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Learning Discoveries Rosemary Boon Registered Psychologist M.A.(Psych), Grad. Dip. Ed. Studies (Sch.Counsel), Grad. Dip. Ed., B.Sc., MAPS, AACNEM. |
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Audio Visual Entrainment (AVE)
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Audio visual stimuli with the use of flashing lights and pulsing tones, has been demonstrated as a means to safely and gently guide the brain into specific brainwave patterns including those body/mind states associated with deep relaxation, meditation, hypnosis, creativity and those associated with reduction of stress and anxiety.
The use of audio visual stimuli to alter states of consciousness is not new - "the knowledge that a flickering light can cause mysterious visual hallucinations and alterations in consciousness is something that humans have known since at least the discovery of fire."[1.]
Alpha/theta wave stimulation significantly helps calm people down and has been used to improve sports performance, addictions,
sleep disorders, depression, anxiety and chronic pain. [2.]By increasing the stimulation frequency, cognitive function may be enhanced; symptoms such as memory loss have been ameliorated; as well as assisting in the treatment of slow brainwave disorders such as PMS, chronic fatigue,
fibromyalgia, closed-head injury and ADD.[2.]Brainwaves change frequencies based on neural activity within the brain when it processes signals from the sensory receptors such as those of vision, touch, smell, taste and hearing. Each of our senses responds to stimulus from the environment and transmits that information to the
brain.
Brain waves are the voltage patterns generated by the brain.
The brain contains some 100 billion neurons which operate by generating and passing on electrical signals. The summation of all this electrical activity results in signals that can be detected and recorded outside the brain. In analogy to the recording of the activity of the heart in an electrocardiogram (EKG), the recording of the brain's activity is called an electroencephalogram (EEG).
The above figure depicts the stages of sleep and corresponding EEG brain wave activity
(From www.prenticehall.com)
The EEG pattern is referred to as "brain waves". Brain waves appear as irregular, somewhat repetitive waveforms, and are a mixture of many frequencies from less than 1 to more than 40 Hertz.
Different brain wave patterns have been found to be associated with different states of awareness.
Several frequency ranges have been identified as brainwave states and given names by neurologists:
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Name |
Frequency Range |
Subjective Experience |
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Delta |
0.5-3 |
Sleep |
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Theta |
3-7 |
Imagery, suggestibility |
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Alpha |
7-13 |
Relaxed awareness |
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Low Beta |
13-18 |
Alert awareness |
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SMR |
12-15 |
Sensory-motor rhythm |
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High Beta |
18-30 |
Super alert, tense. High correlation with anxiety when dominant. |
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Gamma |
30 and up |
Hyper alert, possible creativity |
For more information on the EEG please see the
QEEG article The Visual Pathways
Our eyes are 'wired' so that the left visual field of our total vision (that is, both eyes), goes to the right side of our brain and vice versa.
Picture from www.prenticehall.com
The neural pathways start with the rods and cones located at the back of the eye and end at the visual cortex at the back of our brain. Visual signals travel via synapses in the ganglion cells located behind the retina and leave the eye via the optic nerve. During this time the brain has already done a certain amount of visual analysis which delays the signal a few milliseconds.
The optic nerve from each eye splits into what is known as the optic chiasm which is the nerve network that routes the visual image from the right visual fields of both eyes (left half of each retina) to a nest of neurons called the left lateral geniculate and on to the visual cortex. The geniculate cells are connected to the thalamus by synapses forming the brain's sensory coordinating area or 'gateway'. Photic stimulation evokes potentials into the thalamus which then relays the information to the neo-cortex, as well as neighbouring cortical areas and several targets deep within the brain.
The Auditory Pathways
The outer ear gathers and transmits sound waves down the auditory canal where they reach the tympanic membrane and this vibrating membrane of the ear drum passes the vibration of the sound into the ossicles which consist of the malleus, incus and stapes (hammer, anvil and stirrup respectively).
Picture from www.prenticehall.com
The stapes fits into the oval window of the cochlea which responds to different pitches according to the location between the head and tail of the cochlea.
Picture from www.prenticehall.com
The cochlea contains the sensory elements called cilia which send the impulses into dendrites of nerve fibre neurons whose axons make up the fibres of the auditory portion of the VIII cranial (vestibular-cochlear) nerve.
These neurons are the first order neurons of the neural pathway, and proceed toward the brain stem where they form synapses with the cochlea nuclei located in the lower pons and upper medulla and consist of some one dozen different masses of cell bodies concentrated into three main groups of the olivary body.
The olivary body sends the auditory signals to the motor system of the ear and may be involved in reflexes. The inferior colliculus is involved in the creation of motor responses to auditory stimuli and the medial geniculate body which is located in the thalamus, serves as a relay station on the way to the auditory cortex. The auditory cortex lies in the temporal lobe, where low frequency sound is discriminated anteriorly, whilst high frequency sound is discriminated posteriorly. The auditory association areas surround the auditory cortex, and it is here that the brain integrates, remembers and analyses various types of sound input - it takes about 10 milliseconds for sound impulses to travel from the outer ear to the auditory cortex.
