29/09/2026
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Brain Scan Research Confirms Reflexology Affects Multiple Areas of the Brain.
Dr. Stefan Posse, a researcher at the University of New Mexico, presented groundbreaking functional MRI (fMRI) findings on the “Neural Pathways of Applied Reflexology” at the International Society for Medical Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) Annual Meeting in Cape Town on May 12, 2026.
The research maps brain activity during foot reflexology to understand what happens in the brain in real time while reflexology was being applied and neurological impact in patients with stroke. Advanced MRI technology was used.
What They Found in Healthy People
Scans revealed distinctly different activation patterns for different reflex areas. Importantly, the brain responses weren’t limited to just the foot area of the brain — multiple regions were activated. One area that consistently responded was the supramarginal gyrus, a part of the brain packed with “mirror neurons,” which are linked to empathy, learning, and body awareness.
For the first time showed reflexology technique applied to different reflexology reflex areas activates different areas and networks of the brain in healthy controls and stroke patients.
What They Found in Stroke Patients
In people who had suffered a stroke, the brain activation looked different — more one-sided — and varied depending on whether the left or right foot was worked. Following the application of reflex stimuli, patients demonstrated increased two-point discrimination and improved sensorimotor function in their hemiplegic hands.
Who Is Behind the Research
The team is led by Dr. Posse and includes well-known reflexology educators Barbara and Kevin Kunz, graduate student Arthur Schoen, and researchers from the University of Minnesota.
What Comes Next
The team is now expanding the study to better understand the timing of brain responses during reflexology and to identify exactly which brain networks are involved in stroke recovery.
In short: this research is building scientific evidence that reflexology creates specific, measurable responses in the brain — and may play a meaningful role in stroke rehabilitation.
