title: Laser Doppler flowmetry in manual medicine research.
abstract: Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) is commonly used in combination with reactivity tests to noninvasively evaluate skin sympathetic nerve activity and skin microvascular function. In manual medicine research, LDF has been used as a marker for global peripheral sympathetic nervous system function, but these results should be considered with caution because skin sympathetic nerve activity physiology is often overlooked. Another limitation of LDF in manual medicine research is the processing of LDF recordings. Two methods have been suggested: the time-domain analysis and the frequency-domain analysis. Standardization is required for data collection and processing in either domain to accurately interpret these changes in skin blood flow that occur after manual procedures. For physiologic studies using LDF, the authors recommend the use of noninvasive reactivity tests (positive controls) to evaluate the different mechanisms involved in overall skin blood flow changes and to compare the magnitude of these changes with those specifically elicited by manual procedures.
authors.affiliation: From the A.T. Still Research Institute at A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Missouri (Mr Zegarra-Parodi and Drs Snider and Degenhardt), and the Department of Neurobehavorial Sciences (Dr Snider) at the A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri (ATSU-KCOM). Student Doctor Park is a third-year osteopathic medical student at ATSU-KCOM rzegarraparodi@atsu.edu.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zegarra-Parodi
authors.affiliation: From the A.T. Still Research Institute at A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Missouri (Mr Zegarra-Parodi and Drs Snider and Degenhardt), and the Department of Neurobehavorial Sciences (Dr Snider) at the A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri (ATSU-KCOM). Student Doctor Park is a third-year osteopathic medical student at ATSU-KCOM.
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Snider
authors.affiliation: From the A.T. Still Research Institute at A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Missouri (Mr Zegarra-Parodi and Drs Snider and Degenhardt), and the Department of Neurobehavorial Sciences (Dr Snider) at the A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri (ATSU-KCOM). Student Doctor Park is a third-year osteopathic medical student at ATSU-KCOM.
authors.forename: Peter Yong Soo
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: From the A.T. Still Research Institute at A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Missouri (Mr Zegarra-Parodi and Drs Snider and Degenhardt), and the Department of Neurobehavorial Sciences (Dr Snider) at the A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri (ATSU-KCOM). Student Doctor Park is a third-year osteopathic medical student at ATSU-KCOM.
authors.forename: Brian F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Degenhardt
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D026201:Musculoskeletal Manipulations; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology