechanics

(neutral, flexion, extension, rotation)

✔ Cervical proprioception

(accurate or distorted?)

✔ Vestibular mapping

(VOR stress tests, gaze holding, cervical-ocular reflex)

✔ Posture and gait under load

(brainstem + CSF dynamics often show through)

We look at the whole system, not just the painful area.

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🌀 HOW WE TREAT IT AT theFNC

Treatment combines:

1️⃣ Correcting cranio-cervical mechanics

Gentle, precise mobilization + stabilization

2️⃣ Releasing and retraining suboccipital muscles

Normalizing MDB tension.

3️⃣ Movement-based CSF optimization

Inspired by the Nature study — controlled head-nodding, cervical patterning, rhythmic motion sequencing.

(This is also where Ciatrix-style movement and posture-driven fluid work fits beautifully.)

4️⃣ Vestibular and oculomotor integration

To restore brainstem and proprioceptive control over posture and head mechanics.

5️⃣ Dynamic balance and sensory-motor rehabilitation

Allowing the system to re-synchronize under real-world conditions.

6️⃣ Autonomic regulation

Breathwork, visual–vestibular drills, physiological sequencing to restore CNS balance.

7️⃣ Technology assisted therapies

Depending on the case:
• Laser therapy
• Neuro-modulation
• Motion platforms
• Proprioceptive training
• Cervical neuromuscular retraining
• VR vestibular integration
Ciatrix.com

This is how we restore flow, not just treat symptoms.

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🎯 WHY PATIENTS GET BETTER HERE

Because we look at something most clinics ignore:

👉 Your neck is part of your brain system.
👉 Your dura responds to movement.
👉 Your CSF responds to posture.
👉 Your symptoms often come from dysfunction in this system — not from the brain “mystically misfiring.”

When you restore healthy head–neck mechanics, normalize the MDB, and retrain CSF-related dynamics…

Patients often report:
• Clearer thinking
• Reduced headaches
• Better balance
• Less dizziness
• Improved sleep
• More stable energy
• Less anxiety-like autonomic symptoms
• A sense of being “grounded” and “in control” again

For many, this is life-changing.

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🙌 IF YOU STRUGGLE WITH HEAD PRESSURE, DIZZINESS, NECK PAIN, OR POST-CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS — YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE THIS WAY.

At theFNC, we specialize in complex neurological cases where the mechanical + fluid + sensory systems need to be rebuilt.

There is always a reason.
There is always a mechanism.
And there is always HOPE.

👉 Learn more at theFNC.com
👉 Message us to speak with our team

Image source:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-93767-8

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-92506-7

12/21/2025

🎉 Honoring Dr. David Zee — A Giant in Neuro-Ophthalmology & Vestibular Science 🎉

Today we want to recognize and congratulate Dr. David S. Zee on his retirement after an extraordinary 60-year career at Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Zee’s groundbreaking work in ocular motor control, vestibular physiology, and cerebellar mechanisms fundamentally changed how clinicians and researchers understand dizziness, nystagmus, VOR adaptation, and visual-vestibular integration.

His contributions laid the foundation for much of what we do in modern functional neurology.

At The Functional Neurology Center, our approach to:
• VOR adaptation & gain control
• optokinetic recalibration
• nodulus & flocculus integration
• ocular motor assessment
• motion sensitivity rehabilitation
• cerebellar-vestibular neuroplasticity

is deeply informed by the science pioneered by Dr. Zee.

From his collaboration on The Neurology of Eye Movements to his decades of mentorship and clinical research, he has shaped the understanding of:

✔ how the brain stabilizes gaze
✔ how the cerebellum adapts motor output
✔ why dizziness and nystagmus occur
✔ and how visual motion sensitivity can be treated

Because of his work, clinics like ours can help patients recover from:

🌀 concussion
🌀 vestibular migraine
🌀 optic flow sensitivity
🌀 cerebellar dysfunction
🌀 persistent post-concussion dizziness

He turned complex neuroscience into practical, life-changing insight.

Dr. Zee has inspired countless clinicians — ourselves included — to pursue excellence, curiosity, and compassion in the evaluation and rehabilitation of patients with dizziness and ocular motor disorders.

From all of us at The Functional Neurology Center:
Thank you, Dr. Zee.

Former director for the Division of Neuro-Visual and Vestibular Disorders revolutionized the clinical approach to dizziness, vertigo and disorders of eye movements.

12/21/2025

https://youtu.be/6vm7nIKaZOo?si=xJ4p6DcaDzlrDApi

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

12/21/2025

A huge thanks 🙏 to all of our intensive patients from last week and also our patients who traveled from Hawaii to MN in the 🥶 winter!

12/21/2025

⭐️ CONCUSSION, THE NECK & DIZZINESS — THE CRITICAL LINK TOO OFTEN MISSED ⭐️

Why persistent concussion symptoms are NOT just “in the brain”… and why the neck may be the missing piece of your recovery.

Every week at The Functional Neurology Center, we meet patients who have been told to “just rest” after concussion — only to find themselves months or even years later still struggling with dizziness, light sensitivity, visual strain, imbalance, head pressure, jaw pain, or motion intolerance.

Many are told their scans are normal.
Many are told it’s anxiety.
Many are told their symptoms “don’t make sense.”

But emerging research — including a 2025 Frontiers in Neurology article on cervicogenic dizziness — is finally explaining what we see in clinic every day:

👉 Persistent post-concussion symptoms are often driven by a sensory mismatch between the neck, the vestibular system, and the visual system.
👉 And until the neck is addressed, symptoms can persist — no matter how much you rest.

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🧠 The Science: Why the Neck Matters in Concussion

The upper cervical spine (C0–C3) is packed with proprioceptors — sensors that tell the brain:

• where your head is in space
• how fast it’s moving
• how your eyes should stabilize
• how your balance system should respond
• and how to coordinate posture

After concussion or whiplash, this information can become distorted.

The 2025 Frontiers in Neurology article outlines exactly what happens next:

🔹 1️⃣ The neck sends altered proprioceptive signals

🔹 2️⃣ The brainstem and vestibular nuclei receive conflicting information

🔹 3️⃣ The visual system tries to compensate

🔹 4️⃣ The cerebellum attempts to reweight sensory input

🔹 5️⃣ A sensory mismatch develops

This mismatch is what drives:

✔ dizziness
✔ motion intolerance
✔ unsteadiness
✔ “floating” or “rocking” sensations
✔ eye strain
✔ head pressure
✔ jaw or facial pain
✔ anxiety in busy environments

The article emphasizes that this mismatch can persist — even after the brain has “healed” — unless the cervical system is rehabilitated.

(Source: Frontiers in Neurology, 2025 — Cervicogenic Dizziness Perspective)

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🌀 Why Imaging & Rest Often Fail

Standard MRIs and CT scans look at structure — not function.

They cannot detect:

• proprioceptive errors
• vestibular integration issues
• cervical mechanoreceptor dysfunction
• sensory mismatch
• autonomic dysregulation

So patients are told everything is “normal,” while their functional systems are deeply dysregulated.

Rest alone cannot recalibrate these systems.

They need targeted, active retraining.

⸻

🎯 The FNC Approach — Grounded in Research & Clinical Results

We specialize in evaluating and rehabilitating the exact systems involved in post-concussion dizziness:

✔ Cervical Proprioceptive Training

• joint position error
• deep neck flexor sequencing
• suboccipital function
• C0–C3 sensorimotor control

✔ Vestibular Rehabilitation

• VOR gain
• head-eye reflex training
• habituation
• motion sensitivity reduction

✔ Ocular Motor & Visual Processing

• saccades
• pursuits
• convergence
• optokinetic response

✔ Trigeminal & TMJ Pathways

• dural tension
• jaw mechanics
• facial pain modulation

✔ Cerebellar / Nodulus Integration

• gravity & velocity storage
• otolith processing
• postural control

✔ Autonomic Regulation

• HRV
• breath-driven vagal modulation
• limbic calming

✔ Sensory Re-weighting & Integration

where the REAL healing occurs.

We do not guess.
We measure.
We map systems.
We treat the whole network — not just the symptom.

This is why patients who have tried everything else often improve when these systems are finally treated together.

