Functional neurology

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(Nothing in this article is true, or based upon any credible resources. Here is a real description of the sub-segment of multiple professions that you mock.)
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{{Psychology}}
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What is functional neurology?<br />
'''Functional neurology''' is the rebranding of [[chiropractic]] neurology, a field pioneered by Canadian chiropractor Fred CarrickPractitioners claim to be able to treat a multitude of conditions (e.g. ADHD, Alzheimer's, Asperger's, and Autism, just among those diseases starting with A)<ref>http://www.aafn.org.au/home/</ref> by using electroencephalography (EEG) to diagnose "weak" areas of the brain, and then treating these weak areas through a combination of [[Fad diet|diet control]], massage and brain training.
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Functional neurology is a very specialized, multi-discipline type of health care that focuses on the function, integrity, and “connectivity” of the nervous system. A functional neurologist may be able to improve or arrest the progression of many conditions that a medical neurologist may manage, such as migraines, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders and other neurologically related conditions.  Functional neurology is viewed as a health approach that emphasizes both the individual neuron and the collective nervous system, as being the source of the human expression and experience. Functional neurologists perform in-depth examinations, diagnostic testing, then apply PHYSICAL medicine (such as physio-therapeutics, occupational therapy, chiropractic, neuromuscular rehabilitation procedures, vestibular rehabilitation procedures, and cognitive rehabilitation) to generate measurable changes in the nervous system. They typically do not use medication or surgery to treat a patient’s symptomsInstead, they focus on improving brain function. When the brain functions optimally it interprets, responds and adapts to the environment more effectively, leading to optimal neurological health for that individual.
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Many disorders of the nervous are not as a result of damage to the brain. Said differently, not every neurological symptom that we express can be seen on MRI, CT Scan. These symptoms may be classified as “functional” disorders.  One great example of such a disorder is ADHD and Autism. There is no evidence of physical damage to the nervous system of someone with either of these conditions, but there are clear neurological signs in both. When examining for functional problems, subtle symptoms can be detected long before the disease process is present. A great example of this is Parkinson’s Disease. Functional signs, based on current medical research, can present themselves decades before the person is officially diagnosed. 
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Functional neurologists are taught to identify and measure the signs which many people express when their nervous systems are functioning less then optimally, but are not yet pathological.  They can catch the problem in the beginning stages and possibly prevent the condition from worsening into a disease.  The current medical model does not have treatment methods for people that fall into this functional, but not yet diseased state.
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A functional neurologist often treat individuals that are told that their diagnostic results from tests such as blood work and MRIs are “normal” because their results don’t fall into the pathological range, even though there are obvious functional issues.  Many of these patients are told that they “will have to live with their symptoms”, so they seek a functional neurologist as a last (or more frequently their first) resort.<br />
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Who can be helped with functional neurology?<br />
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The beauty of functional neurology is that most people can benefit from the techniques we utilize.  This includes the individual who is pain and symptom free looking to prevent problems or perform better, all the way to individuals that are severely symptomatic and have been diagnosed with a neurological condition.  The following are just some of the common conditions that functional neurologists may co-manage and help:  <br />
  
==Rationale==
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• ADD/ADHD<br />
  
Although not based in any accepted scientific field, functional neurology uses jargon to portray an image of scientific respectability. For example a common definition of functional neurology follows:
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• Autism<br />
  
{{cquote|Functional neurology is the study of the inter-relationships of an individual's neuronal systems within the context of their wider health. Using anatomical and embryological relationships the functional neurologist diagnoses dysfunctions within the systems and uses those relationships to effect change within the neuraxis.|||<ref>http://www.aafn.org.au/what-is-functional-neurology</ref>}}
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• Movement disorders<br />
  
While every one of the words in the definition above ''do'' have a specific meaning, it is impossible to determine what message the [[word salad]] above is trying to convey.
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• Tremors<br />
  
A translation of this tortuous definition reveals that functional neurology identifies areas of the brain as being related to certain specific body parts and organs either directly through the nervous system, or indirectly through a proposed link established during childhood development (later severed or lost). Thus most illnesses, if they are conceptualised to be limited or linked to one body part, can be diagnosed as reflecting a neurological dysfunction in the brain. Normal pharmacological or surgical neurological treatments are seen to address only the symptoms of most problems rather than the root cause which is invariably a weak area of the brain being overpowered by a stronger area. Some functional neurologists also consider psychological maladies to be a consequence of localised nerve atrophy due to underuse.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20100329062045/http://gfc.dr-robyn.com/joomla01/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=25</ref>
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• Dysautonomia<br />
  