Sound induces an audio-evoked-response in the EEG and is a powerful psychological test of hearing because it indicates that stimulation by sound has caused a response in the auditory system and the brain. When the brain is exposed to rhythmic, evenly spaced on/off tones, brain wave following or 'entrainment' follows. Following usually occurs within seconds of exposure to the sound, and the 'trance' usually follows after about six minutes.
(For more information on the use of sound as therapy, see the article on
SAMONAS sound therapy) Utilising The Senses of Vision and Hearing to Affect The EEG
The senses of sight and hearing, by their very nature, provide a favorable means for affecting brainwaves. By presenting pulsed and sequenced audio and visual stimulation to the brain for a short period of time, the brain will begin to resonate or 'entrain' or 'follow' at the same frequency as the stimulus. This effect is commonly referred to as brainwave entrainment (BWE), or habituation, whereby the body and mind adapt to the stimulus.
In addition to entrainment, the imagery created by the visual and auditory stimulation provides a focus for the mind and helps to quieten internal dialogue or 'mind chatter'.
It is possible with AVE technology to recreate relaxation and meditation like that achieved by the "masters" and to experience that same peace and tranquility with only a half hour session using the techniques of audio visual and/or electromagnetic stimulus entrainment.
With the development of sophisticated electronic physiological measuring devices, scientists now conduct and record research to show the effects photic stimulation has on humans. Since the discovery of photic driving in 1934, many research articles have been printed in scientific and medical journals on the effects of BWE. In efforts to better understand the brain, most early research only observed the physiological effects of BWE directly and not the clinical benefits of BWE. It has only been more recently that clinical research has been conducted.[2.]
Neural Circuitry
Effective communication in the brain relies on neural circuitry.
Neurones (nerve cells) consist of a cell body, axon and dendrites (the filament-like extensions of an axon).
Picture from www.prenticehall.com
In a normally functioning healthy brain, the dendrites of a given axon connect with the dendrites of many other axons, therefore, fostering full communication of information.
Picture from www.prenticehall.com
Often, development of neural pathways may be delayed, resulting in deficits of function of hearing (
CAPD), comprehension and/or sensory motor development. These delays may be global (pervasive developmental disorders) or can result in specific learning difficulties.As ageing occurs, the brain loses some of its neural circuitry due to shrinkage and a reduction in the number of dendrites. The ability of neurones to communicate thus decreases as these connections are reabsorbed by the cell body with age or non-use.
Common symptoms (which can start as early as 40) include forgetting the names of people, and then names of things and facts, short-term memory deficits, difficulty following instructions and memorising material.
However, we can slow down or even reverse this process, by providing multi-sensorial stimulation to our brains.
Stimulation can take the form of
neurofedback, biofeedback, psychological counselling, healthy eating, exercise, Brain Wave entrainment (BWE) and a plethora of non-drug approaches that focus on prevention rather than correction.When traumatic
brain injury (TBI) occurs, connections between neural circuitry are also disrupted which leads to aberrant brain wave activity. This can occur through diffuse axonal shearing, or more directly as damage to specific brain areas.
Whilst the site of injury is unlikely to repair itself, (without stimulus the neurone is likely to undergo involution and eventually die), other neural pathways can be stimulated to be evoked by the brain, compensating for and perhaps in time performing the functions of those damaged. This inherent plasticity of the brain is what makes AVE and
biofeedback so effective for many people.With the use of an AVE unit a person can activate a pre-programmed AVE session at the simple press of a button to entrain the brain at a frequency that would be most useful for their particular needs or concerns.
Applications of AVE
Some of the uses and benefits of BWE with an AVE unit, as indicated by the research literature, are as follows:
Exercises the Brain
Nerve cells are designed to receive stimulation resulting in growth and change. This growth and change is fundamental throughout life.
Reduce Stress and Produce Deep Relaxation
Boost IQ
Autism
Accelerated Learning
Increase Memory
Produce Peak Performance
Substance Abuse Problems
Overcome Depression and Anxiety
Alleviate Pain
Boost Immune Function
Increase the power of the immune system to overcome existing diseases and boost its resistance to infection
At Learning Discoveries, our approach looks at guiding and educating the person in their own innate capacities to attain balance and wellbeing in their lives.
Appointments for consultation can be made by contacting
Rosemary Boon
Registered Psychologist|
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Learning Discoveries |
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References:-
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1. |
Hutchison, M., 19 , "Megabrain" |
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2. |
Seiver, D., 1997-2000, "The Rediscovery of Audiovisual Entrainment Technology"., Comptronic Devices Limited, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. |
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3. |
Tortora & Grabovski, 2000, |
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4. |
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Other papers and studies of AVE include:-
AVE LINKS:
