The Neuroscience Center, Deerfield, Illinois

I had the pleasure of visiting The Neuroscience Center in Deerfield, Illinois last week. As a Social Worker who worked with families of children with complex mental health and developmental issues, I would have loved to have been able to have a center like this to refer people to.

The Neuroscience Center is a multi-disciplinary entity dedicated to the effective diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of Neuropsychiatric diseases. The diagnostic and treatment techniques used include EEG, Brain SPECT, genetic testing, Neurofeedback and Brain Stimulation techniques such as rTMS (repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) and tDCS (transcranial Direct Current Stimulation). The center has become a well-known resource for addressing complex cases.

Dr. Best, the center's Director, is a Neuropsychiatrist who specializes in brain disorders that affect emotional health and cognitive ability. He is also trained in providing Brain Stimulation.

Dr. Pavel, who is a member of IBREA's advisory board, is a nuclear medicine physician specializing in Brain SPECT imaging. Brain SPECT is one type of brain imaging that is particularly helpful in evaluating patients with complex conditions involving behavioral, emotional, personality, developmental and degenerative disorders. It is a non-invasive procedure that provides information about brain functioning.



The staff also include: Dr. John Hughes, Director of Neurophysiology; Dr. Cynthia Kent, Director of Neurofeedback, and Dr. Leonard Koziol, who provides Neuropsychological testing at the center.

IBREA will be working on a research project in cooperation with The Neuroscience Center to measure the effects of Brain Education training on brain functioning evaluated by Brain SPECT imaging.

For more information about The Neuroscience Center: http://www.the-neuroscience-center.net/

Brain Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education

On May 6th from 6-9 pm, IBREA Foundation presented at the "Brain Education for Enhanced Learning and Living" event held at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The event was held in celebration of a proclamation made by the Mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts in recognition of the contribution Brain Education programs have made to the community.

The mayor, who attended with her granddaughter, quoted from Ilchi Lee's book "Power Brain Kids": "Greatness is not limited to those who perform well on standardized tests or to those who know how to sit still at age eight" and spoke about the importance of educating the whole child and bringing out each child's potential.

Graduate students and community members participated in a Brain Education experiential session led by Regional Brain Education trainer, Erin Carter.

The participants then heard from Dr. Deni Howley, the Deputy Executive Director of the Germaine Lawrence School, a residential school for young women with behavioral and emotional issues in Arlington, Massachusetts about the results of a pilot study on the effects of Brain Education on the students and staff at her school.

This was followed by a presentation by the IBREA Foundation about the Brain Education training system and its applications, research on Brain Education, the scientific background behind Brain Education, and the activities of IBREA Foundation.

To read more about the forum:
http://www.ilchi.com/News_and_Events/View/256/Earth-Citizen-Movement/Brain-Education-for-Enhanced-Learning-at-the-Harvard-Graduate-School-of-Education/

To read more about the impact of Brain Education on the students at the Germaine Lawrence School, see:
http://www.brainwavevibration.com/news/news_view.aspx?idx=67

Celebrating Earth Day

On Earth Day, IBREA joined in a celebration with Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Park and the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) in the park outside of the United Nations.

Despite the rain, many people from the local community, along with UN staff and office workers walking through the park, learned about the impact that Brain Education can have on eliciting people's natural sense of community and caring for the Earth.

Visitors to the IBREA booth also learned about the "I Am An Earth Citizen" Project and many declared their support by signing the Earth Citizen declaration:

As an Earth Citizen:

1. I accept the unlimited responsibility for the Earth and its residents.

2. I trust in the ability of human beings to use their brains for health, happiness and peace.

3. I take actions to create a healthy Earth and a peaceful world.

"Cognitive Reserve": How to Maintain Your Brain

The concept of "cognitive reserve" has been around since 1989 when post-mortem studies showed that some individuals who had full Alzheimer's pathology (tangles and plaques) had been able to live normal lives while others had shown symptoms.

Since then, researchers such as Dr. Yaakov Stern from Columbia University in New York have made discoveries about the factors that help to build cognitive reserve and thus reduce the risk of developing symptoms of Alzheimer's.

In an interview I read recently with Dr. Stern, the interviewer emphasizes three key points that apply to young and old alike:

1. Education, an engaging occupation, and leisure activities reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's.

2. Stimulating activities, ideally combining physical exercise, learning, and social interaction help to build cognitive reserve.

