Services · Functional Neurology

Your brain is built to
rebuild itself.

Functional Neurology in St. Petersburg, FL

Functional Neurology is a clinical discipline grounded in one of the most important discoveries in modern neuroscience, that the nervous system is trainable and adaptable at any age. From our practice in St. Petersburg, we use precise neurological examination and targeted rehabilitation to restore the brain pathways underlying your symptoms.

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Experience Functional Neurology in St. Petersburg

What the science of neuroplasticity
means for your care.

The Science

The brain’s capacity to change is one of the most well-documented principles in modern neuroscience. Every time the nervous system processes a signal in a new pattern, the physical structure of the connections involved is modified. This is neuroplasticity, and it is the foundation on which Functional Neurology is built.

Dr. Silver completed a 300-hour post-graduate program in clinical neuroscience through the Carrick Institute of Graduate Studies, earning the DACNB, the Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Neurology Board. He then completed a three-year functional neurology residency at Imagine X in Santa Barbara under Dr. Adam Harcourt, gaining extensive clinical experience treating migraine, concussion, dizziness, neuropathy, and chronic pain. That training informs every examination and every rehabilitation protocol he designs.

The discipline works by first mapping where a patient’s nervous system has broken down. That mapping happens through detailed neurological examination, including eye movement testing, balance assessment, cerebellar function testing, reflexes, and sensory processing. The goal is to identify which circuits are underperforming and why. The rehabilitation that follows is built around those specific findings: precise inputs delivered to the right pathways, in the right sequence, to drive the neuroplastic changes that reduce symptoms and restore function.

Specificity is what makes this work clinically meaningful. Dr. Silver’s examination process tells him exactly which pathways to target, and his rehabilitation protocols are designed to use that information fully.

Where functional neurology
makes the biggest difference.

How a functional neurology
evaluation and treatment works.

Every functional neurology case at Neuroplasticity St. Pete in St. Petersburg begins with the same principle: understand the nervous system in enough detail to know exactly what it needs. The three stages below describe how that understanding is built and what is done with it.

Examination

Comprehensive Neurological Mapping

Dr. Silver conducts a detailed neurological assessment that takes considerably more time than a standard evaluation. He tests eye movement precision and coordination, including saccades, smooth pursuits, vergence, and the vestibulo-ocular reflex, alongside balance and gait, cerebellar function, brainstem reflexes, and sensory and proprioceptive processing. The purpose is to build a specific, objective map of your nervous system: which pathways are functioning well and which have become compromised.

Rehabilitation

Targeted Pathway Rehabilitation

The rehabilitation program Dr. Silver designs is built entirely from the findings of your examination. It may include vestibular rehabilitation to retrain the inner ear and brainstem connection, specific eye movement training to rebuild visual processing pathways, proprioceptive and coordination work to rehabilitate cerebellar circuits, and sensory input protocols calibrated to the pathways your examination identified. Each input is chosen because it activates the specific circuits your assessment flagged as underperforming.

Measurement

Objective Progress Tracking

Neurological rehabilitation produces measurable changes in the function of the pathways being trained. Dr. Silver re-examines regularly, tracking eye movement accuracy, balance metrics, reaction time, and symptom patterns, so that both he and you have an objective record of how your nervous system is responding. When the data shows a shift in your neurological presentation, the protocol is adjusted accordingly.

The clinical training behind
his approach to neurological care.

  • DC, Doctor of Chiropractic, Life Chiropractic College West
  • DACNB, Diplomate, American Chiropractic Neurology Board
  • Carrick Institute, 300-hr Clinical Neuroscience
  • Residency, Imagine X Functional Neurology, Santa Barbara
  • Developed, Upper Cervical Neurology System

Dr. Josh Silver holds a Doctorate of Chiropractic from Life Chiropractic College West and earned the DACNB, the Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Neurology Board, after completing a 300-hour post-graduate training program through the Carrick Institute of Graduate Studies. He subsequently completed a three-year clinical residency in functional neurology at Imagine X in Santa Barbara under Dr. Adam Harcourt, where he treated patients with migraine, concussion, dizziness, neuropathy, and complex neurological conditions.

