Rewiring the Brain

[Wayne]

Hi All,

I ran across this video clip a while back and immediately felt there could be important implications for us as we try to rewire our brains. The second part of the video (about half way through) is probably more relevant than the first.

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/wiredscience/video/286-mixed_feelings.html

Best, Wayne

 

[Jody]

Wayne,

I tried but I couldn't make it all the way through the video. It seemed to be going in a really interesting direction too but ... couldn't do it.

Could you maybe talk about it here?

 

[Frickly]

Wayne,

I will have to check it out when my kids are busy and quit harrasing me.

There is a good article in Discover magazine about rewiring the brain. Its called "How to erase a bad memory". It's in the July/August issue and was very interesting.

 

[Wayne]

Jody - Rewiring the Brain

Wayne,

I tried but I couldn't make it all the way through the video. It seemed to be going in a really interesting direction too but ... couldn't do it.

Could you maybe talk about it here?

Hi Jody,

I just ran across an old post I did on this video. I'll paste part of it below. Here's a link to ProHealth when I originally posted on this. Some interesting comments on that thread.

http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/blog/boardDetail.cfm?id=1204297

Wayne
..............................................

The first part (about 7 minutes) describes how blind people can see by substituting their tongue for their eyes to send signals to the brain.

The second segment (about 4 minutes) is the one that caught my attention. It describes a woman who took antibiotics that totally destroyed her inner ear balance mechanisms, and left her unable to walk and worse.

They were able to rewire her brain so that she was able to walk again, apparently after creating new brain pathways not normally associated with balance.

To be honest, I'm not clear on the specifics. But it did remind me of Goldstein's work where he tried to modulate how the brain reacted to various stimuli. It made me wonder whether this could be a possible therapy of the future for some of us with dysfunctional brains.

 

[Cort]

Gotta see that video. I assume they 'rewired' her brain using mental exercises? or drugs? I wonder if you can take a drug that leaves your brain kind of open to new inputs and then plug in new kinds of modes of being, new instructions? I guess hypnosis works that way.

If you have actual brain damage and need to force other parts of the brain to take over for the damaged ones going to be a long learning process - you need to build those neural connections.

Any other resources on Rewiring The Brain or Neural Plasticity? (It's going to be a big focus On the Phoenix Rising website in the future). I have Doidge's book.

 

[caledonia]

D-cycloserine could be a possibility with retraining/rewiring the amygdala. D-cycloserine is a tuberculosis antiobiotic, but it also happens to be a partial NMDA agonist, which means, it helps the fear extinction process go faster. There are several studies with it helping pain, anxiety disorders, etc. in both mice and humans.

 

[rosebud]

brain rewiring

I wonder if this is the Dr my chiropractor told me about - he said he (Doige)uses EMDR, (eye movement desensitization reprogramming) as one of the therapies- therapists(psychologists) have been using this for helping people with PTSD and it was quite controversial years ago - gaining more acceptance

Rosebud

 

[Jody]

rosebud,

I think this eye thing was used on my brother awhile back.

His wife died of cancer when they were both in their 30s and he's really never recovered, 17 yrs later.

He said this guy did a treatment, using eye movement, and there was an instant dramatic change for him.

 

[rosebud]

jody, yes it sounds like emdr - did it work for him?

 

[Jody]

Hi Jody,

To be honest, I'm not clear on the specifics. But it did remind me of Goldstein's work where he tried to modulate how the brain reacted to various stimuli. It made me wonder whether this could be a possible therapy of the future for some of us with dysfunctional brains.

Wayne,

Sounds complex, hard for me to wrap my head around it. But it sounds promising too, doesn't it.

 

[Jody]

jody, yes it sounds like emdr - did it work for him?

He says it did, and that it was instantaneous. A whole lot of confusion he was experiencing in his mind and emotions just evaporated.

 

[Cort]

Dr. Van Hook talked about an EMDR study she did on ME/CFS patients at the Reno Conference. I talked to her afterwards - she said it took a while but it was for the most part very effective with some patients recovering.

