Ping.fm broadcast


CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE
This message (including any attachments) contains information that may be
confidential. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to
receive for the intended recipient), you may not read, print, retain, use,
copy, distribute or disclose to anyone the message or any information
contained in the message. If you have received the message in error,
please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the
original message (including any attachments).

Ping.fm broadcast


CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE
This message (including any attachments) contains information that may be
confidential. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to
receive for the intended recipient), you may not read, print, retain, use,
copy, distribute or disclose to anyone the message or any information
contained in the message. If you have received the message in error,
please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the
original message (including any attachments).

tesying pibg

BrainWave Entrainment Reserach

1
A Pilot Investigation of Auditory and
Visual Entrainment of Brain Wave Activity
in Learning Disabled Boys
John L. Carter and Harold L. Russell
Research demonstrates that individuals can learn to voluntarily alter and control the frequency
of their brain wave activity resulting in a normalization of brainwave patterns and improved
functioning. A problem is the length and intensity of training time required to bring about these
changes. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if regular and sustained auditory
and visual stimulation would bring about neurodevelopmental growth as reflected in increasedI
Q scores, achievement test scores, and self-control in learning disabled boys. Results suggest
significant improvement following this training and that longer training time results in greater
improvement.
An innovative and inexpensive procedure that may improve student's school performance
and behavior is the focus of this pilot study. Previous studies have shown that auditory or visual
stimulation has a powerful effect on the frequency activity of the brain. It has been shown that
rhythmic sound waves entering the ears results in a phenomenon called "entrainment" whereby
brain waves match and resonate at the same frequency as the stimulating audio frequency. In
auditory entrainment, the hemispheres of the brain produce symmetrical brain waves highly
similar in frequency, amplitude, phase, and coherence. Entrainment to visual rather than to
auditory stimulation occurs when rhythmic lights flashed into a subject's eyes cause the brain
wave pattern of the entire cortex to fall into the same frequency as the flickering light.
Electroencephalograph (EEG) studies have demonstrated that significant targeted behavioral
changes occur as a result of the challenge and stimulation of intensive EEG training. Other
studies suggest that individuals with epilepsy have reduced seizure activity by learning to
regulate their brain wave activity (Sterman & Friar, 1972, Lubar, 198 1). Cunningham (198 1)
reported increased math and reading scores as well as increased self-control in children
following EEG biofeedback training; and Lubar (1985) demonstrated significantly improved
academic performance in learning disabled students. Both Carter and Russell (1981, 1992) and
Tansey (1984, 1990) investigated the effects of EEG biofeedback training with learning disabled
boys and found that the children made significant gains on their IQ scores.
In a related series of investigations, Diamond (1988) has shown that environmental
stimulation in rats increased dendritic growth which resulted in improved performance on tasks
such as maze learning and memory. Although there is considerable evidence that visual and
auditory entrainment is a replicable physical phenomenon, there have been no quantitative
studies on the possible effects on behavior and brain functioning of sustained visual and auditory
entrainment. The present study focused on the effects of synchronized visual and auditory
stimulation on the academic and behavioral functioning of learning disabled boys. Following
auditory and visual stimulation entrainment training, it was hypothesized that elementary-aged
learning disabled boys would show improvement in these areas: Verbal and nonverbal IQ;
reading, spelling, and arithmetic; and self-control behavior as rated by teachers and parents.
2
Method
Students
An original sample of 20 students (group 1) consisted of learning disabled boys between
eight and twelve years of age from a private school. As this original sample of students dwindled
to 14 by attrition, 12 other students with learning disabilities (males in the same age group) were
located in a public school (group 2). Data for the two groups of students were analyzed
separately. All students were right handed, had no history of a seizure condition, and presented
no sensory deficits.
Instrumentation
The Audiovisual Stimulator (AVS) consisted of small, red, light emitting diodes (LEDs)
which were affixed to the top of each lens of smoke colored glasses. A stereo headset attached to
each side of the glasses provided the auditory input. A microchip was programmed to activate
and control the tone generator and LEDs. In one ear, a 220 Hertz (Hz) tone was presented, while
in the other ear, a 230 or 238 Hz tone was presented. This resulted in entraining brain waves to
the different tones at either 10 Hz or 18 Hz. These frequencies were selected for use because
Carter and Russell (1981) found that subjects who learned to alter brain wave activity between
low (10 Hz) and higher frequencies (18 Hz) improved significantly in IQ and in their scores on
tests of achievement. The AVS was preset to operate for a total of 25 minutes in a cycle repeated
five times consisting of two minutes at a 10 Hz frequency, one minute at a 0 Hz frequency, and
two minutes at an 18 Hz frequency.
The dependent measures were selected because of their wide use and availability. Also, the
same tests have been used by the investigators in previous projects. Both validity and reliability
were assumed to be adequate for this study. The measures included the Peabody Picture
Vocabulary Test (a measure of verbal IQ), the Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices (a measure
of non-verbal IQ), the Auditory Sequential Memory subtest of the Illinois Test of
Psycholinguistic Abilities, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, and the Wide
Range Achievement Test-Revised.
Procedure
Each student was administered a group of pretests. In order to minimize experimental bias,
all testing was conducted by graduate psychology students "blind" to the experimental design. In
addition, teachers and parents were asked to complete the Burk's Behavior Rating Scale on each
youth. There was some attrition on this variable, as four parents did not return the pretest or the
posttest behavior rating scales; however, all teachers complied. All testing was completed during
the week prior to the AVS treatment and during the week immediately following cessation of the
AVS treatment.
Systematic AVS treatment was administered in a designated room at school, to groups of
four or five experimental students, five days a week for eight weeks (40 treatments). In addition,
at home these students used a special relaxation cassette tape developed during a previous study
3
(40 treatments). The tape had the same pattern of sound stimulation used in AVS. The students in
this group received a total of 80 training sessions or 4.5 times as much as the students from the
public school. The 12 learning disabled boys from the public school received the AVS treatment
three days per week for six weeks (18 treatments). The public school boys did not receive the
relaxation home practice training sessions.
In both groups, students got into a comfortable position and put on the headphones and
glasses. The trainer simply turned on the AVS and monitored the students during the sessions.
The students were encouraged to play table games, such as checkers,
or to play with hand-held electronic games during the AVS exercise. Only a minimal
intervention by the trainer was required.
Results and Discussion
An analysis of variance test of significance was used for all measures (Bruning & Kintz,
1987). Table I summarizes the results of cognitive changes for the first group of students (N-14).
Significant differences were found on four of six variables. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary
Test (PPVT), did not show a significant change in IQ, whereas the Raven Coloured Progressive
Matrices did show a significant increase in IQ (p <05). Memory, reading, and spelling showed
significant improvement (p <. 0 1 ). Although the change in arithmetic score showed
improvement, the results were not significant.
Table I
Summary of Cognitive Changes for Group I (N- 14)
_____ Pretest____ ____Posttest____
M S.D. M S.D. F n
PPVT IQ- 116.00 15.15 120.79 12.79 3.80 NS
Raven IQ' 106.64 17.83 114.57 12.456 .905 <.05
Memory' 26.29 8.28 30.29 9.80 11.030 <.01
Reading" 100.93 10.54 107.21 9.00 39.317 <.01
Spelling 101.71 10.94 108.50 11.07 26.832 <.01
Arithmetic 104.93 10.27 106.29 13.71 .305 NS
1Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT IQ).
2Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices (RAVEN IQ).
3llinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, Auditory Sequential Memory subtest. 4WideRange
Achievement Test, Revised (WRAT-R) for Reading, Spelling, and Arithmetic.
Table 2 summarizes results of cognitive changes for the second group of students (N-12).
The verbal IQ showed a significant increase, but the performance IQ did not. Of the academic
measures, only spelling showed a significant increase (p <05). Although the change in reading
and arithmetic
scores showed improvement, the results were not significant. It is important to note, however,
4
that second group of students received only 18 training sessions as compared with the 80 AVS
training sessions and relaxation tape sessions received by the first group of students.
Table 2
Summary of WISC-R and WRAT-R for Group 2 (N=12)
Pretest Posttest
M S.D. M S.D. F n
WISC-R
Verbal IQ 92.50 11.67 98.00 11.66 6.776 <.05
Performance IQ 100.86 10.43 102.63 7.71 .827 NS
Full Scale IQ 96.50 7.63 99.25 9.04 2.123 NS
WRAT-R2
Reading 85.43 7.26 91.14 9.61 6.308 NS
Spelling 84.86 9.89 92.00 9.62 11.347 <.05
Arithmetic 80.86 7.55 89.14 10.94 3.848 NS
1Weschsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Revised (WISC-R).
2Wide Range Achievement Test, Revised (WRAT-R).
Table 3 summarizes the changes in the behavior ratings of each child in the first group of
students as rated by teacher and parents. There was agreement of improvement on three scales.
Both parent and teacher concurred that the students became less dependent and improved their
academic attention and interests. Teachers also indicated that the students became less anxious,
more self-contained, improved their coordination and intellectual pursuits, and seemed to suffer
less and control their anger better. Parents said their children were more compliant (less
resistant), felt less persecution, and controlled impulsiveness better. In general, lower scores
