brain research « The Brain Understanding Itself

Archive for the 'brain research' Category

Did Liberace Have Great Working Memory?

I have vivid memories watching Liberace masterfully and playfully tickling the ivory on his ornate pianos as a child of the 70′s. I was always amazed by the ease in which he played. Was he born with this gift? He obviously practiced thousands of hours. But was there something else, another piece to the puzzle of his musical genius? Perhaps, he had great working memory.

A recent study looked at piano player’s ability to sight read a new piece of music. It was published in journal Psychological Science and demonstrated that while practice, practice, practice, leads to great musical performance, that working memory capacity, plays an important role in the level of performance that can ultimately be achieved.

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Outliers he shares the body of research that shows regardless of the skill or activity, that over 10,000 hours of consistent practice is required to achieve an expert level of proficiency. Incidentally, Mozart is one of the musical geniuses highlighted in this fascinating discussion. While practice makes perfect, cognitive function must be at a sufficient level to engage and excel at the task, as in the example of the pianist. With that said, cognitive function, working memory in this case is not something which is fixed. What your capacity is today, can be increased, dramatically, to help you excel in all areas of life, including musical performance.

Working memory is of great interest to me, largely because it is becoming increasingly recognized as one of the fundamental cognitive abilities that is key to unlocking our full potential. This is not new information. This is a discovery my father made some 35 years ago, and has fervently pursued since, developing methods to expand working memory and sequential processing ability. Work that I have continued at Advanced Brain Technologies through our BrainBuilder® neurosoftware program which assesses and trains these abilities.

I am pleased to see the research community taking such interest in working memory and look forward to seeing more studies linking cognitive function to musical ability in the future. For you musicians perhaps you may consider some targeted working memory training to accompany your practice and advance your performance to an entirely new level!

Read more about the research linking working memory to musical performance.

Modified Classical Music on iPods Helps Toilet Train Liverpool Children

Published July 8, 2010 The Listening Program , auditory system , autism , brain and technology , brain research , music research , neuroscience Leave a Comment
Tags: Advanced Brain Technologies, auditory, autism, bone conduction, continence, fragile x, incontinence, june rogers, liverpool, music, music research, NHS, ogden utah, special needs, The Listening Program, toilet training

The Liverpool Echo published an article today about the results of a pilot study which examined the effects of modified classical music and a specific protocol to help children with autism and other cognitive and developmental challenges to be toilet trained. This is a world first project, conducted by June Rogers head of NHS Liverpool Community Health’s Integrated Paediatric Continence Service.

Children listened to 30 minutes of music a day through a special audio system which provided the music through both auditory pathways, air and bone conduction. The outcomes are positive and have been presented at European conferences. We now await approval for a large scale clinical trial to confirm these results in a larger sample size.

Continence problems severely impact quality of life, self esteem, and have large costs associated with supporting these children as they enter school. Our protocol holds promise to help children with toilet training problems, reduce costs of services to them, and help them live a happier more fulfilling life.

Note that the program name in the article is incorrect. What is referenced as the Listening Project is supposed to be The Listening Program® developed by Advanced Brain Technologies in Ogden, Utah.

Read the full article

UPDATE: Thank you to the staff at the Liverpool Echo for making the correction to the program name!

The Phantom Sounds of Tinnitus

Published June 23, 2010 auditory system , brain research , neuroscience Leave a Comment
Tags: tinnitus, neuroscience, auditory, inner ear, rauschecker

New neuroscience research suggests relief from the often debilitating mystery sounds generated in the auditory system called tinnitus may some day be alleviated.

I just came across this article in ScienceDaily and wanted to share it. Unfortunately I cannot elaborate in this post, but I am encouraged to see the research interest in exploring the role of the central auditory pathway in tinnitus.

Read the article here http://bit.ly/cJ8L0m

Stress Response System in the Ear Protects Against Hearing Loss

Published May 4, 2010 auditory system , brain research Leave a Comment
Tags: fight-flight, hearing loss, noise induced hearing loss, polyvagal theory, Stephen Porges, stress, stress-response system, The Listening Program, tufts university

The ear serves in part as an environmental monitoring system, sending the brain signals in response to vibrational input to understand the world around us; to move, learn, communicate, adapt, survive and thrive.

The middle ear is the gateway to a neural filtering system that helps us receive auditory information such as human speech and to simultaneously filter out unwanted sound or noise which can damage the delicate structures of the inner ear resulting in hearing loss, hyperacousis, stress, and a host of other problems.

Many recognize the vital connection between the ear and body’s fight-flight response, which is physiologically linked from the middle ear to the vagal regulation system. The polyvagal theory of psychologist Stephen Porges provides a clear understanding of this mechanism. The Listening Program® with bone conduction technology is used in part as a training method to improve the function of this system.