⸻

🙌 Why This Matters for YOU

If you still have:

• dizziness
• foggy vision
• motion intolerance
• neck pain
• head pressure
• jaw tension
• imbalance
• fatigue
• anxiety in busy environments

months or years after a concussion…

There is a physiological reason.
It is NOT “in your head.”
It is not “just anxiety.”

It is a treatable mismatch between the neck, vestibular, and visual systems.

And when treated holistically — recovery often accelerates.

⸻

💬 If You’re Still Struggling, You Have Options

At The Functional Neurology Center, we offer:

• comprehensive evaluations
• intensive programs
• multidisciplinary rehab

We serve patients locally & from across the U.S. and internationally.

If you want to learn whether you’re a candidate:

📩 Send us a message
TheFNC.com
💬 Comment “HOPE” below
📞 Request a complimentary consult 612 223 8590
📍 Minnetonka, MN

You deserve answers.

There IS hope — and there is a pathway to recovery.
— The Functional Neurology Center

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1545241/full

12/21/2025

🌱 MYCOTOXINS, MICROGLIA & YOUR BRAIN — A DEEP LOOK AT WHY EXPOSURE CAN MIMIC CONCUSSION AND HOW WE REHABILITATE IT AT THE FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY CENTER

Many patients arrive at The FNC with symptoms like:

🌀 dizziness
🧠 brain fog
📉 cognitive decline
🎢 motion sensitivity
😰 anxiety / dysautonomia
💥 headaches & pressure
🌪 sensory overload

…without trauma.

And research is making one thing clear:

👉 mycotoxins + microglial activation can create neurological dysfunction that LOOKS and FEELS like concussion — without a head injury.

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🧠 STEP 1 — WHAT MYCOTOXINS DO TO THE BRAIN

🔥 They initiate neuroinflammation

Mycotoxins stimulate microglia & astrocytes, increasing:
• IL-1β
• IL-6
• TNF-α
• NF-κB signaling

These cytokines disrupt synaptic function, affect memory centers (hippocampus), and impair executive function (prefrontal cortex).

⸻

⚡ They impair mitochondrial function

Research shows mycotoxins:
• collapse mitochondrial membrane potential
• reduce ATP production
• increase ROS/RNS

Low ATP = decreased neural firing efficiency → fatigue, brain fog, poor cognitive stamina.

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🧱 They break down the blood–brain barrier

Mycotoxins degrade:
• occludin
• claudin
• ZO-1

— the tight junction proteins responsible for BBB integrity.

This allows inflammatory molecules & toxins to enter the CNS more easily.

⸻

🎯 They disrupt neurotransmitters

Particularly:
• glutamate (↑ excitotoxicity)
• GABA (↓ inhibitory balance)
• calcium signaling (↑ intracellular Ca2+)

This causes:

⚠ sensory hypersensitivity
⚠ anxiety
⚠ panic-like responses
⚠ headaches & photophobia

⸻

🧩 They impair synaptic plasticity & BDNF signaling

Which affects:
• learning
• working memory
• processing speed
• executive function

This is why patients struggle with multitasking, reading, screens, and mental endurance.

⸻

🧬 STEP 2 — WHAT MICROGLIA DO IN RESPONSE

Microglia are the CNS immune cells.

Under normal circumstances, they:

✔ prune synapses
✔ maintain homeostasis
✔ support neuroplasticity
✔ aid in repair
✔ defend against pathogens

Frontiers in Immunology clarifies microglia are dynamic, with phenotypes:
• M1 (pro-inflammatory) → TNF-α, IL-1β, NO, ROS
• M2 (repair/regenerative) → IL-10, TGF-β, BDNF

Mycotoxins push microglia toward chronic M1 dominance.

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Chronic M1 activity leads to:

🔥 oxidative stress
🔥 mitochondrial damage
🔥 impaired synaptic pruning
🔥 white matter irritation
🔥 BBB breakdown
🔥 glutamate excitotoxicity

AND — importantly —

microglia maintain inflammation even AFTER exposure stops.

This is why patients say:

“I left the moldy environment… but my symptoms never left me.”

The loop sustains itself.

