Background Stroke is a global problem affecting billions
of people. Many of these patients suffers from
post stroke impairments, which can both be present
as cognitive and motor deficits, which results in a decline
in life quality. Early and effective rehabilitation
are therefore important for these patients, as recovery
and mechanisms, like neuroplasticity, linked to recovery
are maximized at the early stages of stroke.
Methods The present study investigated chiropractic
spinal manipulation (SM) and its effects on resting
state functional connectivity in chronic stroke patients.
Functional connectivity analysis were computed
through the metrics of Mutual Information (MI)
and Phase Lag Index (PLI). Non-parametric cluster
based permutation test were used to asses the statistical
significance of the dataset within both SM session
and a control session and between the two, in order to
evaluate the effect of the interventions.
Results Significantly increased functional connectivity
of PLI were found within the Default Mode Network
(DMN), between the posterior cingulate cortex
and parahippocampal regions, for the SM session. No
significant changes occurred for the control session or
for the MI metric.
Conclusion These findings suggests that SM alters
functional connectivity in the brain of chronic stroke
patients. The patients might have experienced a decreased
pain perception, episodic memory and spatial
representation and navigation. But it is uncertain, as
these effects were not included in the study. Therefore
further research regarding the effects of these results
and SM, taking into account further information, are
needed in order to validate if stroke patients can benefit
from SM in a rehabilitation program.