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CompletedNCT04492917Updated Apr 8, 2022

The Effect of CV4 and Sacral Technique on the Alpha Bands Power

An interventional study of CV4 and ST in Healthy and Osteopathic Manipulation, sponsored by Istituto Superiore di Osteopatia di Milano. Completed at 1 site in Italy. Open to participants aged 20 Years to 30 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2022-04-08.

Sponsored by Istituto Superiore di Osteopatia di Milano · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 1 year 10 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Sep 2018, registered Jul 2020).
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
46
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
20 Years to 30 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Compression of the fourth ventricle (CV4), is the most studied cranial technique, commonly used by Osteopathy in Cranial Field practitioners. Evidence attributed to CV4 some effects on nervous system functions, however, the supporting evidence for CV4 clinical benefits is promising but still poor. The osteopathic tradition considers the sacrum linked to the cranium through anatomical and functional connections. To our knowledge, no studies explored the potential effect of a sacral technique on brain activity as an indicator of a neurophysiological connection between the occiput and sacrum. This study aims to explore this effect by measuring the alpha-band activity during the application of a sacral technique (ST) compared to the CV4 application.

Read the detailed description

Forty healthy volunteers will receive a combination of CV4 technique, CV4 sham, sacral technique (ST) and sacral sham technique (sST).

Each session, split by a 4-hour washout, will start with 10 min of no treatment (resting state), followed by two randomized interventions. Alpha EEG will be continuously recorded during each intervention and 10 min after, for a total of approximately 50-60 min per session.

02

Conditions studied

  • Healthy
  • Osteopathic Manipulation

Keywords

  • EEG
  • Alpha Rhythm
  • CV4
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Istituto Superiore di Osteopatia di Milano is the lead sponsor of 2 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
20 Years to 30 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Age
  • Subjects had to sleep for at least 6 hours the night before the experiment

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Use of Psychoactive or Psychotropic Substances
  • Cerebrovascular diseases
  • Recent headaches
  • Use of nicotine in the 24 hours prior to the quantitative EEG registration
  • Use of alcohol in the previous 12 hours.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
46 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Cranial Technique CV4

    All subjects received a combination of the active technique (CV4) and the corresponding sham technique (shamCV4). CV4: the lateral angles of the occipital squama are manually approximated slightly exaggerating the posterior convexity of the occiput and taking the cranium into sustained extension. The technique ended when the osteopath perceived the still point, a condition in which the balanced membranous or ligamentous tension is achieved. ShamCV4: sham intervention was performed by placing the hands in the same position as the corresponding active technique, applying a light touch

    Other: CV4 · Other: Sham CV4

  • Active comparator
    Sacral Technique ST

    All subjects received a combination of the active technique (ST) and the corresponding sham technique (sST). ST: The subject was lying in the supine position, while the osteopath positioned the index and middle fingers of the caudal hand on either side of the subject's sacrum. Then establishes a point of balance between the coccyx and the vertex facilitating the sacral extension until the achievement of the still point. ShamST: sham intervention was performed by placing the hands in the same position of the corresponding active technique, applying a light touch

    Other: ST · Other: Sham ST

Interventions

  • OtherCV4

    The osteopath was sitting at the head of the examination table, with the subject lying supine. The osteopath approximated with the hands the lateral angles of the occipital squama, taking the cranium into sustained extension. The technique ended when the osteopath perceived the still point, a condition in which the balanced membranous or ligamentous tension is achieved.

  • OtherST

    The subject was lying in the supine position, while the osteopath positioned the index and middle fingers of the caudal hand on either side of the subject's sacrum. Then establishes a point of balance between the coccyx and the vertex facilitating the sacral extension until the achievement of the still point

  • OtherSham CV4

    the sham intervention was performed by placing the hands in the same position as the corresponding active technique, applying a light touch

  • OtherSham ST

    The sham intervention was performed by placing the hands in the same position as the corresponding active technique, applying a light touch

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Alpha EEG

    Quantitative EEG recording of alpha wave (8-12Hz)

    Time frame: 50 minutes

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Centro di Medicina Osteopatica
    Milan, 20126, Italy
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 8, 2022, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04492917
Lead sponsor
Istituto Superiore di Osteopatia di Milano
Responsible party
Viviana Pisa (Principal Investigator, Istituto Superiore di Osteopatia di Milano) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jul 30, 2020
Start date
Sep 10, 2018
Primary completion
Oct 25, 2018
Completion
Oct 25, 2018
Last update
Apr 8, 2022

Study contacts

Pisa
principal investigator · Istituto Superiore di Osteopatia

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2022. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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