He also spent five years at the Pierce Clinic of Chiropractic in St. Petersburg, training in Advanced Orthogonal upper cervical technique under Dr. Pierce Sr., the discipline’s founder. During that time Dr. Silver developed Upper Cervical Neurology, a formal system of diagnosis and treatment for chiropractors that integrates upper cervical care with functional neurological assessment. He continues to teach and refine this system internationally.

In 2024 he launched Neuroplasticity St. Pete to treat patients, contribute to the local healthcare system, and serve as a teaching center for his clinical techniques. Every functional neurology examination and rehabilitation program at the practice is designed and administered by Dr. Silver personally.

Questions about functional neurology
and Dr. Silver’s clinical approach.

What is functional neurology?

Functional Neurology is a post-doctoral clinical discipline built on the science of neuroplasticity, the brain’s documented capacity to reorganize and form new neural connections throughout life. Practitioners use detailed neurological examination to identify which circuits in the brain and nervous system are underperforming, then deliver targeted rehabilitation to those pathways. Dr. Silver completed a 300-hour post-graduate program through the Carrick Institute and holds the DACNB, the highest clinical credential in chiropractic neurology.

What conditions does functional neurology treat?

Functional Neurology addresses conditions where nervous system dysfunction is a primary driver: post-concussion syndrome, chronic migraines and headaches, dizziness and vestibular disorders, neuropathy, dysautonomia, balance disorders, brain fog and cognitive decline, chronic pain with a neurological component, and movement disorders. In each of these, the underlying issue lies in how specific brain circuits are functioning, and targeted rehabilitation can change that function.

What happens during a functional neurology examination?

Dr. Silver conducts a detailed neurological assessment evaluating how specific circuits in your brain and nervous system are performing. This includes precise eye movement testing (saccades, smooth pursuits, vergence, and vestibulo-ocular reflex), balance and vestibular assessment, cerebellar and coordination testing, brainstem reflexes, and sensory processing evaluation. Together, these tests produce a specific map of which pathways are underperforming, the foundation from which your rehabilitation program is built.

Is functional neurology evidence-based?

The scientific foundation is the neuroscience of neuroplasticity, one of the most extensively researched areas in modern brain science. Several rehabilitation methods Dr. Silver applies have peer-reviewed research supporting their effectiveness:

Vestibular rehabilitation carries a strong recommendation in the APTA Clinical Practice Guideline for peripheral vestibular hypofunction, and a PubMed systematic review reports effectiveness for patients with persistent symptoms after concussion. Proprioceptive and balance training produces measurable improvements in motor and balance outcomes according to a Frontiers systematic review. Ocular motor rehabilitation is an active area of clinical research, with published reports of benefit when combined with vestibular work for post-concussion visual symptoms.

The DACNB credential Dr. Silver holds requires advanced training in clinical neuroscience and evidence-based neurological examination, and his three-year residency brought extensive supervised clinical experience with complex neurological presentations.

How long does functional neurology treatment take?

The timeline depends on which pathways are involved, how long the dysfunction has been present, and how the nervous system responds to targeted rehabilitation. Some patients notice meaningful improvement within the first several weeks, particularly when the neurological deficit is well-defined and the protocol addresses it directly. Dr. Silver re-examines regularly and can give you a much clearer sense of your trajectory after the first few appointments.

Who performs functional neurology at Neuroplasticity St. Pete?

All functional neurology care is performed by Dr. Josh Silver, DC, DACNB. Dr. Silver completed a 300-hour post-graduate program through the Carrick Institute, a three-year residency at Imagine X Functional Neurology in Santa Barbara, and five years of advanced upper cervical training at the Pierce Clinic of Chiropractic in St. Petersburg. He developed Upper Cervical Neurology, a clinical system now taught to practitioners internationally. Every examination and rehabilitation program is designed and administered by Dr. Silver personally.

Ready to Begin?

Every care plan begins with a detailed neurological map.

Schedule a consultation with our functional neurologist in St. Petersburg. He will examine your nervous system in detail, explain exactly what he finds, and build a rehabilitation plan grounded in that evaluation.

2370 Dr. MLK Jr St N · St. Petersburg, FL 33704 (opens in new tab) Serving Tampa Bay · Clearwater · Tampa · Pinellas County