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Exploring How Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment May Affect Spinal Fluid Flow: An MRI Study

NCT07629765 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 30

Last updated 2026-06-05

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

his study aims to investigate whether Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) affects cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow and glymphatic clearance in the human brain. CSF plays an important role in brain health by supporting nutrient delivery, waste removal, and pressure regulation. Aging and certain neurological conditions are associated with reduced CSF circulation and impaired brain waste clearance.

Participants will undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans before and after a 30-minute OMT session to evaluate changes in CSF flow dynamics and brain physiology. The study will also examine whether age, cognition, sleep quality, physical function, anxiety, and depression are associated with changes in CSF flow following OMT.

The study will enroll healthy adults between 18 and 80 years of age. Data collected from MRI imaging and questionnaires may help improve understanding of the physiological effects of OMT and its potential role in supporting brain health

Conditions

  • Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) Effects on Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Dynamics

Interventions

OTHER

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT)

This intervention consists of a single 30-minute osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) session administered by a licensed osteopathic physician trained in neuromusculoskeletal and osteopathic manipulative medicine. Treatment will be individualized based on findings from an osteopathic structural examination assessing somatic dysfunctions involving the head, spine, pelvis, extremities, and myofascial structures. Standardized OMT techniques may include osteopathic cranial manipulative medicine (OCMM), indirect method (IM), articulatory technique (ART), muscle energy technique (MET), facilitated positional release (FPR), tender point high-velocity low-amplitude (TP-HVLA), and myofascial release (MFR). The intervention is performed between pre- and post-treatment MRI sessions to evaluate acute changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics and glymphatic-related imaging biomarkers.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Auburn University

    collaborator OTHER

  • Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Daniel Cawley, DC, MS, MSHS · Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
80 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-06-30
Primary Completion
2027-06-30
Completion
2027-08-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07629765 on ClinicalTrials.gov