🧭 STEP 3 — WHY SYMPTOMS CLUSTER THE WAY THEY DO

🧠 hippocampus → memory & fog

🧬 prefrontal cortex → executive function & overwhelm

🎯 cerebellum → dizziness, motion sensitivity, balance

⚖ vestibular nuclei → visual motion intolerance

🌪 limbic system → anxiety, stress intolerance, mood swings

🪫 mitochondria → fatigue & low stamina

🧵 myodural bridge → headaches, neck dysfunction, CSF flow

Mycotoxin + microglial activation affects ALL of these.

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🧊 STEP 4 — WHY CSF & GLYMPHATIC FLOW MATTER

Inflammation → astrocyte dysfunction → glymphatic impairment.

Impaired CSF = impaired toxin clearance.

This is why we use:
• Ciatrix CSF flow
• cervical rehab / myodural bridge
• PEMF
• LLLT

to improve clearance — complementing the immune side.

⸻

🏥 STEP 5 — HOW THE FNC REHABILITATES THIS

We do NOT detox mold: we collaborate with functional medicine providers if you need help with detoxification and make referrals.
We rehabilitate the brain after toxic + neuroimmune injury.

🎯 vestibular–ocular rehab

🎯 cervical proprioception & CSF flow

🎯 ARPwave & cranial nerve neuromodulation

🎯 HRV & autonomic retraining

🎯 cognitive rehabilitation

🎯 graded sensory reintegration

🎯 cerebellar & limbic modulation

🎯 metabolic / mitochondrial support via collaboration

We are addressing:

✔ neural signaling
✔ CSF flow ciatrix.com
✔ autonomic regulation
✔ sensory gating
✔ cognitive endurance

AND reducing neuroimmune load & microglial activation through neurological intervention.

⸻

🌟 WHAT PATIENTS EXPERIENCE WHEN THE LOOP CALMS

✨ reduced dizziness
✨ improved processing speed
✨ less anxiety
✨ fewer headaches
✨ better balance
✨ clearer thinking
✨ reduced sensory overload
✨ improved stamina

They often say:

“My brain finally turned back on.”

⸻

🧾 KEY TAKEAWAYS

✔ Mycotoxins damage the brain directly (mitochondria, BBB, neurotransmitters).
✔ Microglia respond and can become chronically activated (M1 shift).
✔ This creates a neuroimmune loop even after exposure ends.
✔ Symptoms mimic concussion, dysautonomia, and long-COVID.
✔ Functional neurology targets BOTH:
• neural network dysfunction
• AND neuroimmune dysregulation

✔ This is why patients improve.

⸻

🙌 FINAL MESSAGE

Your symptoms have a biological basis.
You are not imagining them.
And you are not broken.

With the right approach:

🧠 the brain can rewire
💪 the immune system can shift
🌬 autonomic balance can return
🔄 CSF flow can improve
✨ clarity and stability can come back

There is hope — and there is a path forward.

📍 The Functional Neurology Center — Minnesota
🌐 Serving patients nationwide
TheFNC.com
📞 Complimentary consultations available
DC DACNB

Detox removes the toxin.
We rebuild the brain.

https://www.imrpress.com/journal/JIN/22/6/10.31083/j.jin2206137

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1305087/full

Image: from article below.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/1/24l

12/21/2025

🧠 The Trigeminal System: The Most Overlooked Link Between Head Injury, Headaches, Facial Pain, Autonomics & Brain Recovery

Most people have heard of the trigeminal nerve because of “trigeminal neuralgia” or sinus pain…
…but almost no one understands how MASSIVELY important the trigeminal system is for:
• Headaches & migraines
• Concussion & post-traumatic symptoms
• Facial and jaw pain
• TMJ dysfunction
• Sinus pressure
• Neck pain & cervicogenic headaches
• Autonomic dysregulation (light sensitivity, nausea, dizziness)
• Cerebral blood flow
• Neuroinflammation
• Cognitive fatigue
• Brain recovery

At The Functional Neurology Center, we evaluate the trigeminal system in every complex case — because it is one of the most influential and interconnected systems in the human nervous system.

This system is NOT just a facial nerve.
It is a brainstem, vascular, sensory, autonomic, and pain-modulating superhighway.

Let’s break down why it matters.

⸻

🔍 What Is the Trigeminal System?

The trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V) is the largest cranial nerve, with three major branches:
• V1 Ophthalmic – forehead, scalp, eye, dura, sinuses
• V2 Maxillary – cheeks, upper teeth, sinuses
• V3 Mandibular – jaw, lower teeth, TMJ, chewing muscles

It carries:

✔ Sensory input

Touch, pressure, pain, temperature, vibration, and proprioception from the head, face, jaw, sinuses, teeth, tongue, meninges, and blood vessels.

✔ Motor control

Muscles of chewing (masseter, temporalis, pterygoids), tensor tympani, and more.

✔ Autonomic & reflex connections

Deep links to parasympathetic nuclei, pupillary responses, salivation, tear production, and brainstem autonomics.

✔ Vascular & meningeal innervation

The trigeminal system innervates the meninges, dura, and cerebral blood vessels — making it a direct controller of brain vascular tone and blood flow dynamics.

The trigeminal ganglion and brainstem nuclei then relay information to:
• Thalamus
• Hypothalamus
• Insular cortex
• Somatosensory cortex
• Limbic/emotional centers
• Cerebellum
• Vestibular nuclei
• Autonomic brainstem nuclei
• Pain modulation systems (like PAG – periaqueductal gray)

This is why trigeminal input affects head pain, emotion, dizziness, visual comfort, sensory tolerance, and autonomic stability.

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🔥 The Trigeminovascular System: The Source of Most Headaches

One of the most important sub-systems is the Trigeminovascular System (TVS) — the network connecting trigeminal nerve endings to the dura + cranial blood vessels.

When activated by:
• Trauma
• Whiplash
• Concussion
• Stress
• TMJ strain
• Sinus inflammation
• Neck dysfunction
• Vascular irritation

…the TVS releases inflammatory neuropeptides like:
• CGRP
• Substance P
• Neurokinin A

This causes:

✔ Blood vessel dilation

✔ Neurogenic inflammation

✔ Increased pain sensitivity

✔ Facial & head pain

✔ Migraine-like symptoms

✔ Autonomic symptoms (nausea, light sensitivity)

This is the core mechanism behind:
• Migraines
• Tension headaches
• Sinus headaches
• Post-traumatic headaches
• Occipital headaches that radiate behind the eye
• TMJ-driven head pain
• Concussion headaches

If you irritate the trigeminal system, you can trigger headache physiology — even without a direct head injury.

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🧠 Concussion & the Trigeminal System: The Missing Link

Here’s the part most providers miss:

The trigeminal system is DIRECTLY affected after concussion.

Concussion creates:
• Shearing forces on the brainstem
• Irritation of the meninges (innervated by V1)
• Neuroinflammation → activates trigeminovascular endings
• Altered cerebral blood flow → sensed by trigeminal fibers
• TMJ/mandible compression from impact
• Whiplash → cervical inflammation → trigeminal-cervical convergence

All of these increase firing of trigeminal pathways.

This is why post-concussion patients develop:

✔ Head pressure

✔ Pain behind the eyes

✔ Facial pain or tingling

✔ Migraines

✔ Light & sound sensitivity

✔ TMJ pain

✔ Ear fullness or pressure

✔ Dizziness

✔ Nausea

✔ Cognitive fatigue

And even more importantly…

The trigeminal system helps regulate cerebral blood flow.

If this pathway is disrupted, the brain may struggle with:
• Autoregulation
• Neurovascular coupling
• Metabolic clearance
• Cognitive endurance

This explains WHY concussion symptoms get worse with:
• Bright lights
• Visual motion
• Thinking too hard
• Screen use
• Busy environments
• Neck movement
• Jaw clenching
• Increased stress

All of these stimulate trigeminal input.

⸻

🔄 Cervical Spine → Trigeminal System → Pain & Dizziness

The upper cervical spine shares convergence pathways with the trigeminal system in the brainstem (trigeminal-cervical complex).

Inflammation or dysfunction in:
• C0–C1 joints
• C1–C2 joints
• Suboccipitals
• SCM
• Deep neck flexors
• Cervical proprioception

…can activate the same brainstem nuclei that process trigeminal pain.

