Understanding Neurodevelopment Disorders and Treatments

 

 

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It makes trillions of connections which is developed through the interplay among social and environmental factors. With that said, many people today suffer from some kind of neurodevelopment disorder.

 

What is a neurodevelopmental disorder?
A neurodevelopmental disorder is a condition that involves neurological damage and appears early in a child’s development. Most such disorders appear before a child starts elementary school. They typically impair a person’s ability to speak, learn, socialize and control themselves. They often last throughout a person’s life time. Examples of neurodevelopmental disorders include autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and intellectual disabilities. There is no known cure for these conditions.

 

Are there any treatments?
Yes, there are treatments. The types vary depending on the kind of neurodevelopmental disorder involved and the deficits it causes.

 

1) Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) is used by speech-language pathologists, physical therapists and occupational therapists. NDT is used to treat conditions like stroke, head injury and cerebral palsy that impair movement or coordination.

The therapist encourages the patient to make certain movements and has them repeat the movements until they can perform them easily. The idea is to build up the repertoire of motions a patient can easily perform.

 

2) Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a widely used therapy for autism that attempts to discourage undesirable behaviors like rocking or head-banging. The main idea behind ABA is that people are more likely to repeat behaviors that rewarded rather than behaviors that are discouraged or ignored.

In ABA, the therapist works with the patient one-on-one for 20 to 40 hours a week. ABA is likely to be concerned with the patient’s social development, their academic abilities or communication skills.

 

3) Medications have helped many people with neurodevelopmental disorders. Stimulants, for example, help people with ADHD. Two types in particular, amphetamines and methylphenidates, have helped people with ADHD improve their self-control, attention span, social behavior, and fine motor control. Some of these drugs are quick-acting and last only four to six hours, while others take longer to have an effect, but can last for up to 12 hours.

 

4) Sensory integration activities help patients make sense of the world around them. Many people with neurodevelopmental disorders are either too sensitive to the world around them and thus become quickly overwhelmed even by such a task as climbing stairs, while others have difficulty noticing and responding to sensory signals. Various types of physical therapy can help patients either improve their awareness of the world around them or learn to screen out stimuli.

 

Informational Credit:

Information for this article was provided by Courtagen Life Sciences.

 

Categories: ADHD, autism, behavior, Brain, Brain Activity, health, health care, medical care, neurodevelopment

How the Brain Changes and the Psychosis of Drug Addiction

 

To understand an addict, you need to look beyond behaviors or the source of addiction. Substance abuse goes far below the surface, and actually causes a transformation in the brain. When an addict says they can’t quit, it’s the truth. The brain has been altered through addiction and prompts a compulsion to get more of the drug of choice in order to function. It’s a Catch-22. More of the drug is needed to get through each day, the more abusive substance is used, and the more damage is done to the brain until it gets to the point of no return. Only professional help at an outpatient drug rehab facility can turn an addict’s life around.

 

How the Brain Changes through Drug Addiction

You can identify an addict when you see someone who has an intense need for the source of an addiction to the point that living revolves around that drug. A victim of addiction no longer has any control over substance abuse and will do anything to get more, regardless of the consequences. All of these behaviors are due to changes that have taken place in the brain. It begins with how the brain registers the feeling of pleasure. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is released in the brain when positive feelings are experienced. It makes a person feel good, and that is the key to addiction. Drugs cause a surge of dopamine to be released, providing intense pleasure. Through repeated use of a drug, the brain is trained to like the drug and want more of it until it becomes a need to feel those same chemicals.

 

The Psychosis of Addiction

As the brain becomes altered through addiction, psychosis is common as well. Those who are under the influence of any form of drug over a prolonged period of time may experience a gamut of psychological issues. Changes in personality, intense anxiety, the inability to focus, and gaps in memory are par for the course for victims of addiction. When the brain is changed in any way, it will be exhibited through behaviors and alterations in thought processes. In order to address these problems with addiction, it is necessary to get professional help in a medical facility. Drug rehab assists an individual in breaking free from the source of addiction and retraining the brain to function normally once again.

 

Changes in the brain pull victims of addiction back in for more abuse time after time. It is important to understand that substance abuse is beyond the control of the individual. Drug rehab can establish new patterns in the brain and assist an addict in finding the path to sobriety once again.

