I don’t know if you took music lessons as a child but . . .
It’s hard for me to forget practicing my piano with my rather stern-faced teacher counting out the beat along with the metronome (it’s possible that she was stern-faced due to my lack of practice from the week before…).
Now, returning from my trip down memory lane, you may ask what metronomes have to do with actual memory formation.
Research published last month in Nature Neuroscience illustrates the rhythmic activity patterns that arise from billions of neurons communicating with each other.
They found that patterns are established by nerve cells that inhibit, rather than excite, the activity of other cells.
Marlene Bartos, PhD from the University of Freiburg, along with her colleagues from the United Kingdom, studied the workings of these patterns in the hippocampus of mice.
They switched off these fast inhibitor nerve cells in the hippocampus (which is related to spatial memory formation) and found that the mice continued to behave normally.
But, when the mice were given the task of reaching a point within a Y-shaped maze, impairments were noticed.
That’s because the successful navigation of this maze required the use of working memory, which in the “switched off” mice wasn’t able to function properly.
Mice with the inhibited inhibitor nerve cells made significantly more mistakes than the control group of mice, frequently going down the wrong part of the maze though they had already been down there before.
Bartos et al. thus found that working memory was dependent on these inhibitory cells.
We still don’t know much about the inner working of memory, so each new finding brings us one more piece to the puzzle.
If you work with patients who exhibit various forms of dementia-related memory loss, this type of research is especially important.
Prior to this research, the impairment of working memory was thought to result from neural problems in the prefrontal cortex.
Our neural knowledge base is continually changing as new research sheds light on the inner functioning of the brain.
Are you able to stay up on new developments and craft your treatments around this new information? We’ve created a new teleseminar series, The New Brain Science Series, to help extrapolate the most important new research and its clinical application.
Each webinar, we speak to an expert in neuroscience looking at the most up-to-date information and applications from this rapidly changing field.
And if you are interested in the inner workings of memory, then you’ll especially want to check out our Brain Science Webiar Series.
What have you found to work when treating memory impairment with your clients?
Please leave a comment below.
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I have had the same problem since I was young; I have a very strong fear of dying. Often times I will make myself get out of bed and do something to avert my thoughts; mainly I will take a shower and drink a glass of warm milk with vanilla and some sugar. If this doesn’t work, try something a little bit more stimulating that can avert the thoughts, but won’t keep you awake for hours once you lay down. Pick up one of your favorite books, or walk around in your back yard for a bit.. . If it still persists, speak with your doctor. They can prescibe something for you to take when these attacks occur that will sooth your thoughts and help you fall asleep.. . I know how horrible this is. Best of luck.
Hello,
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading all the comments resulting from this series. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to take in all of them, but I have discovered many interesting books to follow-up with, and other resources that are invaluable. This is very exciting to me, as a person over the age of 60, who is not only working with others whose lives have been altered by addictions, but who is very interested in retaining as much brain function as possible as I get older.
Keep up the good work, and thank you Ruth.
Bronwen Rutter
In reply to Barbara Guran-Eubank,
I am an ENT in South Africa & have been listening to the series to gain info that may help my vertigo, tinnitus & hearing loss patients amongst other conditions that I am faced with daily & would like to give hope & perhaps “looking out of the box” is where it will make sense to myself & my patients.
I would like to recommend a website where the authors have devised a model to explain tinnitus & have specifically trained counsellors world wide using their model & the therapy based in behavioural therapy.
-The Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Centre, London UK –
Regards
Sharon
Eliza – that’s fantastic that you’ve found these lovely ways of working with your mother and it seems clear that it is enlivening her which is really wonderful! Just to mention that the kind of memory you are working with is a different kind called procedural memory. This is why she does learn the tune (procedural – or roughly speaking memory for actions) but doesn’t remember having learned it (episodic memory – roughly speaking memory for events). Procedural memory is more durable and thus not as affected by her Alzheimer’s. However, this in no way detracts from what you are doing, and the improved spirit that it brings for everyone!
Well I guess I don’t have to spend the weekend fiingrug this one out!
References are often important in this kind of article if we are to convince others of the validity of the research. The Science Daily article on this story is called: Learn to the rhythm: Nerve cells acting as metronomes are necessary for certain memory processes
with the initial paper appearing in the journal ‘Nature Neuroscience’ (requires subscription).