Here's a section from my overview:

Dr. Van Hook believes that hypervigilance or state of nervous system arousal in ME/CFS is the body's attempt to rebalance the parasympathetic (rest and digest) and sympathetic (fight or flight) systems. Interestingly, given Ashok Guptas theory, she noted that these types of therapies are hypothesized to reduce amygdala activation. (The amygdala is the fear center of the brain and it was referred to several times during this conference.)

(The idea that ME/CFS patients are in a state of arousal has antecedents going back to the earliest descriptions of this disease. Several early accounts of myalgic encephalomyelitis comment on the emotional components of the disease with some alluding to a strange kind of nervous tension that often accompanies it. )

Dr. Van Hook did not find that EMDR reduced sympathetic nervous system functioning but she did find that it produced significant improvement in fatigue, concentration, vitality and most importantly whats called role physical. Because role physical measures how much activity one can maintain its one of the more important self-report tests used. We dont know how much improved these patients were well have to wait until Dr. Van Hooks paper comes out.

http://aboutmecfs.org/Conf/IACFS09Behavioral.aspx

 

[susan]

It is a coincidence that you talk about EMDR and CFS. I have worked this out for myself and contacted AShok to see if it was compatiable with his program and he said go ahead. I am now awaiting an appointment with a Psychologist. I read up on Prof Ledoux that Ashok uses as his bible, and the Amygdala theory is the same for PTSD as CFS. So I figured if it could help soldiers from battle zones why not us if they are affected in the very same way with hyper vigilence. I came into CFS after a series of family stresses and a car accident.

I saw how effective EMDR it was in my young niece, abandoned with a young baby by her husband she went into Panic atttacks for some years, then later could not leave her home town due to fear...father was killed when she was 10. After 2 treatments of EMDR she is a free young woman to come and go as she likes.

Dr Benor teaches you how to do it yourself with his WHEE self treatment. Google him. I will let you know.

 

[muffin]

Primal Reflex Release Technique (PRRT) and Low Energy Neurofeedback System (LENS)

I have had about 30 or more treatments using "Primal Reflex Relief Technique" by John Iams. This therapy concentrates on the Dura that surrounds the brain and down into the body. It is most helpful for pain, muscle spasms, mobility, and even mood. The premise involves the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS- Parasympathetic is rest/digest and Sympathetic is fight/flight). PRRT rebalances the ANS and returns the levels of Para and Sympathetic back to normal. It is an odd looking technique but has a great deal of medical and scientific background to it. And, for me - it works. I walked into the office in so much pain with pain meds no longer working and unable to stand up straight. The first gentle treatment helped. The second treatment blew my mind as I walked out of the office, got in the car and realized that I felt the best I had in many years. I was calm but awake and alert - and felt happily normal. I go back for "tune ups" esp. when I have the horrid spasms in my neck/shoulders and lower back.

As part of the PRRT they have you close your eyes and make "circle 8's". Your eyes are circling and for the first bit you feel like there is a blockage that won't let the eye(s) move past a certain point. But you keep moving the closed eyes in the circle 8 fashion and the "stuck" part goes away. This seems to calm the brain down and sometimes help with headaches.

There are a number of other "odd" looking things that PRRT does but they seem to work on people whose ANS is badly out of whack. The therapy place I go to now uses PRRT heavily and has moved away from the more traditional PT, except of course, in the cases where the traditional physical PT is needed. in people with FM or CFIDS and other ANS issues, PRRT helps. It really helps me with pain, spasms, etc.

I am now going through a brain-wave therapy called "Low Energy Neurofeedback System". The brain waves are mapped and then The map will show connectivity problemssites that are under-connected and over-connected... Based on the map, the practitioner will treat four brain sites per session with radio frequencies, produced by a machine to which the patient is hooked up. The radio frequencies will gently stimulate those areas that are sluggish, and will take the edge off high-frequency sites. Most of the session is spent talking to the patient about whether the last treatment improved symptoms, http://www.neurofeedbackconsult.com/resources/low-energy-neurofeedback-system-lens/

I have only just started this program and will see if it works. It is supposed to help with CNS/ANS problems so we shall see. My first LENS brain map showed a large dark area in the midline brain. According to the developers of this system, that midline dark area is a "viral signature". I have also taken the Qeeg test and will get results back next week. On my first LENS mapping there was also another dark area in the left frontal lobe. The tech did not know what it was. Or quite possibly, she did have an idea of what it was but was NOT going to tell me or scare me but rather let the whole tests go through the main therapist and then on to a neurologist for review.

