Blog ⁽¹³⁾

When we are on screens, they stimulate our right brain to the detriment of our left brain. During the development of children, being systematically on screens leads to a dominance of the right brain over the left brain. Rather than finding a balance between the two brains, the right brain will take over.

The gut is home to trillions of microorganisms that influence our overall health and emotional behavior. Studies have shown that changes in the gut microbiome can affect the nervous system, suggesting a connection between the gut and the brain. We will explore the extent of this connection, the potential benefits of gut health for emotional behavior and overall health, and the therapeutic potential of probiotics.

A new typeface called Sans Forgetica was designed by Australian researchers as a memory tool for reading. It is based on a theory called "desirable difficulty," which suggests that people remember things better when their brains have to overcome minor obstacles when processing information. Sans Forgetica is elegant, inclined in the back (inverted italics), with intermittent gaps in each letter, which serve as a "simple headache" to the reader, according to Stephen Banham, designer and lecturer of RMIT who contributed to the creation of the typeface.

Researchers at Queen's University are delving into the intricacies of the auditory system to understand how we extract and track specific voices in crowded and noisy environments. Lead by Dr. Ingrid Johnsrude, their studies reveal the brain's reliance on information from other senses and prior knowledge to facilitate comprehension.

How can we, without noticeable effort, listen to a friend talking in a crowded café or follow the melody of a violin in an orchestra? Scientists have developed a new approach to how the brain isolates a specific stream of sounds from other disturbing sounds.

Cognitive decline is a normal part of aging, but it can also be caused by certain medical conditions or injury. The decline in cognitive function can have a significant impact on an individual's daily life and can lead to problems with memory, thinking, and problem-solving. However, there are ways to maintain and improve cognitive function, such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, and mentally stimulating activities. It is also important to seek medical attention if there are any concerns about cognitive decline.

UCLA researchers have found that a large number of hours spent sitting are linked to thinning of the medial temporal lobe of the brain, a region of the brain involved in forming new memories. This thinning may be a precursor to cognitive decline and dementia in middle-aged and older adults, and reducing sedentary behavior may be a possible target for strategies to improve brain health in people at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

A new UCLA study shows that only about half of children diagnosed with ADHD have the cognitive defects typically associated with the disease. The study also found that in populations where medication is rarely prescribed to treat ADHD, the prevalence and symptoms of the disorder are roughly equivalent to populations in which medication is widely used.

At the Tomatis Centre, we are seeing an ever increasing number of parents coming to us for a problem related to learning and memory in their child (ADD or ADHD). By combining the Tomatis method and nutrition, our treatment for children with attention, learning and memory problems maximises the effectiveness of our listening sessions. Contact us for a free initial appointment with our nutrition specialist.

Jacques Dayan, a child psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, has noticed an increase in the number of parents who believe their child has ADD/ADHD. He believes that this is due to schools being overburdened and looking for ways to manage children with behavioral difficulties. The use of medication to treat ADD/ADHD has become a common solution, as it can calm and focus children, allowing them to perform better in school. However, Dayan raises concerns about the overdiagnosis and overmedication of children, and the implications of this on their development and well-being. He argues that it is important to consider other interventions and treatments before resorting to medication.

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects a person's ability to read, write, and spell. It is often associated with letter confusion, but it also affects the ability to understand sounds. A new study by Bart Boets, a clinical psychologist, has shed light on the importance of phonological representation in dyslexia. The study had participants listen to sets of similar sounds and asked them to differentiate them. The results showed that while both the control group and the dyslexic group were able to process the sounds, dyslexics were slower to respond. This suggests that dyslexia is not a problem with sound processing itself, but with the speed of sound processing.

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by delays and impairments in the development of social, cognitive, and communication skills. The Tomatis Method is a therapeutic approach that uses music and sound to help individuals with autism by improving auditory processing and language development. It is used as a complementary therapy to other interventions, but it is not a standalone treatment for autism.

Children are natural language learners, and they acquire language through a combination of exposure, imitation, and practice. The process of language acquisition in children is a complex and fascinating one, and it is essential for parents, educators, and speech therapists to understand how it works.