Cheers.
I have observed in those of us who are over age 60 that forgetfulness seems to correlate with depressed moods, feelings of diminished utility and questionable purpose. It seems that in these states of mind, attention is not focused but scattered, diffuse, sanguine. Hence, one is not sufficiently concentrative to be sharp, alert, and to have keen memory.
In my experience, the remedy is for a genuinely caring person to spend time with the person in need. Listening to their troubles can be all that’s needed to lift the veil of forgetfulness. Touching a shoulder, holding a hand can yield bountiful results in the appropriate setting or relationship.
I am an almost 52 year old working tattoo artist that has been subscribing to the brain series hoping I would get more insight into my own brain shortcomings. About a year and a half ago I had an ‘incident’ where I was fine one minute and the next minute I had gone deaf in my left ear and had extreme vertigo. Unfortunately, even though I sought immediate medical help, stupid little events ended up making this a permanent condition. According to the docs, a ‘vascular incident’ was probably responsible since I lost both hearing and balance at the same time, as normally if you have a viral or bacterial infection, you’d lose one and not the other. At the same time, I wonder about that diagnosis since nothing showed on the MRI and I equated the ‘vascular incident’ comment to mean it was something like a TIA that caused it and I know lots of people have had MRIs only to find that they have had TIAs in time’s past by the evidence on the MRI, so why didn’t mine show anything? Anyway, when all was said and done, they told me I was about 85% deaf in my left ear, I have severe tinnitus and then there was the balance issue, all of which they said, “Too bad. You’ll have to adapt,” without really giving me any tools on how to do that.
So next I went to a PT who specializes in vertigo and did vestibular testing (on my own since doc didn’t recommend) and again was told that though there may have been a small component that was vestibular in nature, most of my problem was ‘something else’ and I’d have to adapt. Luckily he at least gave me some exercises and told me to walk as much as possible to retrain myself.
Now, I know I have said I’m a tattoo artist, but at one time I was pre-Med and I’ve always had a scientific mind, so I decided to study and work this out myself. The funny thing is, that all of the things I worked on for balance and memory, etc. are all things you folks have recommended and they have worked up to a point!
So strangely enough about a day or two before all of this happened, I had been working with (EFT?) the tapping thing to re-train myself and heal certain aspects and I asked at that time to have a real change come about to force me to change my habits– be careful what you ask for! Yes, this changed my life, but not exactly what I had in mind…
Anyway, in addition to the official diagnosis, I have felt many other symptoms that make me feel more like I had a small stroke… In my meditation, all feeling and in-put from my left side seemed/seems to be gone or diminished, including vision. I’ve had some memory issues (I think in addition to menopause!?) and have just generally felt weaker on the left side since. So since the PT said to walk (and had me buy a walker), that’s what I first endeavored to do. At the time, I was walking like a drunk in diagonals and couldn’t control it to walk in a straight line. First off, since I had been in the habit of walking my two dogs almost every night, I started there. First with my daughter actually walking the dogs and me drifting around, then I took the leash and devised my own way of ‘balancing’ the urge to walk in diagonals. I figured out that I could hold my dog’s leash with two hands (holding onto the big loop in the handle) and hold it sort of like someone water skiing. I then would compensate the need for a diagonal by pulling harder on one side or the other with my arms and sort of have them do the diagonal while my legs could continue to go straight. Since I had been in the habit of walking, I figured if I could just get into the swing of it, then my auto response would kick in and I’d just continue to move like my body had been conditioned to– and it worked! If I got too much into thinking about it, then I’d revert back to diagonals, but if I could just slip into habit, I could trick myself into going straight! So I’d play head games like that with myself. I also became obsessed with doing puzzles like Sudoku and FreeCell to keep my brain working, working, working. I also am a dancer, so I went back to dancing– slowly at first because of the balance issues, but continuing on and working on my balance and coordination and I think having the music interact with my brain is good, too.