I have emailed the people that developed LENS and asked about this "viral signature" and if they provide me with decent information will send it off to WPI. My husband and I also plan on having the XMRV test done given that I (and possibly he as well, results not back yet) are showing that viral signature. This information may be helpful to WPI because it may help them pinpoint the area in the brain where a virus is located (midline brain).

Sorry about the disjointed rambling. Didn't sleep well and had to get up and move around. Will respond better after I get more "real" sleep.

 

[Marco]

No time to post much at the moment but I highly recommend trying a simple form of EMDR.

Even the basic EFT recipe takes a little time to learn to the point of being able to use it unconsciously and WEE etc is claimed to work just as well. Basic EMDR (slowly moving the eyes from far top left to far top right and back repeatedy) is even simpler and appears to work as thought stopper but is also claimed to interfere with emotionally loaded memories taking away their power to cause CNS arousal.

I'm pretty poor at keeping up with these things, especially when there's a new supplement/remedy to try every other week.

But just using a simple EMDR technique every time you notice getting into that ruminating thoughts loop or just feel a little wired helps enormously in my view. In fact I practiced a little EMDR this afternoon after reading this thread and so far have had a much better day than for many months. Co-incidence posssibly but I'll try to keep in up.

 

[Wayne]

Primal Reflex Relief Technique - Bio Cranial Therapy - Atlas Profilax

I have had about 30 or more treatments using "Primal Reflex Relief Technique" by John Iams. This therapy concentrates on the Dura that surrounds the brain and down into the body. It is most helpful for pain, muscle spasms, mobility, and even mood. The premise involves the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS- Parasympathetic is rest/digest and Sympathetic is fight/flight). PRRT rebalances the ANS and returns the levels of Para and Sympathetic back to normal. It is an odd looking technique but has a great deal of medical and scientific background to it. And, for me - it works. I walked into the office in so much pain with pain meds no longer working and unable to stand up straight. The first gentle treatment helped. The second treatment blew my mind as I walked out of the office, got in the car and realized that I felt the best I had in many years. I was calm but awake and alert - and felt happily normal. I go back for "tune ups" esp. when I have the horrid spasms in my neck/shoulders and lower back.

As part of the PRRT they have you close your eyes and make "circle 8's". Your eyes are circling and for the first bit you feel like there is a blockage that won't let the eye(s) move past a certain point. But you keep moving the closed eyes in the circle 8 fashion and the "stuck" part goes away. This seems to calm the brain down and sometimes help with headaches.

There are a number of other "odd" looking things that PRRT does but they seem to work on people whose ANS is badly out of whack. The therapy place I go to now uses PRRT heavily and has moved away from the more traditional PT, except of course, in the cases where the traditional physical PT is needed. in people with FM or CFIDS and other ANS issues, PRRT helps. It really helps me with pain, spasms, etc.

I am now going through a brain-wave therapy called "Low Energy Neurofeedback System". The brain waves are mapped and then “The map will show connectivity problems—sites that are under-connected and over-connected... Based on the map, the practitioner will treat four brain sites per session with radio frequencies, produced by a machine to which the patient is hooked up. The radio frequencies will gently stimulate those areas that are sluggish, and will take the edge off high-frequency sites. “Most of the session is spent talking to the patient about whether the last treatment improved symptoms,” http://www.neurofeedbackconsult.com/resources/low-energy-neurofeedback-system-lens/

I have only just started this program and will see if it works. It is supposed to help with CNS/ANS problems so we shall see. My first LENS brain map showed a large dark area in the midline brain. According to the developers of this system, that midline dark area is a "viral signature". I have also taken the Qeeg test and will get results back next week. On my first LENS mapping there was also another dark area in the left frontal lobe. The tech did not know what it was. Or quite possibly, she did have an idea of what it was but was NOT going to tell me or scare me but rather let the whole tests go through the main therapist and then on to a neurologist for review.

