Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Induces Functional Connectivity Changes

NCT ID: NCT04387006

Last Updated: 2020-05-14

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 30 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2017-09-30
• Study Completion Date: 2019-01-08

Brief Summary

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) is a whole-body intervention mainly focused on correcting the somatic dysfunctions present in different regions of the body. Osteopathic research to date has mostly been concerned with various clinical conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders and primary headache. The neurophysiological effects underlying clinical improvements are still under debate. Although models explaining the therapeutic effects of OMT include the potential for higher brain mechanism, OMT effects on functional brain connectivity is not fully understood and still lacking in healthy adults. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research includes several different approaches to estimate cortical functions. Several of these approaches have demonstrated functional brain changes associated with OMT. Using Arterial Spin Labeling MRI, recently was demonstrated that the treatment of somatic dysfunctions induces cerebral perfusion changes in asymptomatic young participant. Thus, the aim of this study is to explore the neural correlates associated with OMT effect in terms of cerebral functional connectivity, as derived by complex network analysis of resting state fMRI data recorded in asymptomatic young volunteers with somatic dysfunctions

Conditions

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Osteopatic Manipulative Treatment (OMT)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

OMT

Intervention Type: OTHER

OMT techniques were focused on correcting the dysfunctions found during the initial physical examination and included articular and myofascial techniques, balanced ligamentous tension, visceral manipulations and osteopathy in the cranial field

Manual Placebo (MP)

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

MP

Intervention Type: OTHER

MP treatment was performed by the same osteopaths who performed OMT and was carried out in the same hospital setting. P treatment consisted of a passive touch without joint mobilization in a protocolled order. The osteopaths were standing next to the bed, they touched lumbar and dorsal spine of the subjects in prone position for 10 minutes, and then in supine position, they touched for 10 minutes the shoulders, the hips, then the neck, the sternum and the chest were touched for 5 minutes each. Another researcher on the placebo protocol specifically trained the osteopaths.

Interventions

OMT

OMT techniques were focused on correcting the dysfunctions found during the initial physical examination and included articular and myofascial techniques, balanced ligamentous tension, visceral manipulations and osteopathy in the cranial field

Intervention Type: OTHER

MP

MP treatment was performed by the same osteopaths who performed OMT and was carried out in the same hospital setting. P treatment consisted of a passive touch without joint mobilization in a protocolled order. The osteopaths were standing next to the bed, they touched lumbar and dorsal spine of the subjects in prone position for 10 minutes, and then in supine position, they touched for 10 minutes the shoulders, the hips, then the neck, the sternum and the chest were touched for 5 minutes each. Another researcher on the placebo protocol specifically trained the osteopaths.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• age between 18 and 40 years
• suitability for MRI scanning

Exclusion Criteria

• cognitive impairment, based on Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≤ 24 according to norms for the Italian population, and confirmed by a deeper clinical neuropsychological evaluation using the Mental Deterioration Battery and NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for dementia
• subjective complaints of memory difficulties or of any other cognitive deficit, interfering or not, with daily living activities;
• major medical illnesses, e.g., diabetes (not stabilized), obstructive pulmonary disease, or asthma; hematologic and oncologic disorders; pernicious anemia; clinically significant and unstable active gastrointestinal, renal, hepatic, endocrine, or cardiovascular system diseases; newly treated hypothyroidism;
• current or reported psychiatric (assessed by the SCID-II or neurological (assessed by a clinical neurological evaluation) disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, stroke, Parkinson's disease, seizure disorder, head injury with loss of consciousness, and any other significant mental or neurological disorder);
• known or suspected history of alcoholism or drug dependence and abuse during lifetime

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 40 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

I.R.C.C.S. Fondazione Santa Lucia

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Marco Tramontano

Head of Rehabilitation Services

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Santa Lucia Foundation I.R.C.C.S.

Roma, Rm, Italy

Countries

Italy

Other Identifiers

CE/PROG625

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id