I think I have gotten as much back as I can on my own right now and got interested in your site when my husband forwarded me some story on some kind of implant you could get to reduce tinnitus and you talked about stimulating the vagus nerve… I was looking for exercises to do that without having to have the surgical implant, as I am still without insurance (which is why I assume noone had much to offer me). The tinnitus is really disturbing to me and I’d like to reduce it or eliminate it. All in all, I think I still could have the ability to hear if I could just re-train my brain/body to make new connections and that is where my interest in neuroplasticity lies… How can I re-train myself? I am working heavily with meditation and metaphysical ideas as well as imagery, etc.
I wondered if any of your readers and/or presenters specialized in anything like this and whether they might have something else for me to work on? If you know of someone who you think could either help me or use my info for case studies, please feel free to pass on my contact info. I have come so far on my own, but feel like I’ve hit a wall. I am miles beyond where I came from and am pretty functional, but still frustrated by my limitations. Been through all the emotional responses to this all, too, and think I am staying on top of it for now, though it’s been a tough ride, so any hope anyone has to offer would be great!
Thanks so much for this interesting series!
Barbara
Eliza,
I would like to reprint your comments with your permission.
This is the type of work that many many individuals could learn from, especially nursing homes and caretenders.
… I’m teaching her every day -15 to 60mins depending on her energy and will – to play a simple, rhythmic ten note three key tune on the piano. It’s only been a few days so far but she’s already brightened up. Every day, although at first she claims not to remember the lesson of the day before, she re-learns the tune more quickly and with more assurance than before. It’s slow but she’s not learning to play the tune so much as using her fingers in a new, unaccustomed way, and a series of notes and rhythms that are new to her. We vary the work with a bit of simple juggling, throwing the balls hand to hand and then she takes herself off for a good walk and sleeps like a baby. She’s brightened up enormously already. It’s possible that having this much one-to-one attention is also having its effect but she’s enjoying the little triumphs these exercises produce, although this is where the guidance of your teleseminars has been invaluable – not only in providing the reassurance that the brain can be encouraged to grow and repair itself …
thanks,
don hall
life-onpurpose.weebly.com
bearcreekresearch
Thank u. It will help me & my husband , both over 70.
Behviour scienc, its connection to astology, DNA and brain
is my passion i correlate with other organic diseases too.
Eliza, thanks for reminding me that these seminars deserve top priority status. I’ve been backsliding. I am beginning to discover similar encouraging results with my Mom’s memory challenges and really appreciate hearing some of the specifics you’re utilizing. Mom’s Scrabble skills have returned to an astounding degree and you are right – the daily, routine repetition is key. I’m going to add the piano, since she has always loved music and singing. Thanks to you for sharing and to Ruth for this very important focus! Please continue to post specific things that work well!
So, now encouraged and enlightened on the neuroplastic effect of focussed attention, repetition, motivation, reward, exercise, balancing, sensory stimulation, sleep, emotional support, positive psychology, humour etc etc, I’ve decided not to accept the decided opinion on my mother’s inevitable memory collapse (age 91, Alzheimers) and we two have embarked on a private programme of learning. I had been told it would be a waste of time but I know already it’s working. I’m teaching her every day -15 to 60mins depending on her energy and will – to play a simple, rhythmic ten note three key tune on the piano. It’s only been a few days so far but she’s already brightened up. Every day, although at first she claims not to remember the lesson of the day before, she re-learns the tune more quickly and with more assurance than before. It’s slow but she’s not learning to play the tune so much as using her fingers in a new, unaccustomed way, and a series of notes and rhythms that are new to her. We vary the work with a bit of simple juggling, throwing the balls hand to hand and then she takes herself off for a good walk and sleeps like a baby. She’s brightened up enormously already. It’s possible that having this much one-to-one attention is also having its effect but she’s enjoying the little triumphs these exercises produce, although this is where the guidance of your teleseminars has been invaluable – not only in providing the reassurance that the brain can be encouraged to grow and repair itself but in discussing exactly how. I’ve devoured Norman’s book and am waiting with great anticipation for John’s. Thank-you for this life affirming initiative of yours, Ruth, and of course your team and your contributors.
In my small but slowly growing practice I find clients greatly encouraged by the wisdom we are all gaining from this work and I’m finding, because it’s possible to explain better how and why the homework I suggest they do is worth the effort, they are more motivated to do it.