Now a new in vivo study at Tufts University shows for the first time that there is a stress response system within the cochlea (inner ear) that mirrors the signaling pathways of the fight-flight response and protects against noise induced hearing loss. This is an exciting finding that further reveals what a marvel the auditory system is and the critical role it plays in our lives.

Girls with Rett Syndrome Benefit from The Listening Program

Published April 29, 2010 The Listening Program , brain research , music research 1 Comment
Tags: autism, brain research, developmental disorder, International Rett Syndrome Foundation, music therapy, Rett syndrome, Rett syndrome research, sensory processing, The Listening Program, x chromosone

Rett syndrome is a unique developmental disorder first recognized in infancy and is generally seen in girls. It is often misdiagnosed as autism, cerebral palsy, or a developmental delay. Caused by mutations in the X chromosome it occurs in 1 of every 10,000-23,000 female births. Rett syndrome causes problems in the brain affecting; learning, communication, sensory processing, movement, breathing, cardiac function, chewing, swallowing, digestion, and more.

The host of challenges that come with a Rett syndrome diagnosis affect the family as a whole, with most individuals requiring assistance in most every aspect of their life. The needs vary through the four stages of Rett syndrome from Early Onset, Rapid Destructive, Plateau, and on to Late Motor Deterioration.

A British research study showed that 5 girls with Rett Syndrome benefitted from listening to a music listening method developed by my company Advanced Brain Technologies called The Listening Program®. The findings show improvements in a number of areas with the strongest trend toward increased engagement and decreased anxiety. Sensory processing appears to be improving which is consistent with outcomes of other studies. These findings were presented by the investigator Helen Francis at the International Rett Syndrome Congress in Paris back in October 2008.

We are encouraged by these results and the potential to improve the quality of life for those with Rett syndrome. A larger controlled trial should be conducted, and I am hopeful this study will help make that happen.

Review the research poster and learn more about Rett syndrome at the International Rett Syndrome Foundation.

New Auditory Channel Identified for Sound Processing

Published February 15, 2010 auditory processing disorder , auditory system , brain research Leave a Comment
Tags: auditory processing, Neuron, neuroscience

Researchers at the University of Oregon have identified a new auditory channel for sound processing. This is an interesting study that could lead to the development of new treatments that could improve auditory processing with implications for better speech discrimination. More information is available in the February 11 issue of journal Neuron.

For the full article please visit ScienceDaily.

Healing the Brain 2010

Published February 1, 2010 The Listening Program , brain awareness , brain research , music , music research Leave a Comment
Tags: Alex Doman, brain conference, brain health, brain science, charles krebs, daniel amen, Dietrich Klinghardt, Klinghardt Academy of Neurobiology, music listening therapy

The Klinghardt Academy of Neurobiology is holding a conference in Bellevue, Washington this month called Healing the Brain 2010. I will be presenting a talk titled Applications of Music Listening Therapy. If you are interested in leading edge protocols for brain health, this conference will be well worth your time.

HEALING THE BRAIN CONFERENCE 2010
February 19-22, 2010
Hyatt Regency Bellevue, SeattleIn recent years ALS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s disease, autism and other disorders of the central nervous system are increasing exponentially. Something is happening. What is it?

This conference will explore the hidden causes of brain dysfunction and illness in both children and adults and also carefully discuss available diagnostic and treatment options. Practitioners will come away with a synthesis of new ideas and new, cutting-edge protocols to put into their practice right away.

Healing the Brain is sponsored by the Klinghardt Academy of Neurobiology. Invited guests include Neurologist and Author Eric Braverman, MD, Daniel Amen practitioner Brian Goldman, MD, Master Herbalist Donald J. Yance, Lab Analysis Expert Mark Schauss, Australian Brain Integration Expert Charles Krebs, Coagulation Expert David Berg, MAPS (system to repair brain dysfunction) creator Claudie Gordon-Pomares, Color and Light Therapy Expert Alice Nixon, LCSW and Alex Doman, founder and CEO of Advanced Brain Technologies. Alex will be presenting The Listening Program® method of music listening therapy as it is widely used as an approach to support brain health and performance. A practical understanding of this fusion of art and psychoacoustic science including a discussion of air and bone conduction delivery of sound will be explored.

For more information about this conference:

TO REGISTER: (303) 499-4700 (303) 499-4700 or
http://stores.homestead.com/klinghardt/StoreFront.bok

Music Shown to Improve Communication in Toddlers with Cochlear Implants

Published January 7, 2010 auditory system , brain research , music research Leave a Comment
Tags: cochlear implant, communication, hearing, music, music therapy, toddlers

A new study reveals that music activities can improve communication in toddlers who have received cochlear implants.

Some infants who are born with impaired hearing and who cannot benefit from hearing aids are likely to gain 90% normal hearing ability by undergoing a cochlear implantation procedure. Following the operation, however, the child — who never heard before — undergoes a long rehabilitation process before he or she can begin to speak.

In the present study, Dr. Dikla Kerem of the University of Haifa examined the particular effects that music therapy has on the potential development of toddlers (aged 2-3 years) who have undergone cochlear implantation, specifically in terms of improving spontaneous communication.

“Music comprises various elements that are also components of language and therefore as a non-verbal form of communication is suitable for communication with these children, when they are still unable to use language. Communicative interactions, especially those initiated by the toddlers, are critical in the development of normal communication, as they are prerequisites for developing and acquiring language,” explains Dr. Kerem. She adds that the toddlers undergoing rehabilitation are under much pressure from their surroundings — especially the parents — to begin talking, and sometimes this pressure makes them become introverted. As such, music therapy lends itself to strengthening these children’s nonverbal communication and thereby lessens the pressure on them for verbal exchange and response.[1]

Music can serve to open up the auditory receptivity of these children, lowering their defenses and providing an opportunity to gradually process and understand the components of sound that make up receptive and expressive language. It is a way into a fragile system in need of gentle stimulation and support.

Read the full article.

[1] University of Haifa (2010, January 7). Music therapy can assist toddlers’ communication rehabilitation process. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 7, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2010/01/100106093636.htm

iPod Therapy Opens Memories for Alzheimer’s Patients

Published November 26, 2009 Alzheimer's , brain research , music , music research 1 Comment
Tags: Alzheimer's Disease, brain, concetta tomiano, institute for music and neurological function, ipod, music therapy

Music works, music heals; it unlocks our emotions, creativity, spirituality, and the infinite potential of the brain. It is also a way to tap into the memories of someone suffering with Alzheimer’s Disease according to Dr. Concetta Tomaino, who has studied the therapeutic effects of music for more than 30 years.

Caregivers have observed for decades that Alzheimer’s patients can still remember and sing songs long after they’ve stopped recognizing names and faces. Many hospitals and nursing homes use music as recreation, since it brings patients pleasure. But beyond the entertainment value, there’s growing evidence that listening to music can also help stimulate seemingly lost memories and even help restore some cognitive function.

“What I believe is happening is that by engaging very basic mechanisms of emotions and listening, music is stimulating dormant areas of the brain that haven’t been accessible due to degenerative disease,” says Concetta Tomaino, executive director of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function, a nonprofit organization founded at Beth Abraham in 1995. 1

Read the complete article by Melinda Beck in The Wall Street Journal.

1Retrieved November, 26, 2009 The Wall Street Journal “A Key for Unlocking Memories” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704538404574540163096944766.html

We Read With Our Ears

Published November 12, 2009 The Listening Program , auditory system , brain research , dyslexia 2 Comments
Tags: alfred tomatis, auditory, dyslexia, dyslexic children, nina krause, sensory processing, The Listening Program

It may sound strange but we read with our ears. A recent study at Northwestern provides clear evidence to support the groundbreaking theories developed by the late Alfred Tomatis, M.D. in the mid twentieth century about the role the ear plays in reading.

The vast majority of school-aged children can focus on the voice of a teacher amid the cacophony of the typical classroom thanks to a brain that automatically focuses on relevant, predictable and repeating auditory information, according to new research from Northwestern University.

But for children with developmental dyslexia, the teacher’s voice may get lost in the background noise of banging lockers, whispering children, playground screams and scraping chairs, the researchers say. Their study appears in the Nov. 12 issue of Neuron.

Recent scientific studies suggest that children with developmental dyslexia — a neurological disorder affecting reading and spelling skills in 5 to 10 percent of school aged children — have difficulties separating relevant auditory information from competing noise.

The research from Northwestern University’s Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory not only confirms those findings but presents biological evidence that children who report problems hearing speech in noise also suffer from a measurable neural impairment that adversely affects their ability to make use of regularities in the sound environment.

“The ability to sharpen or fine-tune repeating elements is crucial to hearing speech in noise because it allows for superior ‘tagging’ of voice pitch, an important cue in picking out a particular voice within background noise,” said Nina Kraus, Hugh Knowles Professor of Communication Sciences and Neurobiology and director of the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory.

In the article “Context-dependent encoding in the human auditory brainstem relates to hearing speech-in-noise: Implications for developmental dyslexia,” Kraus and co-investigators Bharath Chandrasekaran, Jane Hornickel, Erika Skoe and Trent Nicol demonstrate that the remarkable ability of the brain to tune into relevant aspects in the soundscape is carried out by an adaptive auditory system that continuously changes its activity based on the demands of context.1 Click here for full article.

These findings are consistent with part of the underlying theories behind our work at Advanced Brain Technologies. This research and studies on musical training at Northwestern provides support to warrant further studies on the potential of using music listening therapy (The Listening Program®) as an intervention for struggling readers.

1 Retrieved November 12, 2009 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-11/nu-nbf110309.php

The Brain Understanding Itself