indicate improvement on this behavior rating scale. Of the 19 scales, 17 showed the desirable
decreased scores as rated by parents. According to the teachers, every scale was lower at posttest
than at pretest. There was considerable agreement between teachers and parents that the
children's behavior improved following treatment with AVS entrainment.
Although the results of this pilot investigation must be viewed cautiously, the data suggests
improvement similar to that found in EEG biofeedback studies with children with learning
disabilities and attention deficit disorder problems. Carter and Russell (1992) found increases in
the lower of the 1Qs (verbal or performance) following hemisphere-specific EEG training. In a
like manner, Tansey (1984,1990) has reported significant IQ gains with these kinds of students
after intensive EEG training and Cunningham (1981) obtained similar kinds of improvement in
reading and increased self-control after EEG biofeedback training.
The AVS training results presented in this pilot study suggest that this may be a simpler and
lower-cost alternative to EEG training, apparently producing many of the same effects. This
procedure appears to be less threatening and demanding on the students being trained than the
5
Table 3
Summary of Results for Burk’s Behavior Rating Scale
EEG training model where the subject is required to learn how to recognize and produce the
desired brainwaves in amplitude and/or frequency. Instead, the AVS entrains the brain wave
activity, enabling it to produce the desired brain wave frequencies. This appears to be
accomplished quite rapidly. This may significantly shorten the training time required for the
child to learn to recognize and bring about an internal state in the brain such as concentration or
attention that is characterized by brain wave activity of particular frequencies and amplitudes.
More rapid learning may shorten the amount of student and trainer time needed to bring about
significant changes in functioning.
The number of AVS treatment sessions used ranged from 40 AVS sessions and 40 special
relaxation tape sessions for a total of 80 for the first group down to a total of 18 for the second
group. These preliminary results suggest that the degree of significant improvement in
functioning is related to the number of treatment sessions. It appears highly possible that
increasing the number of treatment sessions would result in more improvement in functioning.
Some very important questions to be answered are: Is there a ceiling effect or limit on the
amount of increase in brain functioning that is possible? Are there optimal stimulating conditions
that will result in the greatest changes in the least amount of time? Will both boys and girls show
equal improvement? Finally, to what extent is age a factor? Currently, there are no answers to
these and other important questions; further research is indicated.
6
This preliminary data suggests that use of AVS entrainment to challenge and stimulate the
brain appears to result in improved functioning on intelligence tests, achievement tests, and
behavior as rated by parents and teachers. The simplicity of use and the low cost of the
equipment may make effective treatment for learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders
available to many of the children who need it but who would otherwise never receive it.
References
Bruning, J. L., & Kintz, B. L. (1987). Computational handbook of statistics. Glenview, III: Scott,
Foresman.
Burks Behavior Rating Scale. (1969). Denver, CO: Arden Press.
Carter, J. L., & Russell, H. L. (1992). Effects of EEG frequency control training on boys with
significant WISC-R Verbal-Performance IQ discrepancies. Manuscript submitted for
publication.
Carter, J. L., & Russell, H. L. (1981). Changes in verbal-performance IQ -discrepancy scores
after left hemisphere EEG frequency control training. American Journal of Clinical
Biofeedback, 4,66-68.
Cunningham, M. D., & Murphy, P. J. (1981). 'Me effects of bilateral EEG biofeedback verbal,
visual, spatial, and creative skills in learning disabled male adolescents. Journal of Learning
Disabilities, J_4, 204-208.
Diamond, M. C. (1988). Enriching heredity: The impact of the environment on the anatomy of
the brain. New York: The Free Press.
Dunn, L. M. (1981). Peabody picture vocabulary test. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance
Service.
Jastak, J. F., & Jastak, S. (1987). Wide range achievement test-revised. Wilmington, DE: Jastak
Associates, Inc.
Kirk, S. A. (1968). Illinois test of psycholinguistic abilities. Urbana, IL: Board of Trustees of the
University of Illinois.
Lubar, J. F., & Deering, W. M. (198 1). Behavioral approaches to neurology. New York:
Academic Press.
Lubar, J. L. (1985). EEG biofeedback and learning disabilities. Theory into Practice, 24,
106-111.
Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices. (1956). London: H.K. Lewis and Co.
7
Sterman, M. B., & Friar, L. (1972). Suppression of seizures in an epileptic following
sensorimotor EEG feedback training. Electro-encephalography and Clinical
Neurophysiology Vol. 1, 57-86.
Tansey, M. A. (1984). EEG sensorimotor rhythm biofeedback training: Some effects on the
neurologic precursors of learning disabilities. International Journal of Psychophysiology.
Vol. 1, 163-177.
Tansey, M.A. (1990). Righting the rhythms of reason: EEG biofeedback training as a therapeutic
modality in a clinical office setting. Medical Psychotherapy Vol. 3, pp. 57-68.
Wechsler, D. (1974). Wechsler intelligence scale for children-revised. New York: The
Psychological Corp.