I have emailed the people that developed LENS and asked about this "viral signature" and if they provide me with decent information will send it off to WPI. My husband and I also plan on having the XMRV test done given that I (and possibly he as well, results not back yet) are showing that viral signature. This information may be helpful to WPI because it may help them pinpoint the area in the brain where a virus is located (midline brain).

Sorry about the disjointed rambling. Didn't sleep well and had to get up and move around. Will respond better after I get more "real" sleep.

Wow muffin, thanks for your remarkable post. I was wondering if you might have anything to add since you last posted. I would most interested to hear more about your experiences in this area. I was wondering if you've heard of "Bio Cranial Therapy" which works on the dura mater as well. I read a remarkable story once written by a man who's wife was "cured" almost immediately following nine years of a very debilitating case of fibromyalgia by using this therapy.

I created a thread on the ProHealth board entitled, "Bio Cranial Therapy - Major FM Relief Story - AtlasProfilax" which discussed this therapy as well as Atlas Profilax. Very briefly, Bio Cranial practitioners feel the dura mater can become constricted and cause all kinds of pains. Because of its proximity to the pituitary gland, it can also adversely affect our endocrine system. Dr. Marmostein claims to have completely cleared up his own long standing hypothyroidism from having this therapy done.

Regarding EMDR, my partner, a professional counselor, was trained in this many years ago and used it successfully in her practice. She has since become trained in EFT, and now uses it exclusively. She feels it can do everything EMDR can, and more, and is easier for people to use at home on their own.

I ran across an article recently which talked about rewiring the brain with singing. It was entitled, "Singing Rewires Damaged Brain". I thought it would fit in nicely with this thread.

Wayne

 

[Dreambirdie]

I ran across an article recently which talked about rewiring the brain with singing. It was entitled, "Singing Rewires Damaged Brain". I thought it would fit in nicely with this thread.

Wayne

Hi Wayne--

Yes, the singing! It has been incredbly helpful for me. But not just melodious "normal" singing. I have found that when I am in pain or in neurological distress (like hyper-wiredness), what helps me a lot is letting OUT any sound that is trapped inside of me--toning, howling and moaning noises, whatever is the true expression of how I feel at that moment. No holds barred! No judgement allowed. I usually do this in the bath tub, because the acoustics are so wonderfully echoey in there, but I've also done it while crashed in bed. It's a great release and relief.

 

[flex]

I've got a funny taste in my mouth!! uuucccchhhh ppppppp!!!

 

[Sasha]

Any other resources on Rewiring The Brain or Neural Plasticity? (It's going to be a big focus On the Phoenix Rising website in the future). I have Doidge's book.

I've only just seen this thread so this may be redundant now but apart from Doidge's book (which is excellent) there's also a book on a conference held in Dharamsala with the Dalai Lama and a bunch of neuroscientists on neuroplasticity and Buddhism. It was fascinating but I borrowed it from the library and can't remember the title, nor can I find it on Amazon - anybody?

ETA: This (Buddha's Brain) isn't it but looks interesting, on the same topic.

 

[firefly]

This is interesting and very timely. I've met with a therapist over the past few weeks, and she keeps trying to get me to do EMDR. I had originally found her back in October of last year because this was her specialty, and we had tried it once, but only for a brief session. I had felt exhausted the next day, and then, got sidetracked by a lot of other stuff, and had not had a chance to go back. The last few weeks I've been reluctant to try it again, because I've been concerned it would knock me out. But this is all great information and is motivating me to give it a proper try.
I have an appointment scheduled for next week. This therapist actually has a cool looking electronic device -- it's a horizontal strip of blinking lights about a foot and a half long, with the lights moving left to right and back, which the eyes are meant to follow.
I have also found EFT to be helpful, and have been practicing at home. My biggest challenge with EFT is not getting bored and sticking with it.