Dr. Tony Branker,DC,MS,DACBSP

05/26/2026

Objective: To present two case reports highlighting nitrous oxide-induced vitamin B12 deficiency and myelopathy in individuals abusing whippets. Background: Whippet abuse has become prevalent among recreational drug users, leading to serious health ...

05/01/2026

04/27/2026

Areas 3, 1 and 2 – Primary somatosensory cortex in the postcentral gyrus (frequently referred to as Areas 3, 1, 2 by convention)
Area 4– Primary motor cortex
Area 5 – Superior parietal lobule
Area 6 – Premotor cortex and supplementary motor cortex (secondary motor cortex) (supplementary motor area)
Area 7 – Visuo-motor coordination
Area 8 – Includes frontal eye fields
Area 9 – Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Area 10 – Anterior prefrontal cortex (most rostral part of superior and middle frontal gyri)
Area 11 – Orbitofrontal area (orbital and re**us gyri, plus part of the rostral part of the superior frontal gyrus)
Area 12 – Orbitofrontal area (used to be part of BA11, refers to the area between the superior frontal gyrus and the inferior rostral sulcus)
Area 13 and Area 14* – Insular cortex
Area 15* – Anterior temporal lobe
Area 16 – Insular cortex
Area 17 – Primary visual cortex (V1)
Area 18 – Secondary visual cortex (V2)
Area 19 – Associative visual cortex (V3, V4, V5)
Area 20 – Inferior temporal gyrus
Area 21 – Middle temporal gyrus
Area 22 – Part of the superior temporal gyrus, included in Wernicke's area
Area 23 – Ventral posterior cingulate cortex
Area 24 – Ventral anterior cingulate cortex.
Area 25 – Subgenual area (part of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex)[11]
Area 26 – Ectosplenial portion of the retrosplenial region of the cerebral cortex
Area 27 – Presubiculum
Area 28 – Ventral entorhinal cortex
Area 29 – Retrosplenial cortex
Area 30 – Subdivision of retrosplenial cortex
Area 31 – Dorsal posterior cingulate cortex
Area 32 – Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex
Area 33 – Part of anterior cingulate cortex
Area 34 – Dorsal entorhinal cortex (on the parahippocampal gyrus)
Area 35 – Part of the perirhinal cortex (in the rhinal sulcus)
Area 36 – Part of the perirhinal cortex (in the rhinal sulcus)
Area 37 – Fusiform gyrus
Area 38 – Temporopolar area (most rostral part of the superior and middle temporal gyri)
Area 39 – Angular gyrus, considered by some to be part of Wernicke's area
Area 40 – Supramarginal gyrus considered by some to be part of Wernicke's area
Areas 41 and 42 – Auditory cortex
Area 43 – Primary gustatory cortex
Areas 44 and 45 – Broca's area, includes the opercular part and triangular part of the inferior frontal gyrus
Area 46 – Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Area 47 – Orbital part of inferior frontal gyrus
Area 48 – Retrosubicular area (a small part of the medial surface of the temporal lobe)
Area 49 – Parasubicular area in a rodent
Area 52 – Parainsular area (at the junction of the temporal lobe and the insula)
(*) Area only found in non-human primates.

Some of the original Brodmann areas have been subdivided further, e.g., "23a" and "23b".[12]

01/28/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dt4ahi2Fb/

01/09/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/173QEKfV8b/

01/07/2026

Optimal Spine Loading 🎯🔥

Just published 🔥

𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰: 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹

📘 Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is still widely presented as an inevitable consequence of ageing and spinal loading (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16915105/). However, mechanobiological data increasingly suggest that this interpretation ignores how strongly disc health depends on dose, type, and variability of mechanical exposure. A brand-new editorial by Shala in BJSM (https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2026/01/05/bjsports-2025-110872) complements the contemporary biopsychosocial framework by highlighting the disc’s capacity for adaptation as one biological dimension within a broader system of physical, psychological and social influences.

💧The IVD is avascular. Disc cells rely almost entirely on diffusion for nutrient supply and waste removal. This diffusion is mechanically driven. Cyclic compression and decompression generate fluid flow, regulate osmotic pressure, and maintain proteoglycan synthesis (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16915105/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26666742/). When loading is reduced, diffusion decreases, anaerobic metabolism increases, intradiscal pH drops, and catabolic processes dominate (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26409630/).

🏃‍♂️‍➡️ Quantitatively, favourable disc responses appear to occur within a relatively narrow loading range. In vivo pressure measurements indicate that moderate dynamic loading generate intradiscal pressures of approximately 0.3–1.2 MPa, a range associated with anabolic or maintenance-oriented disc responses (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28422125/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26666742/). Loads below this threshold may be biologically insufficient, while sustained or excessive pressures may become harmful. Accelerometry-based MRI studies further refine this concept. Disc adaptations appear most pronounced when acceleration forces fall between 0.44 and 0.59 g, corresponding to brisk walking or slow running. Outside this window—particularly during high-impact or ballistic activities—changes in diffusion and hydration are less favourable, especially in individuals with pre-existing degeneration (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28422125/).

🩻 MRI data support these mechanobiological observations. Cross-sectional studies show that runners exhibit longer T2 relaxation times in lumbar discs compared with sedentary individuals, reflecting higher water and proteoglycan content rather than disc hypertrophy (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28422125/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32084224/). These adaptations are most evident in the nucleus pulposus, consistent with its role in load distribution and osmotic regulation. But we would like to add that interventional exercise studies so far were not successful in improving disc parameters in low back pain patients (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32211998/)

📊Importantly, disc tolerance is not constant throughout the day. Intradiscal pressure is highest in the early morning due to overnight rehydration and gradually normalises after 60–90 minutes of upright activity. High-load spinal tasks performed immediately after waking may therefore exceed tissue tolerance, even if the same tasks are well tolerated later in the day (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10222525/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9854759/).

🪑Sedentary behaviour represents a biologically meaningful exposure rather than a neutral state. Longitudinal MRI data show that individuals performing