 

Categories: addict, addiction, Brain, Drug, drug addiction, drug rehab, drugs, Mental Health, nbsp, physchosis, substance abuse

Love Doctor: How Sex Improves Every Aspect of Your Health

 

You may think sexual health is linked to emotional wellbeing, but in actual fact just about every aspect of your health is improved by a passion session between the sheets. Let’s take a look at how making love can benefit your wellness:

 

1. Boosts Intelligence: Wellness writer Dominic Midgley details, ‘Sex-mad people are getting brighter not madder, according to a new survey. Psychologists at the University of Maryland have discovered that love-making greatly increases the production of neurons in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for long-term memory. Their research conducted on mice showed that when the randy rodents were denied sexual partners it led to a fall-off in their intelligence.’ The researchers commented, ‘We discovered that even though there had been the production of new neurons the cognitive abilities acquired during the experiment decreased once the mice were subjected to long periods without sexual activity.’ Sex can also prevent dementia. According to Midgley, ‘The process of neuron creation outlined above is known as neurogenesis and is also thought to restore brain function lost through ageing.’

 

2. Reduces Pain: ‘A feigned headache is one of the most common excuses given by women to avoid sex,’ Midgley points out. ‘But the fact is that sexual intercourse is actually good for relieving pain whether it be a headache or a bad back. A study conducted by Southern Illinois University’s headache clinic found that one in two female migraine sufferers reported relief after climaxing. This is attributed to the fact that endorphins released during an orgasm closely resemble morphine. Others point to the fact that orgasms are associated with an upsurge of blood flow from the brain, another possible source of pain relief.’

 

3. Burns Calories: Midgley notes, ‘Half an hour of love-making can burn more calories than walking on a treadmill, according to a Canadian study. Twenty-one couples aged between 18 and 35 were fitted with armbands that monitored how many calories they burned during sex and the intensity of the activity. The results showed that in a typical session lasting 25 minutes the men burned an average of 100 calories and the women 69. Women came top when measuring the intensity of the activity, however. Measured in METs (the metabolic equivalent of a task) the average reading for men was six METs while for women it was 6.6. The findings endorse a previous study by the British Heart Foundation that found that 30 minutes of sexercise a day is as good for you as walking the dog.’

 

4. Improves Sleep: ‘Men are notorious for rolling over and nodding off as soon as the deed is done – and with good reason,’ says Midgley. ‘Brain scans have shown that the pre-frontal cortex, the area of the brain associated with consciousness, alertness and mental activity, “switches off” after orgasm. One study said the tension-relieving effects of climaxing were the equivalent of taking 2mg of the sedative diazepam. The cocktail of hormones released during orgasm – including melatonin, oxytocin, vasopressin and prolactin – also aid sleep. Contrary to myth this applies to both sexes.’

 

5. Relieves Stress: Midgley outlines, ‘People who have sex at least once every two weeks are better at handling stressful situations such as public speaking, according to a report from the University of the West of Scotland. It attributes this to the endorphins and oxytocin released during the sexual act. These feel-good hormones activate pleasure centres in the brain that stave off anxiety and depression and create feelings of intimacy and relaxation.’

 

6. Cuts Male Cancer Risk: ‘A study of 29,000 men in the US found that those who had the most orgasms reduced by a third their chances of contracting prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer among British men,’ Midgley explains. ‘This research by the National Cancer Institute was later supported by a NottinghamUniversity survey. After asking 840 men in their 50s about their sexual histories the Nottingham team found that those who engaged in regular sex – defined as more than 10 times a month – reduced their chances of prostate cancer.’

The post Love Doctor: How Sex Improves Every Aspect of Your Health appeared first on .

Categories: Brain, midgley, nbsp, prostate cancer, sex improves, sexual, study

Love Doctor: How Sex Improves Every Aspect of Your Health

 

You may think sexual health is linked to emotional wellbeing, but in actual fact just about every aspect of your health is improved by a passion session between the sheets. Let’s take a look at how making love can benefit your wellness:

 

1. Boosts Intelligence: Wellness writer Dominic Midgley details, ‘Sex-mad people are getting brighter not madder, according to a new survey. Psychologists at the University of Maryland have discovered that love-making greatly increases the production of neurons in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for long-term memory. Their research conducted on mice showed that when the randy rodents were denied sexual partners it led to a fall-off in their intelligence.’ The researchers commented, ‘We discovered that even though there had been the production of new neurons the cognitive abilities acquired during the experiment decreased once the mice were subjected to long periods without sexual activity.’ Sex can also prevent dementia. According to Midgley, ‘The process of neuron creation outlined above is known as neurogenesis and is also thought to restore brain function lost through ageing.’

