|
Supporting Research by: |
|
 |
|
By: Robert Roy Britt
|
|
The Human Brain Seen as
Master of Time
 |
|
Your brain
is a time machine with three modes that control
everything from instantaneous tasks like moving to
maintaining long trains of thought and ultimately
staying in synch with night and day.
That's what scientists say.
But they have no clue how most of it works.
Focusing on the poorly
understood middle time zone, where the brain does some
of its best work, researchers at Duke University
summarize this latest thinking in a new article in the
journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience.
Scientists have long
understood human and animal brains to be governed in
part by a circadian clock, which keeps us in synch with
night and day. The rhythm of this 24-hour clock
encourages nighttime sleep and allows many people to
awaken with no help from a rooster.
Another clock is thought to
operate at the millisecond level, controlling movement,
speech and other vital functions that occur so quickly
we don't really think about them.
But in between, there must
be a third timekeeper of the mind to aid all the
functions that require seconds to minutes of attention.
Nobody is sure about this, though.
Interval timing
Duke neuroscientists
Warren Meck and Catalin Buhusi
call the middle mode "interval timing."
"To understand speech, I not
only have to process the millisecond intervals involved
in voice onset time, but also the duration of vowels and
consonants," Meck said Friday. "Also, to respond, I need
to process the pacing of speech, to organize my thoughts
coherently and to respond back to you in a timely
manner."
Interval timing has not been
studied in detail. In fact it may be very hard to look
into it.
Meck has been pondering it
since the 1980s, but little progress has been made in
pinning down how it works. He suspects the
interval-timing clock does not reside in a single
location, as is the case with smell, taste and other
senses. Even the circadian clock is located in one part
of the brain.
But interval timing "has to
be distributed so it can integrate information from all
the senses," Meck said today.
Figuring out how it works
may turn out to be more important in understanding the
brain that the spatial connections between various parts
of the brain.
"I would argue that time is
more fundamental than space, because one can just close
one's eyes and relive memories, going back in time,"
Buhusi says, "or prospectively go forward in time to
predict something, without actually changing your
position in space."
The conductor and his
orchestra
Theorists used to think
interval timing was orchestrated by some sort of
biological pacemaker that emitted timing pulses.
The new thinking is that the
various parts of the brain oscillate and all these
oscillations are monitored and integrated by certain
circuits, perhaps in the basal ganglia, an area of the
brain that controls basic functions such as movement.
"It's like a conductor who
listens to the orchestra, which is composed of
individual musicians," Buhusi explains. "Then, with the
beat of his baton, the conductor synchronizes the
orchestra so that listeners hear a coordinated sound."
The new paper by Meck and
Buhusi lists the various challenges to cracking the
interval timing mechanism and outlines techniques being
employed. As with many attempts to understand the brain,
researchers are looking at what happens when it stops
working normally.
"When Parkinson's patients
are on their medication, they time quite normally," Meck
said. "But as their medication wears off, we can see
their clock slow down by recording their brain signals."
|
 |
|
 |
|
M-HOME is an extension of
your clinical services into the home. Use this tool to
increase your services and build your patient volume.
IM-HOME is fun, interactive & challenging.
IM-HOME Improves:
IM-HOME is based on the same principles of the
Interactive Metronome, which has been used for years to
help children & adults improve neurological & motor
function.
We have 3 different
purchasing options (Click
here to compare the models):
Click each hyperlink for
the Ordering Packet
-
Direct to Consumer- $595
-
Provider Resale- $535 ea. for ≥5,
$505 ea. for ≥10, $475 ea. ≤11
-
Rental thru Provider-
$1,295
|
|
|
|
IM Contact Information: |
| If at any time you
need clinical, technical or marketing support, please contact us. We
look forward to helping you making IM succeed in your practice. |
|
 |
877-994-6776 (US
only)
954-385-4660
Fax: 954-385-4674
|
| Clinical Support:
opt. 5 |
| Technical Support:
opt. 4 |
Marketing Support:
opt. 6
|
|
|
We appreciate your
business
and support |
|
|
Join us for a one-day workshop leading to full
Interactive Metronome (IM) Certification. |
1st Quarter
Certification Courses are here! |
|
Haven't gotten around to becoming IM Certified? No
problem! Sign-up for one of these certification
courses today.
The course is just 1-day in which
you can earn up to 8 CEUs.
The cost of the course is $200 (individual) or $180 (group of 2 or more).
|
Date |
Location |
|
2/17 |
Tampa, FL |
|
2/24 |
Atlanta, GA |
|
3/10 |
Charlotte,
NC |
|
3/17 |
Wilmington,
DE |
|
3/24 |
San
Francisco, CA |
|
3/24 |
Washington,
DC |
|
3/31 |
Dallas, TX |
|
3/31 |
Houston, TX |
Click here to register today!
Interactive Metronome Certification Course (Live)
Join us for a one-day workshop leading to full
Interactive Metronome (IM) Certification. IM is a
cutting-edge neurological assessment and treatment tool
that is redefining traditional expectations for
pediatric and adult therapy outcomes. Learn how
thousands of practitioners around the country and
globally are using IM to improve cognitive,
communicative, behavioral and motor deficiencies in
patients who suffer from a host of debilitating
conditions, including: Auditory and Sensory Processing
Disorders, Dyslexia and other Learning Disorders, Autism
Spectrum Disorders, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome, Stroke, Traumatic Brain
Injury, and more. This course welcomes
OT/COTAs, SLP/SLPAs, PT/PTAs, ATCs,
licensed rehabilitation,
medical, and mental health professionals, psychiatry,
neurology, psychology, and chiropractic care. No prior
knowledge of IM is required. This stimulating workshop
includes clinical basis, research findings, and clinical
application to various patient populations with plenty
of hands-on experience and interaction throughout the
one-day course. Upon completion of the course,
participants will be fully certified and will
demonstrate working knowledge of both technical and
clinical applications of the IM. * Contact hours are
offered pending successful completion of a written exam
at the end of the course.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this
course, participants will be able to:
- Articulate the
development of IM & cite specific research studies
supporting the efficacy of IM;
- Evaluate candidacy
for IM based upon cognitive, communicative,
social/behavioral, and/or motor deficits as it
pertains to developmental and acquired neurological
disorders;
- Perform & interpret
objective IM assessments competently;
- Create & execute
individualized IM treatment utilizing six phases of
IM treatment;
- Produce and
interpret reports;
- Select sensitive pre
and post assessment tools to measure effectiveness
of IM & generalization of gains to settings outside
of the clinic;
- Identify IM
exercises can and will be modified to meet
individual patient needs;
- Develop
individualized goals for IM treatment that are both
functional and measurable.
Specific Learning
Outcomes for SLPs:
- SLPs will
demonstrate evidence-based practice through
knowledge regarding available research and
supporting literature for use of Interactive
Metronome® (IM) in the remediation of
speech/language and cognitive/linguistic disorders;
- SLPs will
demonstrate appropriate clinical application of IM
in pediatric, adolescent, and adult/geriatric
patient populations for individualized remediation
of developmental and acquired neurogenic
speech-language & cognitive-linguistic disorders;
- SLPs will
demonstrate objective, measurable & functional
goal-writing in order to gauge meaningful IM
treatment outcomes;
- SLPs will select
appropriate speech/language and cognitive/linguistic
assessment batteries to objectively measure changes
pre- and post-IM treatment;
- SLPs will select
appropriate diagnosis and CPT codes to maximize
reimbursement for IM assessment & treatment.
|
Agenda
|
|
07:15 - 07:45 |
Registration |
|
07:45 - 08:00 |
Introduction to
Theory and Equipment |
|
08:00 - 08:45 |
IM Application
Overview Clinical Basis, Research, Benefits &
Demonstration |
|
08:45 - 09:15 |
IM Feature
Overview |
|
09:15 - 09:30 |
Lab 1- Short
Form Assessment |
|
09:30 - 10:45 |
Lecture & Lab 2-
Long Form Assessment |
|
10:45 - 11:00 |
Break |
|
11:00 - 11:15 |
6 Phases of IM |
|
11:15 - 11:45 |
Lecture & Lab 3-
IM Phase 1 |
|
11:45 - 12:15 |
Lecture & Lab 4-
IM Phase 2 |
|
12:15 - 01:15 |
Lunch |
|
01:15 - 01:45 |
Lecture & Lab 5-
IM Phase 3 |
|
01:45 - 02:15 |
Lecture & Lab
6- IM Phase 4 |
|
02:15 - 02:45 |
Lecture & Lab 7-
IM Phase 5 |
|
02:45 - 03:00 |
Break |
|
03:00 - 03:30 |
Lecture & Lab 8-
IM Phase 6 |
|
03:30 - 04:15 |
Workshop
|
|
04:15 - 04:30 |
Review |
|
04:30 - 04:45 |
Exam |
|
04:45 - 05:00 |
Exam Review |
|
05:00 - 05:15 |
Q&A |
| |
|
| |
|
CEU's |
| |
|
Contact hours pre-approved for: |
|
|
| 8.0
Contact Hours SLP/SLPA (ASHA)
|
| 8.0
Contact Hours OT/COTA (AOTA)
|
| Call IM
for specific state approvals
|
| |
| *PTs &
PTAs may submit paperwork to your state
board for CEUs |
| |
| |
|
 |
|
Interactive Metronome is approved by the
Continuing Education board of ASHA to
provide continuing education activities
in speech-language pathology and
audiology. This program is offered for
.8 CEUs (Introductory Level;
Professional area). ASHA CE Provider
approval does not imply endorsement of
course content, specific products or
clinical procedures. |
|
|
The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not
imply endorsement of specific course
content, products, or clinical
procedures by AOTA. |
|
Click here to register today! |
Learn
the answers to Frequently Asked Clinical Questions |
 |
|
Clinical Questions Answered Here |
Get answers to your
clinical questions here. Also be sure to visit the
provider login section of the website and use the FAQ/Best Practices tool.
This exciting new feature lets you search for answers to IM questions by
Diagnosis, Deficit, or both.
|
Due to IM’s impact on
cortical and subcortical structures of the brain, it can
have a positive effect on a patient’s ability to
self-regulate behavior. |
|
|
Q:
Can IM improve a patient’s behavior?
A:
Due to IM’s impact on cortical and subcortical
structures of the brain, it can have a positive
effect on a patient’s ability to self-regulate
behavior. (Alpiner, 2004) IM has been reported to
decrease aggressive behavior in children with
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Shaffer et
al., 1999).
The frontal lobes are
responsible for action (Hale & Fiorrello,
2004; Duncan et al., 1995; Duncan et al., 1996).
Research has implicated the frontal lobes as the
possible location of a “mental time-keeper” (Meck,
1983; Meck et al., 1984; Papagno et al., 2004). The
prefrontal cortex has a high degree of
interconnectivity (with other parts of the
brain). This allows the prefrontal cortex to
integrate input from many sources in order to
implement more abstract behaviors. It is uniquely
oriented to time (Huey et al., 2006).
The dorsolateral
prefrontal cortex is the highest cortical area
responsible for motor planning, organization, and
regulation (Hale & Fiorello, 2004). It has rich
connections with the basal ganglia and limbic
system. The basal ganglia is involved in the
generation of goal-directed voluntary movement (VandenBos,
2006). Converging evidence has implicated the role
of the basal ganglia, operating via the
frontal-striatal loop, in mental timing functions
(Janata & Grafton, 2003; Nobre & O’Reilly, 2004;
Peretz & Zatorre, 2005).
|
IM is widely and successfully used to improve central
vestibular and balance function in individuals of all
ages. |
|
|
Q:
How is
IM used to improve balance and vestibular function
in children?
A:
IM is widely and successfully used to improve
central vestibular and balance function in
individuals of all ages.
Dr. Kevin McGrew,
a noted researcher, has tapped into neuroscience
and music literature to help us to understand
why IM, which is such a simple timing
intervention,
"can produce
improvements across such diverse human
performance domains." To
give some insight on why it is an effective tool
for balance and vestibular function, here is
just some of the information from recent IM and
neuroscientific research:
Research conducted
by Dr. Neal Alpiner, which examined the brains
of IM-trained individuals under fMRI during
simulated IM tasks then compared them to a
non-trained control, found that those
individuals that were trained in IM exhibited
more activity of advanced brain structures than
the control during IM. Key brain structures
involved included: the cerebellum,
prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and
cingulate gyrus. The cerebellum is associated
with sense of body position (balance, posture,
eye movement) (Hale & Fiorello, 2004). It is
also involved in coordinated motor acquisition (Debaere
et al., 2001).
And it seems
to be involved in timing
(Ivry, 1993; Janata & Grafton, 2003; Nobre &
O'Reilly, 2004; Peretz & Zatorre, 2005; Rapoport
et al., 2000).
The
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is
responsible for
motor planning
and has rich connections to the basal ganglia
(Hale & Fiorello, 2004).
The prefrontal
cortex is uniquely oriented to time.
(Huey et al., 2006)
The basal ganglia
is involved in the generation of
goal-directed voluntary movement (VandenBos,
2006). It is also involved in motor function (posture,
tone, motor activity, response coordination,
sequencing, control of ongoing movement).
(Cassidy et al., 2002; Hale & Fiorello, 2004;
Middleton & Strick, 2000). The basal ganglia
has rich connections to the cerebellum
and is significantly involved in motor
planning, sensory performance, and sensorimotor
integration (Diamond, 2003).
Evidence is
implicating the role of the basal ganglia in
mental-timing functions
(Janata & Grafton, 2003; Nobre & O'Reilly, 2004;
Peretz & Zatorre, 2005).
As you can see, many of the structures involved
in vestibular and balance functioning are
associated with these time-keeping structures of
the brain. The fMRI study has implicated the
effect of IM on these brain structures, which
may help explain why IM is such an effective
intervention tool for these types of problems.
Thank you for your question. Please let me know
if I can be of further assistance to you by
emailing me at the address below.
Footnote: Some of the contents of this response
was taken from Kevin McGrew, Ph.D., Institute
for Applied Psychometrics, The Synchronized
Metronome Tapping (SMT) Effect: Preliminary
thoughts on "what's happening under the hood",
2006
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Have
Clinical questions of your own? E-mail Clinical
Education Director, Amy Vega, for the answer at
avega@interactivemetronome.com.
|
|
Make sure information is right on the provider locator
|
|
|
|
***IMPORTANT ***
Potential patients may not be able to
contact you because your information is wrong on the IM
Provider Locator |
If you
have never submitted information on the treatment types
you offer, the IM Provider Locator will show "No" (see
graphic below) in each area and patients may think you
do not provide IM treatment.
Please visit the
Provider Login section of the website, Scroll down
the Login Home Page and click on the link that says:
"Click Here to Update your IM Treatment Types Offered " |
|