This is why neck injuries cause:
• Headaches
• Facial pain
• Eye strain
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Trigeminal neuralgia-like symptoms

And why treating the cervical spine often reduces “facial pain” or “head pressure.”

⸻

💥 The Trigeminal System & the Vestibular System

The trigeminal system links deeply with the vestibular nuclei, influencing:
• Balance perception
• Visual stability
• Head motion tolerance
• Cervico-ocular reflexes
• Spatial awareness

When trigeminal input becomes abnormal, patients experience:
• Dizziness
• Rocking or swaying
• Motion sensitivity
• “On a boat” sensation
• Feeling off-center
• Difficulty with head turns

This is why trigeminal modulation can help stabilize dizziness after concussion.

⸻

🌡 Trigeminal System, Autonomics & Inflammation

The trigeminal system interfaces with:
• The vagus nerve
• Parasympathetic nuclei
• Sympathetic brainstem regions
• Hypothalamic stress circuits
• Pain modulation centers

Activation can produce:
• Nausea
• Temperature dysregulation
• Heart rate instability
• Anxiety or irritability
• Fatigue
• Sleep disturbance
• Digestive changes

And conversely — calming trigeminal input calms the autonomic system.

⸻

⚡ Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (TNS): A Breakthrough for Brain Recovery

Research shows that stimulating trigeminal pathways can:
• Boost cerebral blood flow
• Reduce neuroinflammation
• Improve autonomic regulation
• Support consciousness in severe brain injury
• Reduce migraine frequency
• Improve mood & cognition
• Help post-concussion symptoms
• Improve sleep and sensory tolerance

This is why trigeminal-focused neuromodulation is becoming a major tool in functional neurology.

At The FNC, we integrate:
• ARPwave trigeminal/vagal stimulation
• TMJ and cranio-cervical work
• Facial proprioceptive rehab
• Neuromuscular retraining
• Sensory desensitization
• Autonomic stabilization
• Pterygoid, masseter, temporalis functional work
• Cranial/dural release
• Vestibular + trigeminal integration
• Visual + trigeminal reflex retraining

When you rehab this system properly, symptoms begin to unwind fast.

⸻

🌟 The Takeaway

The trigeminal system is:

✔ A brainstem regulator
✔ A vascular controller
✔ A pain amplifier — or pain reliever
✔ A balance + eye movement collaborator
✔ A major player in headaches, concussion, and TMJ
✔ A target for neuromodulation and rehabilitation

Most patients with:
• Post-concussion symptoms
• Chronic headaches
• TMJ pain
• Facial pain
• Light sensitivity
• Dizziness
• Neck pain
• Cognitive fatigue

…have trigeminal dysregulation at the root.

The good news:
This system is incredibly trainable.
With the right functional neurology approach, you can calm it, retrain it, and rebuild healthy sensory processing.

This often leads to some of the fastest and most dramatic breakthroughs we see in clinic.

⸻

There is HOPE.

And the trigeminal system is one of the most powerful pathways we use to help patients get it back.

TheFNC.com
612 223 8590

⸻



Image: https://biorender.com/

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/9/2392 #

12/20/2025

https://experiencelife.lifetime.life/article/the-neurobic-workout/

These four brain-stimulating workouts can improve coordination, balance, and focus.

12/20/2025

🧠 The Hidden Brain Circuits Behind Post-Concussion Syndrome —

New Research Explains What We See Every Day at The Functional Neurology Center

Post-concussion symptoms can linger, evolve, or suddenly flare months — even years — after the initial injury. Many patients who come to The Functional Neurology Center (FNC) say the same thing:

“I look normal, the scans are normal…
but I don’t feel normal.”

A major 2023 Frontiers in Neurology review helps explain exactly why this happens and supports what we evaluate and rehabilitate every day:

➡️ Concussions disrupt specific brain circuits and networks — NOT just isolated symptoms.
➡️ Different regions of the brain produce different symptom patterns.
➡️ Persistent symptoms reflect incomplete reintegration of neural networks.

This article breaks down the science and shows how it matches the comprehensive, multi-system approach we use at theFNC.

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🔍 THE RESEARCH: POST-CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS FOLLOW A BRAIN-REGION MAP

The review systematically connects neuroanatomy with the hallmark symptoms of post-concussion syndrome.
It identifies disruptions across six major neural systems:
1. Cortical motor & sensory regions
2. Subcortical limbic & cognitive centers
3. Visual & vestibular circuitry
4. Cerebellar networks
5. White matter communication pathways
6. Autonomic / brainstem regulation loops

When one (or several) of these circuits are impacted, predictable patterns of dysfunction emerge.
The more circuits involved, the more complex the presentation.

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1️⃣ CORTICAL NETWORKS — WHY BALANCE, COORDINATION & “BODY AWARENESS” CHANGE

The cerebral cortex controls movement, sensation, planning, attention, and sensory integration.

Concussion stressors include:
• Rotational acceleration
• Axonal stretching
• Cortical shearing
• Diffuse microinflammation

When affected, patients often develop:

✔ Altered somatosensory processing

Feeling “off,” disconnected, or lacking awareness of where the body is in space.

✔ Balance and gait instability

Cortical-motor disruption alters descending motor planning AND integration with cerebellar loops.

✔ Impaired dual-tasking

Walking while thinking, turning while talking, or navigating visually complex spaces becomes overwhelming.

✔ Motor sequencing issues

Difficulty performing coordinated movements, sport-specific tasks, or activities requiring timing.

This cortical disruption sets the stage for the “multi-layered” dysfunction that follows.

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2️⃣ LIMBIC & SUBCORTICAL SYSTEMS — WHY MOOD, MEMORY & EMOTIONS SHIFT

The review highlights the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, and basal forebrain — regions deeply involved in:
• Emotion regulation
• Stress response
• Sleep cycles
• Memory encoding
• Motivation
• Attention control

Concussion can destabilize these networks, producing:

✔ Emotional volatility

Irritability, sadness, fear, or “I cry for no reason.”

✔ Anxiety & hypervigilance

Limbic circuits misinterpret sensory overload as threat.

✔ Brain fog

Thalamic relay inefficiency and hippocampal stress slow normal thinking.

✔ Poor memory & recall

Especially under cognitive load or stress.

✔ Sleep disruption

Dysregulated circadian control impacts healing and autonomics.

This is neurological — not psychological.

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3️⃣ VISUAL + VESTIBULAR SYSTEMS — WHY THE WORLD FEELS “UNSTABLE”

The visual and vestibular systems share direct, high-speed pathways with one another and with the cerebellum and cervical spine.

Even mild dysfunction here creates dramatic symptoms:

✔ Light and motion sensitivity

Screens, stores, driving, scrolling.

✔ Visual motion overwhelm

The brain struggles to filter moving information (optic flow).

✔ Difficulty focusing, reading, or tracking

Saccadic and pursuit deficits create blurred or unstable vision.

✔ Dizziness & imbalance

If eye–ear–neck signals don’t match, the brain loses its stability map.

✔ Feeling detached or “floating”

A mismatch between vestibular input and visual grounding.

Concussions often create sensory mismatch, where eyes, inner ears, and neck proprioceptors are no longer synchronized.

This is a hallmark finding at theFNC.

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4️⃣ CEREBELLAR NETWORKS — THE “CONDUCTOR” OF MOTOR & COGNITIVE FUNCTION

The cerebellum coordinates:
• Balance
• Eye movements
• Proprioception
• Gait
• Reflexes
• Timing and rhythm
• Error correction
• Cognitive processing

Damage or inhibition here leads to:

✔ Instability in complex or busy environments

(Malls, airports, stores)

✔ Difficulty with head turns or rapid direction changes

✔ Fatigue during standing or walking

The brain must work harder to stabilize the body.

✔ Visual blurring with movement (oscillopsia)

✔ Slowed thinking, multitasking difficulty

The cerebellum helps coordinate not only movement — but thought.

Cerebellar dysfunction is one of the top contributors to chronic post-concussion symptoms.

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5️⃣ WHITE MATTER & NETWORK CONNECTIVITY — THE “WIRING” THAT MAKES EVERYTHING WORK

White matter tracts connect all brain regions.
They ensure efficient communication.

Concussions can cause:
• Axonal stretching
• Slowed conduction speed
• Microstructural disruption
• Neuroinflammatory changes

This produces:

✔ Slowed processing speed

✔ Cognitive burnout

✔ Difficulty keeping up in conversation

✔ Mental fatigue after small tasks

✔ Difficulty switching tasks

✔ Sensory overload when multitasking

✔ Crashing after a day of stimulation

This is why so many patients say:

“I can do the thing — but I can’t do the thing AND think.”

That is classic white-matter load intolerance.

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6️⃣ BRAINSTEM + AUTONOMIC CIRCUITS — THE HIDDEN DRIVER OF MANY PERSISTENT SYMPTOMS

The brainstem houses:
• Cranial nerve nuclei
• Vestibular nuclei
• Autonomic control centers
• Gaze stabilization pathways
• Postural reflex loops

Injury here contributes to:

✔ Heart rate variability issues

✔ Blood pressure swings

✔ Temperature dysregulation

✔ GI sensitivity

✔ Panic-like episodes

✔ Chronic fatigue

✔ Difficulty tolerating exertion

Many PCS patients have under-recognized cervical-vestibular-autonomic integration issues — a signature focus at theFNC.

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**⚠️ WHY SYMPTOMS PERSIST:

MULTIPLE NETWORKS FAIL TO “REINTEGRATE”**

This review’s most important conclusion:

Concussions disrupt complex networks — not just one structure.

Healing requires reintegrating those networks, not simply waiting for symptoms to fade.

This explains why:
• Time alone does not heal everyone
• Symptoms can flare without re-injury
• Patients improve when circuits are targeted
• Many feel “stuck between systems”
• Rest, medication, and “standard PT” often aren’t enough

Persistent symptoms = persistent network dysfunction.

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🏥 HOW THE FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY CENTER REBUILDS THESE NETWORKS

We identify exactly which circuits were affected — then rehabilitate those circuits in a precise, layered, and progressively integrated way.

Our exam includes:

🔹 Neuro-visual & oculomotor testing

Saccades, pursuits, VOR, convergence, OKN, fixation stability.

🔹 Vestibular & otolith evaluation

Utricle, saccule, VOR pathways, gravitational orientation, head motion tolerance.

🔹 Cervical proprioceptive & stability assessment

Suboccipitals, JPE testing, neck–eye coordination, cervical reflexes.

🔹 Cerebellar activation & midline testing

Gait, posture, rhythm, timing, coordination.

🔹 Autonomic load testing

HRV, dysautonomia patterns, exertional tolerance.

🔹 White matter + network integrity screening

Processing speed, dual-tasking, divided attention, sensory load mapping.

This map becomes the blueprint for individualized care.

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🛠 OUR REHABILITATION MODEL: CIRCUIT-BASED NEURO-REINTEGRATION

We combine:

✔ Visual-Vestibular Integration

Optokinetics, gaze stabilization, head–eye–body retraining.

✔ Cervical Spine Neuromodulation

Joint receptor activation, proprioceptive reorientation, trigeminal (Vagus 2.0) stimulation.

✔ Cerebellar Activation

Balance training, rhythm timing tasks, ocular-cerebellar recalibration.

✔ Sensorimotor Integration

Dynamic surfaces, head motion challenges, multi-sensory loading.

✔ Cognitive & autonomic rehabilitation

Dual-task circuits, pacing strategies, graded exposure to stimulation.

✔ ARPwave Neuromodulation

Activation of cranial and spinal pathways, proprioceptive uptraining, limbic-vestibular modulation.

✔ Customized home programs

Reinforcing neural pathways daily for long-term reintegration.

Every therapy session is targeted.
Every drill has intention.
Every circuit is chosen based on your exam.

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🌟 WHAT WE WANT EVERY PATIENT TO KNOW

Your symptoms make sense.

They match specific brain regions and circuits identified in the research.

You are not broken.
You are not “making it up.”
You are not out of options.
And you are absolutely not alone.

**Your brain can be rehabilitated.

Your networks can reorganize.
Your function can return.
There is HOPE.**

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📩 READY TO START YOUR RECOVERY?

Our team specializes in helping complex concussion cases finally understand why they feel the way they do — and how to get better.

📧 info@theFNC.com
📞 612-223-8590
🌐 theFNC.com

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2023.1136367/full