 

2. Reduces Pain: ‘A feigned headache is one of the most common excuses given by women to avoid sex,’ Midgley points out. ‘But the fact is that sexual intercourse is actually good for relieving pain whether it be a headache or a bad back. A study conducted by Southern Illinois University’s headache clinic found that one in two female migraine sufferers reported relief after climaxing. This is attributed to the fact that endorphins released during an orgasm closely resemble morphine. Others point to the fact that orgasms are associated with an upsurge of blood flow from the brain, another possible source of pain relief.’

 

3. Burns Calories: Midgley notes, ‘Half an hour of love-making can burn more calories than walking on a treadmill, according to a Canadian study. Twenty-one couples aged between 18 and 35 were fitted with armbands that monitored how many calories they burned during sex and the intensity of the activity. The results showed that in a typical session lasting 25 minutes the men burned an average of 100 calories and the women 69. Women came top when measuring the intensity of the activity, however. Measured in METs (the metabolic equivalent of a task) the average reading for men was six METs while for women it was 6.6. The findings endorse a previous study by the British Heart Foundation that found that 30 minutes of sexercise a day is as good for you as walking the dog.’

 

4. Improves Sleep: ‘Men are notorious for rolling over and nodding off as soon as the deed is done – and with good reason,’ says Midgley. ‘Brain scans have shown that the pre-frontal cortex, the area of the brain associated with consciousness, alertness and mental activity, “switches off” after orgasm. One study said the tension-relieving effects of climaxing were the equivalent of taking 2mg of the sedative diazepam. The cocktail of hormones released during orgasm – including melatonin, oxytocin, vasopressin and prolactin – also aid sleep. Contrary to myth this applies to both sexes.’

 

5. Relieves Stress: Midgley outlines, ‘People who have sex at least once every two weeks are better at handling stressful situations such as public speaking, according to a report from the University of the West of Scotland. It attributes this to the endorphins and oxytocin released during the sexual act. These feel-good hormones activate pleasure centres in the brain that stave off anxiety and depression and create feelings of intimacy and relaxation.’

 

6. Cuts Male Cancer Risk: ‘A study of 29,000 men in the US found that those who had the most orgasms reduced by a third their chances of contracting prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer among British men,’ Midgley explains. ‘This research by the National Cancer Institute was later supported by a NottinghamUniversity survey. After asking 840 men in their 50s about their sexual histories the Nottingham team found that those who engaged in regular sex – defined as more than 10 times a month – reduced their chances of prostate cancer.’

The post Love Doctor: How Sex Improves Every Aspect of Your Health appeared first on .

Categories: Brain, midgley, nbsp, prostate cancer, sex improves, sexual, study

Read and Write Your Way to a Healthier Brain

 

Reading and writing as you get older could have a direct effect on the structures in your brain, which may explain why some people stay just as sharp in their 80s as they were in their younger years.

There have been quite a few studies that show older people, who like to challenge their minds, seem to stay younger. Results indicate that playing draughts, chess and doing puzzles could enhance wellness by protecting your brain from the signs of ageing.

 

Get Puzzled

Researchers from Rush University and Illinois Institute highlight results from past studies that link mental sharpness with these kinds of cognitive activities, but they also explain how their research is different. Axons in the brain are responsible for sending messages that are then generated throughout your whole body. Examining water in these axons gives an idea how effectively they are working, so higher values mean that they are functioning better. Experts from the institute used an MRI machine on lots of older individuals to measure the water values, which they compared with how active the participants were in terms of cognitive pastimes.

 

The Results

The study was unlike any other because the scientists found a link between structures of the brain and cognitive hobbies. Keeping up certain pastimes as the participants aged – which could also include writing letters and reading newspapers – seemed to have an anti-ageing effect on the water values as they remained higher. The researchers said that these kinds of activities can lead to a healthier brain, so if you want to improve your wellbeing and keep your mind young making time for puzzles, crosswords and mental challenges in general could be the ideal solution.

