Posts from — December 2004

Has brain scanning become the new phrenology? It’s an interesting prospect that may be clarified by an historical perspective.

In the early 1600’s, Rene Descartes’ quest to find truth caused him to explore his consciousness and question reality. He became aware that his perception of his environment could be deceptive and depended on his sobriety, fatigue, etc. Therefore, all external things could be doubted but the consciousness that perceived those external things could not be doubted. Thus, he concluded, cogito, ergo, sum; I think, therefore I am. Consciousness was self-evidently different from and more important than the external world. This was perhaps the historical beginning of mind/brain separation or mind as separate from matter which later became known as Cartesian dualism.

Descartes wrote in The Passions of the Soul, “Let us then conceive here that the soul has its principal seat in the little gland which exists in the middle of the brain, from whence it radiates forth through all the remainder of the body…” Most likely, Descartes was referring to the pineal gland as location of the mind in the brain. Again, mind is definitively separate from the brain and thus could ostensibly exist without the brain. Cartesian dualism has persisted in the medical profession, as well as others, to this day. If one suffers from depression, social anxiety, or insomnia, we’ll seek out the guidance of a psychiatrist – one who specializes in the mind. However, if we suffer a stroke, have a palsy or migraine, then we seek out the guidance of a neurologist. It has been only recently that this schism seems to be constringing as psychiatrists embrace neurophysiology and neurologists embrace the fact that unacceptable behaviors are not solely the product of nervous system dysfunction. Cartesian dualism has been embedded in our consciousness for over 300 years and will only slowly die away.

While hot debate ensued regarding consciousness and God – and still does in some circles – another interesting figure appeared in the early 1800s who would directly influence brain research. Anatomist Franz Joseph Gall published Anatomie et Physiologie du Systeme Nerveux. Gall was convinced that the brain was the epicenter of all mental functioning. He classified twenty-seven distinct functions associating each with a specific area of the brain. All this was surmised on a predilection for observation Gall experienced since childhood. Gall meticulously studied the skulls of the famous, infamous, mentally handicapped, scholarly, gifted musician, and artist. He made hundreds of casts. By looking at the similarities of all of these skulls, their bumps, contours, and general shapes, he convinced himself and much of the general public that he could determine brain function by observation of the superficial.

Gall’s phrenological approach has since become a laughable topic. However, it did influence brain research in creating the notion of locality – the notion that certain functions in the brain occur in specific areas. This notion seemed to be reinforced by medical doctors treating injured soldiers. Certain areas of the brain that were damaged by concussion or shrapnel caused blindness, memory loss, or loss of function in a specific region of the body.

While the connection between phrenology and brain scanning may not be readily apparent, certain similarities will be explored in upcoming blogs.

I just wanted to take a moment to further comment on The November 13, 2004 Boston Globe article, Playing their Way to Improved Concentration, referring to Play Attention, a feedback based learning system I created for persons with attention problems. It uses a video game format to teach cognitive skills typically deficit in children and adults with diffused attention.

In order to balance out the article, Globe reporter Hiawatha Bray sought out the expert opinion of Dr. Stephen Hinshaw.

Dr. Stephen Hinshaw chairman of the psychology department at the University of California at Berkeley and an expert on hyperactivity disorders, said techniques that teach concentration may work in a doctor’s office, but often stop working when the child reenters his home or classroom. “I’m not a cynic, but I’m a skeptic until things are proven pretty thoroughly,” Hinshaw said.

I admire Hinshaw’s candor. Frequently experts are requested to remark on technology or teaching methods they have never seen or used. They must produce off the cuff remarks. Hinshaw should be respected as he utilizes multi-modal approaches to treating AD/HD and has a book worth reading.

While I was not allowed to comment about Dr. Hinshaw’s remarks in the article, I would like to comment that Play Attention is the preferred educational learning system for students struggling with attention problems in over 450 school systems in the US. We’ve recently received a 91% satisfaction rating from our users because of our great support and teaching method utilizing feedback technology.

Earlier this year, the Boston Globe carried and Associated Press article by Michael Felberbaum regarding Play Attention and Autism.

Educators have made significant progress over the last few years training autistic children. One of the most difficult aspects of training is teaching cause and effect relationships. Autistic students who have violent tendencies frequently do not comprehend the consequences of their actions. They may strike first never knowing the damage that may ensue. The exact foundations of autism are not known. However, research regarding chemical/biological foundations is being carried out. I strongly suggest reviewing work by Dr. Jaak Panksepp, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo.

A special education teacher, Linda Creamer, specializes in working with autistic children in Greensboro, NC. Cited in the AP article, she uses Play Attention to teach cause and effect. Students control video exercises by attention alone using feedback technology. If attention is lost, students lose control of the video exercises. They get immediate feedback regarding their behavior and its relationship to attention. If they strike the desk out of frustration, they immediately see the effect on the screen characters as the screen characters are no longer under their control. This presents a teachable moment. It presents an environment where the student realizes the significance of his actions and allows Linda to talk about strategies to decrease the behavior. It also presents a physiological or kinesthetic perception to the student that can be learned (relaxation) and transferred to other situations. Linda has kept students from being institutionalized using this technique.