Research.
Every peer-reviewed study on fascia in one place — graded for strength of evidence, summarised in plain language for clinicians, researchers, and curious readers.
We grade studies from A to 1A+++ using the Fascia Research Database rubric — 1A+++ is the strongest.
Researchers behind the studies- A+++2021
Menopause and the Skin: Old Favorites and New Innovations in Cosmeceuticals for Estrogen-Deficient Skin
Edwin D Lephart, Frederick NaftolinThis narrative review explores how the decline in estrogen levels during menopause significantly impacts skin health and structural integrity. The loss of estrogen leads to reduced collagen and elastin production, along…
4′-Acetoxy resveratrol; Aging; Cosmeceuticals; Equol; Estrogen; Estrogen deficient skin; Hormone therapy; Menopause; Polyphenols; Skin - A+++2021
Endocannabinoids and the Gut-Brain Control of Food Intake and Obesity
Nicholas V DiPatrizioThis narrative review explores how the endocannabinoid system in the upper gastrointestinal tract regulates gut-brain communication to control food intake and energy balance. Research suggests that these lipid-derived s…
CB1 receptor; endocannabinoid; food intake; gut-brain; intestine; reward - A+++2021
Soft Tissue Manipulation May Attenuate Inflammation, Modulate Pain, and Improve Gait in Conscious Rodents With Induced Low Back Pain
M Terry Loghmani, Carolyn Tobin, Colleen Quigley, Alanna FennimoreThis animal study on rodents explored how instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation (IASTM) affects pain, gait, and inflammation in cases of low back pain. The researchers found that the treatment suggests an ability…
rehabilitation - A+++2021
Fascial thickness and stiffness in hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Tina J Wang, Antonio SteccoResearchers investigated fascial changes in people with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a condition often associated with widespread pain. They used ultrasound and elastography to compare fascial thickness an…
deep fasciaconnective tissue disorderhypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndromeultrasound elastography - A+++2021
The Emerging Science of Interoception: Sensing, Integrating, Interpreting, and Regulating Signals within the Self
Wen G Chen, Dana Schloesser, Angela M Arensdorf, Janine M Simmons, Changhai Cui, Rita Valentino, James W Gnadt, Lisbeth…This review article presents a unified framework for interoception, the process by which the body senses, interprets, and regulates its internal signals. The authors propose an expanded definition that includes bidirect…
autonomic; insula; parasympathetic; spinal; sympathetic; vagal - A+++2021
Variant connective tissue (joint hypermobility) and dysautonomia are associated with multimorbidity at the intersection between physical and psychological health
Jenny L L Csecs, Nicholas G Dowell, Georgia K Savage, Valeria Iodice, Christopher J Mathias, Hugo D Critchley, Jessica…This study investigated the links between joint hypermobility, autonomic nervous system dysfunction (dysautonomia), and anxiety in adults with mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions. Researchers found that this…
joint hypermobilityAnxietyautonomic dysfunctionmultimorbidity - A+++2021
Connecting brain and body: Transdiagnostic relevance of connective tissue variants to neuropsychiatric symptom expression
Harriet Emma Clare Sharp, Hugo D Critchley, Jessica A EcclesThis narrative review explores the growing evidence linking joint hypermobility, a common connective tissue variant, with a range of psychiatric conditions. The authors summarize the well-established connection to anxie…
Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome; Joint hypermobility; Mind-body relations; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Psychiatric disorders; Psychopathology. - A+++2021
A Closer Look at the Cellular and Molecular Components of the Deep/Muscular Fasciae
Caterina Fede, Carmelo Pirri, Chenglei Fan, Lucia Petrelli, Diego Guidolin, Raffaele De Caro, Carla SteccoThis narrative review describes fascia as a complex and dynamic connective tissue network. This network is composed of different cell types, an extracellular matrix, and nerve fibers. Each component plays a specific rol…
fascia; cells; extracellular matrix; nerve - A+++2021
Evidence of a new hidden neural network into deep fasciae
Caterina Fede, Lucia Petrelli, Diego Guidolin, Andrea Porzionato, Carmelo Pirri, Chenglei Fan, Raffaele De Caro, Carla…In this study on mice, researchers examined the nerve networks within two different types of deep fascia: the thoracolumbar fascia (in the lower back) and the gluteal fascia (around the buttock muscles). They found that…
deep fasciainnervation of fascia. low back pain - A+++2021
Fascia Mobility, Proprioception, and Myofascial Pain
Helene M LangevinThe body's fascial network is a crucial, yet often overlooked, component of the musculoskeletal system. Its ability to allow muscles and other tissues to slide past one another is essential for healthy movement and may…
fascia; interoception; proprioception; myofascial pain; connective tissue; fascia mobility - A+++2021
Hyaluronan and the Fascial Frontier
Rebecca L PrattThis narrative review explores the role of hyaluronan (HA) in the body's fascial system. HA is a key component of the extracellular matrix, widely used in products from skin creams to joint injections for its ability to…
HA; connective tissue; densification; extracellular matrix; fascia; fasciacyte; gliding; hyaluronan; hyaluronic acid; myofascial pain. - A+++2021
Parameter-Dependency of Low-Intensity Vibration for Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice
Rita E Roberts, Onur Bilgen, Rhonda D Kineman, Timothy J KohIn this animal study on diabetic mice, researchers investigated how different settings of low-intensity vibration affect wound healing. The mice were exposed to various combinations of vibration frequency and accelerati…
wound healingAngiogenesisgrowth factorsdiabeteslow-intensity vibration