3. It is never too late to start building our cognitive reserve.

To read more about how you can start (or what to continue):

http://http//www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/07/23/build-your-cognitive-reserve-yaakov-stern/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8292945/

The Effects of Exercise on the Brain

Exercise has been shown to increase neurogenesis--the generation of new nerve cells--in the brain.

Tonight, "The National", Canada's national evening news program featured a story on the effects of exercise on the students in an alternative class in Saskatchewan.

In the story, Dr. John Ratey, author of a book called "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" explains how exercise affects the brain, particularly the front parts of the brain that are involved in impulse behaviour.

Exercise, he says, helps preserve nerve cells, makes them stronger, withstand stress, and makes them more pliable. As a result of these changes in the brain, students are able to concentrate and manage their behaviour better.

You can learn more at:

http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/special_features/brain_gains.html

The Frontal Lobes: Our Brain's "Conductor"

We all know how important the conductor of a music orchestra is. The conductor provides the leadership required for all the different instruments and the individuals playing them to create beautiful music together.

Like the orchestra conductor, the frontal lobes in our brain play a critical role. The frontal lobes are responsible for forming goals, making a plan of action, coordinating the cognitive skills required to carry this out, and evaluating our actions.

In his book, "The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind" Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg explores the frontal lobes, that part of the brain that performs what are called "executive functions" and that reaches significant development only in humans.

Dr. Goldberg likens the frontal lobes to the CEO of a corporation, an army general, or an orchestra conductor.

He discusses how even subtle damage to this part of the brain which is normally involved in motivation, drive, foresight, clear vision of one's goals, self-awareness and awareness of others can produce apathy, inertia, indifference, and blindness in judgement.

Poor development or damage to the frontal lobes may also result in behavior that is considered socially inappropriate and irresponsible and in difficulties with novelty and learning.

The frontal lobes are affected not only directly but as a result of damage anywhere in the brain because of their connections to and from other brain structures. The frontal lobes, the last part of the brain to develop, are more vulnerable than any other part of the brain.

The frontal lobes are particularly affected in Alzheimer's and other dementias, schizophrenia, head injury (from car accidents, sports injuries, or toxins), attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, Tourette's Syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other conditions.

Often times, problems which are labelled as "personality" problems may actually be due to a problem with brain functioning. Dr. Goldberg's book contributes to awareness about the importance of understanding the brain and in particular the crucial role of the frontal lobes.

Dr. Goldberg is Clinical Professor of Neurology at the New York University School of Medicine and Director of the Institute of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Performance. He was a featured speaker at IBREA's two recent events held at the United Nations.

You can read an article and interview with Dr. Goldberg at http://www.brainworldmagazine.com/.

I Am an Earth Citizen

As our awareness about the Earth's problems increases, the next question usually is, "What can I do?"

One of the key messages that I took from the movie "The 11th Hour" was that since humans have contributed to the Earth's and human problems through our focus on separation, accumulation and success, we also have the potential to solve them by recognizing that we all share the Earth as our home, and by striving for a success that depends on the health and well-being of all people and the Earth.

How do we do that?

By recovering our humanity--by allowing humans and the Earth to return to our natural state of health, well-being, and immense potential for creating in a way that supports each other and the Earth.

IBREA has recently launched the "I am an Earth Citizen" program and "One Dollar Project".

Essentially, people are being encouraged to donate one dollar a month (or more) to support Health, Education, and Environmental projects around the world. The projects are funded by United Nations' agencies in recognition of the United Nations' mission to promote peace, human rights and social progress.

The goal is for one hundred million Earth Citizens to each donate at least one dollar a month.

What's an Earth Citizen?" You are an Earth Citizen. We all are. We were "given" a passport the day we came to this Earth, along with the responsibility to help make it a harmonious and prosperous place.

You may ask, "What can one dollar do?" Giving money in of itself will not solve the problems we have created.

But...one dollar becomes one hundred million dollars. And when one person becomes one hundred million people all coming together not as children or as adults, as men or as women, or as people from different countries, religions, or races but as Earth Citizens with one goal, we are making a powerful statement that our priority is taking care of each other and of the Earth.

As humans, we can use our brains for many different purposes. If we use them to work together to foster health, happiness, and peacefulness for ourselves, others and for the Earth, we will start to support, rather than work against, the natural propensity of humanity and the Earth for harmony and balance.

For more information or to donate, take a look at IBREA's new homepage:

http://www.ibrea.org/