Typically the functional neurologist will diagnose the weak areas of the brain by administering an EEG and then, using freshly spilled chicken guts, they will identify which areas of the brain are malfunctioning. Sometimes other methods need to be used to identify malfunctioning areas in the brain such as Electrocardiography, skin conductivity or eye functioning. These malfunctioning areas of the brain are envisioned to be the cause of most illnesses and thus need to be strengthened.
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• Fibromyalgia<br />
  
==Treatment==
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• Balance Issues and Vertigo<br />
Treatment generally starts with chiropractic massage which presumably:
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{{cquote|...results in the stimulation and production of immediate early genes and second messengers within the neuron that stimulate DNA transcription of appropriate genes and the eventual production of necessary cellular components such as proteins and neurotransmitters.|||<ref>http://www.functionalneuro.com/overview.html</ref>}}
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The practitioner also generally recommends that the patient avoids certain foods which further weaken the malfunctioning areas of the brain by not delivering enough/too much glucose and other compounds. Finally brain training is usually prescribed which involves performing repetitive tasks (e.g. squeezing a ball) to exercise the weakened area of the brain.
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• Post-concussive Syndromes<br />
  
Treatment generally aims to balance the left and right side of the brain, as the general consensus is that most maladies are caused by [[hemispheric dominance]].<ref>http://www.carrickinstitute.org/CIAbout.asp</ref> This is seen as especially critical for balance related illnesses (e.g. vertigo); presumably the functional neurologist perceives this condition as being caused by one side of the head being weighed down by a larger brain.
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• Headaches/ Migraines<br />
  
As with many alternative medicines there is little consensus on the mechanism of action for Functional Neurology treatments. However, one common theme is the mis-application of the concept of neuroplasticity (eg.<ref>http://www.cfneurology.com/</ref>). In the world of a Functional Neurologist the brain is moldable enough to adapt to almost any injury. There's a grain of truth to this idea; the brain can recover from certain types of damage, particularly in the hippocampus or olfactory bulb. This helps explain how survivors of car crashes, or other accidents, are often able to regain many of their physical abilities just through repetitive practice. While debate on the parameters of neuroplasticity continues in the research literature - it is abundantly clear that performing repetitive tongue moving exercises, or walking in a straight line for ten minutes a day is not likely to cure your bed-wetting problem (seriously). It ''will'' help you move your tongue and walk in straight line though. If you need help with either of these activities feel free to consult with a Functional Neurologist.
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• People told that there is “nothing diagnostically wrong”<br />
  
Between practitioners there is likely to be wild disagreement about treatment plans - what one practitioner views as self-evidently helpful another will see as way off the mark. Without a central theoretical underpinning or any substantial research you are likely to get as much agreement from seperate practitioners as you are from seperate astrologers. This is particularly frustrating when you are debating; defendants will often proclaim that they would never prescribe such an asinine treatment plan as the one you are currently arguing about.
 
  
==Risks of treatment==
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How does functional neurology work?<br />
  
According to practitioners there is considerable risk associated with Functional Neurology, to illustrate:
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Functional neurology is based on two main principals of the nervous system:<br />
  
{{cquote|Consideration of the current metabolic state of the target area must be considered and monitored as the intervention is instituted and as it progresses so that no damage occurs as a result of over stimulation, which may result in free radical formation and ultimately neuronal necrosis.<ref>http://www.drkparks.com/cn/func_neuro.php</ref>}}
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1. The body expresses health when it can interpret and respond appropriately to its environment. It performs this task best when the communication between brain and body is intact. It also requires that the left and right hemispheres are in sync with each other, at a relatively appropriate rate.  When they are not, it may result or contribute to a variety of symptoms such as those listed above.  However, many times when this delicate balance is disturbed there are no major outward symptoms, only underlying “common” problems like GERD, headaches, pain, stiffness, difficulty with balance, common injuries, etc.  It is also becoming apparent in recent literature that the state of the nervous system and the immune system of an individual are closely interconnected, and states of hemispheric imbalances can result in immune system dysfunction such as systemic inflammatory or autoimmune states.<br />
  
While the risk of free radical formation and brain death due to repetitively squeezing a stress ball seems unlikely there are probably real risks associated with Functional Neurology treatment plans. Firstly, all of the risks associated with chiropractic massages will accompany treatment. It is also highly unlikely that the diet plans prescribed by functional neurologists are informed by any nutritional science, consequently they are unlikely to provide any real benefit, and may even lead to nutritional deficiency. Finally there is the obvious risk that the treatment will probably not solve the initial malady; anyone considering a functional neurologist's treatment plan should be strongly advised to consult a neurologist to determine that their condition will not deteriorate further and is not easily treatable by scientifically endorsed medical methods.
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==Claims of efficacy==
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2. Individual nerves that make up the brain and nervous system need three things to survive.<br />
The following list is a non-exhaustive attempt to document some of the conditions which functional neurologists claim to be able to treat:
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ADD/ADHD, Alzheimer's, Anxiety disorders, Asperger's Syndrome, Autism, Balance disorders, Blackouts, Blindness, Brain Aging issues, Canal stenosis, Cerebellar disorders,Chronic pain disorders, Cervical myelopathy, Coma, Complex regional pain syndromes, Concentration issues, Depression, Diplopia, Dizziness, Double vision, Dyslexia, Dystonia, Epilepsy, Fainting, Headaches, Heart arrhythmias, Irritable bowel syndrome, Learning difficulties, Memory issues, Mental Health, Migraines, Motion sickness, Movement disorders, Multiple sclerosis, Neglect syndromes, Numbness, Parkinson's disease, Peripheral neuropathies, Radicular/nerve root conditions, Reflex sympathetic dystrophy, Sexual dysfunction, Sleep apnea, Sleep problems, Snoring, Speech problems, Spinal cord compression, Squints/skew deviations of the eyes, Strokes, Syncope, Tinnitus, Tics, Tourette's, Tremors, Vertigo and Visual disturbances.
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➢ Adequate levels of oxygen<br />
 
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➢ Adequate levels of fuel, in the form of glucose and substrate<br />
Published claims of efficacy are scarce but a few studies have been conducted which purport to have found evidence in favour of functional neurology. One study found that spinal manipulation can treat blind spots in a patient's eye <ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9345682</ref>. James Randi allegedly rang Carrick (the lead author) personally to offer him the JREF one [[Million-dollar challenge | million dollar prize]] if he could sucessfully reproduce this study. Unsurprisingly Carrick refused to accept the challenge. Another study found that listening to music can be used to treat balance disorders; in particular the music of Nolwenn Leroy<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17604555</ref>. In an interesting twist the lead researcher for the study (Carrick again, isn't he a sly old dog) was advertising Nolwenn's music in France a few years before the release of his ''seminal'' study<ref>[http://www.nolwennleroy.net/presse/show_news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1105104591&archive=&template=presse] the link is in french</ref>. Obviously these studies where published in third tier journals and have been largely ignored by legitimate researchers.
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➢ A constant source of stimulation from the environment, which will continually activate the neurons. This is similar to the “use it or lose it” principal. <br />  
 
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The investigation and determination of how well neurons are performing these three fundamental activities and how to alter these activities comprise the core clinical application of functional neurology. Mild alterations from optimum performance of the neuron may result in dysfunction of whole-body neurological and visceral disturbances.<br />
==Scientifically established efficacy==
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If any or all of these principals is disrupted, the body starts to breakdown faster than it can repair itself. This usually goes un-noticed at first and may not present itself for months or even years until the outward signs of failing health become present. Functional signs and symptoms  almost always present themselves before diseases. If these are not addressed at the functional stage, the disease may follow.
The following list is an exhaustive attempt to document the conditions which functional neurologists actually are able to treat:
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Regardless of which stage and individual is in, functional neurologists use techniques that treat the individual as a whole.
 
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{{Crickets}}
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==Obviously==
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It seems most likely that functional neurologists are practicing pseudo-science. Neuropsychologists would admit to an imperfect understanding of the functional impact of injuries to regions of the brain. However, at least they can point to objective evidence of damage and scientific evidence of treatment efficacy for a narrow range of conditions.  
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In contrast, functional neurologists claim to treat non-ablative problems with the brain, that is, areas without any identifiable physical damage but nevertheless with impaired function. Attempts to elucidate criteria from practitioners for their definition of what constitutes impaired function has been unfruitful. Studies into the efficacy of their methods are non-existent even within chiropractic journals. Theoretical accounts for the mechanism of treatment actions are generally [[not even wrong]]. Considering that the practitioners claim to able to treat such a stunningly wide array of diseases one might expect a glut of publications or even a strong theoretical underpinning. This is not the case, however, The lack of evidence for the efficacy of functional neurology has not stopped legitimate universities from providing tenure to practitioners, a move that has conferred a level of credibility they don't deserve.
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For those who are interested there is a decent number of articles published that elucidate the theoretical underpinnings of functional neurology ([http://www.theamericanchiropractor.com/articles-other-articles/4546-overview-of-functional-neurology.html for example]).
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==Footnotes==
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<references/>
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[[Category:Alternative medicine]]
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Revision as of 18:48, 3 September 2014

What is functional neurology?

