The cervical subluxation and regional cerebral blood flow.
OBJECTIVE
This article specifically addresses the question of whether the manipulable cervical lesion is likely to cause extrinsic compression of the vertebral arteries sufficient to cause such symptoms of reduced regional cerebral blood flow as might be relieved by spinal manipulation.


METHODS
Literature on normal and abnormal cerebral circulation, including vertebrobasilar insufficiency.


RESULTS
Signs and symptoms produced by extrinsic compression of the vertebrobasilar system have been compared with those attributed elsewhere to the manipulable cervical lesion (cervical subluxation).


RESULTS
Extrinsic compression of the vertebrobasilar system generally does not produce signs and symptoms consistent with those attributed to the manipulable cervical lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
It has been hypothesized elsewhere that the manipulable cervical lesion may induce localized decreases in regional cerebral blood flow, and so signs and symptoms attributable to "cerebral hibernation." If a causal relationship does exist between the cervical subluxation and reduced regional cerebral blood flow, it is not likely to be caused by mechanical compression of the vertebral arteries.
Budgell
B S
BS
Department of the Autonomic Nervous System, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Japan.
Sato
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D002684:Chiropractic / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000502:physiology; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology