Cerebral Palsy (CP), caused by non-progressive damage to the brain in the fetus or infancy, is a group of disorders characterized by abnormal motor and postural development1, developmental disorders including slow weight gain2,3,4, and motor dysfunction. The incidence of cerebral palsy in China is 2.48%, and the prevalence is 2.46‰ (1-6 years old)5, respectively. Foreign studies reported a prevalence of 2.4%-3.6%6. Cerebral palsy is a major cause of physical injury and disability in children, among which balance and movement disorders significantly impact daily living activities1. Cerebral palsy can be caused by premature birth, infection, genetics, neonatal ischemia and hypoxia, neonatal jaundice, and other complex and diverse pathogenic factors7. The goal of treatment for cerebral palsy is to improve physical function and quality of life 8. Currently, the treatment methods for cerebral palsy include deep brain stimulation9, robot-assisted gait training10, wrist and ankle acupuncture11, and meridian acupuncture combined with massage12.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been increasingly used as an effective treatment for CP13,14. Massage, as a part of it, also plays a certain role. For example, selective spinal manipulation can regulate the state of DNA hydroxymethylation to regulate neural development and improve learning and memory function15. In the treatment of infant rat with cerebral palsy, selective spinal manipulation may improve the inflammatory homeostasis of the cortex and hippocampus by regulating the methylation level of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-10 gene promoter region16 and play a positive therapeutic role in the balance ability of infant rat with cerebral palsy16. Selective spinal manipulation can improve the cognitive function of infant rats with cerebral palsy17. Selective spinal manipulation was used in the treatment of infant rats with cerebral palsy, and it was observed that it also had therapeutic effects on their growth and development18.
The purpose of this study is to illustrate the effect of selective spinal manipulation on the growth and development of infant rats with cerebral palsy by measuring the body weight, Rotarod test19, Foot-fault score20,21, and other behavioral tests and the detection of growth hormone, and to provide research ideas for relevant personnel.