Functional neurology is a very specialized, multi-discipline type of health care that focuses on the function, integrity, and “connectivity” of the nervous system. A functional neurologist may be able to improve or arrest the progression of many conditions that a medical neurologist may manage, such as migraines, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders and other neurologically related conditions. Functional neurology is viewed as a health approach that emphasizes both the individual neuron and the collective nervous system, as being the source of the human expression and experience. Functional neurologists perform in-depth examinations, diagnostic testing, then apply PHYSICAL medicine (such as physio-therapeutics, occupational therapy, chiropractic, neuromuscular rehabilitation procedures, vestibular rehabilitation procedures, and cognitive rehabilitation) to generate measurable changes in the nervous system. They typically do not use medication or surgery to treat a patient’s symptoms. Instead, they focus on improving brain function. When the brain functions optimally it interprets, responds and adapts to the environment more effectively, leading to optimal neurological health for that individual. Many disorders of the nervous are not as a result of damage to the brain. Said differently, not every neurological symptom that we express can be seen on MRI, CT Scan. These symptoms may be classified as “functional” disorders. One great example of such a disorder is ADHD and Autism. There is no evidence of physical damage to the nervous system of someone with either of these conditions, but there are clear neurological signs in both. When examining for functional problems, subtle symptoms can be detected long before the disease process is present. A great example of this is Parkinson’s Disease. Functional signs, based on current medical research, can present themselves decades before the person is officially diagnosed. Functional neurologists are taught to identify and measure the signs which many people express when their nervous systems are functioning less then optimally, but are not yet pathological. They can catch the problem in the beginning stages and possibly prevent the condition from worsening into a disease. The current medical model does not have treatment methods for people that fall into this functional, but not yet diseased state. A functional neurologist often treat individuals that are told that their diagnostic results from tests such as blood work and MRIs are “normal” because their results don’t fall into the pathological range, even though there are obvious functional issues. Many of these patients are told that they “will have to live with their symptoms”, so they seek a functional neurologist as a last (or more frequently their first) resort.

Who can be helped with functional neurology?
The beauty of functional neurology is that most people can benefit from the techniques we utilize. This includes the individual who is pain and symptom free looking to prevent problems or perform better, all the way to individuals that are severely symptomatic and have been diagnosed with a neurological condition. The following are just some of the common conditions that functional neurologists may co-manage and help:

• ADD/ADHD

• Autism

• Movement disorders

• Tremors

• Dysautonomia

• Fibromyalgia

• Balance Issues and Vertigo

• Post-concussive Syndromes

• Headaches/ Migraines

• People told that there is “nothing diagnostically wrong”


How does functional neurology work?

Functional neurology is based on two main principals of the nervous system:

1. The body expresses health when it can interpret and respond appropriately to its environment. It performs this task best when the communication between brain and body is intact. It also requires that the left and right hemispheres are in sync with each other, at a relatively appropriate rate. When they are not, it may result or contribute to a variety of symptoms such as those listed above. However, many times when this delicate balance is disturbed there are no major outward symptoms, only underlying “common” problems like GERD, headaches, pain, stiffness, difficulty with balance, common injuries, etc. It is also becoming apparent in recent literature that the state of the nervous system and the immune system of an individual are closely interconnected, and states of hemispheric imbalances can result in immune system dysfunction such as systemic inflammatory or autoimmune states.


2. Individual nerves that make up the brain and nervous system need three things to survive.

➢ Adequate levels of oxygen
➢ Adequate levels of fuel, in the form of glucose and substrate
➢ A constant source of stimulation from the environment, which will continually activate the neurons. This is similar to the “use it or lose it” principal.
The investigation and determination of how well neurons are performing these three fundamental activities and how to alter these activities comprise the core clinical application of functional neurology. Mild alterations from optimum performance of the neuron may result in dysfunction of whole-body neurological and visceral disturbances.

If any or all of these principals is disrupted, the body starts to breakdown faster than it can repair itself. This usually goes un-noticed at first and may not present itself for months or even years until the outward signs of failing health become present. Functional signs and symptoms almost always present themselves before diseases. If these are not addressed at the functional stage, the disease may follow. Regardless of which stage and individual is in, functional neurologists use techniques that treat the individual as a whole.

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