Categories: Brain, cognitive, healthier brain, older, results, Values, water values

Gender and the Brain: NHS Cut Through Media Hype

If you ever wondered if there was a difference between male and female mental wellness, a new study suggests there might be. The research, published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, pooled the results of 126 studies examining the differences in brain size between men and women, and found that, overall, men had larger brains than women. The results of the study also revealed differences between men and women in the volume of many different regions. Men, for example, tend to have larger volumes in brain regions associated with survival instincts, memory and learning, while women often have larger volumes in areas of the brain dealing with language and emotions.

 

The results of the study, which came from researchers from University of Cambridge and University of Oxford, have many media outlets reporting that men have bigger brains than women, which may imply a certain degree of higher intelligence. However, according to the NHS website, ‘You could make a case that this differing mix of abilities means that it is mutually advantageous for the sexes to co-operate…However the media’s preoccupation with brain size is probably something of a distraction. The link between brain function and brain structure or size is still not clearly understood; so we can’t reliably conclude from this study how the differences in brain size influence physiology or behaviour.’

 

The NHS continue, ‘Gender is influenced by both biological and social factors and it’s not yet clear how these interact to influence behaviour, personality or disease risk…It is also probably simplistic to assume that there is a direct link between brain size and intelligence. It is thought that it is the complexity of the connections between individual brain cells that underpin cognitive ability and not the total amount of brain tissue. For example, elephants have huge brains, weighing around five kilos. And while elephants are certainly bright creatures, renowned for their memory, it would be a bit of stretch to describe them as geniuses.’

 

This study is interesting as it is reportedly one of the first to systematically search the global literature to identify published studies that have examined the differences in brain structure between men and women, and then combine these results in a meta-analysis. However, the NHS website points out that the study ‘finds evidence that men have a slightly larger overall brain volume than women, with a brain size around 8% to 13% greater. This may be a result of their larger general size. They also find differences between men and women in the volume of many different regions.’

 

The NHS add that while the differences found in the brain regions may reinforce some commonly held gender stereotypes about the historical roles of men and women, ‘it would be simplistic to think other factors, such as social pressures and environment, do not also play a role in how each gender may tend to think and behave.’ But what did the researchers say? After examining the results, the researchers were led to conclude that the findings ‘suggest candidate brain regions for investigating the asymmetric effect that sex has on the developing brain, and for understanding sex-biased neurological and psychiatric conditions.’

 

Moreover, the researchers surmised that there may be differences during different stages of your life, such as when your brain develops during childhood and your teens. Still, the NHS warn, ‘This is not possible to say for certain, given that very few studies have been conducted outside of the adult age bracket. Overall this review contributes to the body of studies examining how the different brain structure of men and women may contribute to their propensity to different neurological and mental health conditions. Findings may suggest that both genders work best when they co-operate on a common goal, rather than engaging in a “battle of the sexes”.’

Categories: Brain, brain regions, brain size, brain structure, Differences, Gender, nhs website, Research, size, studies examining, Women

The Approach That is Killing Cancer Tumours Faster Than Ever

US researchers have found that the wellness and wellbeing of cancer patients could be improved by using so-called cancer ‘monorails’ which are used to kill off tumours by luring them towards toxic pits or into areas of the body on which they can safely operate.

 

Cancer is one of the biggest health concerns facing people of all ages in every country around the world, and so this breakthrough research could have very significant repercussions.

 

The team of researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology has designed something called nanofibres, which are thinner than human hair and which cancers ‘choose’ to travel along. Studies carried out on animals so far have shown that tumour sizes can be reduced significantly by tricking cancer cells into migrating into these monorail-type fibres.

 

Leading cancer charity, Cancer Research UK, said that the idea of doing this was very fascinating, but cautioned that it was still early days in terms of the research.

 

The team that is working on this technique is working specifically with the most difficult types of brain cancer to treat, something called glioblastomas, which spread inside the brain and are often fatal. As these cancerous cells spread, they travel down blood vessels and nerves and end up invading the whole of the brain.

 

The nanofibre technology that the group is looking into mimics the channels that these types of cancerous cells use to move around the brain. The cancer cells normally latch on to these types of ‘monorail’ structures, and then move around the brain. The hope is that by providing alternative, attractive fibres, the tumours could be efficiently moved to different destinations, chosen by the treatment provider.

 

According to studies done on tests in a Petri dish, there are various types of cancers which can ride along this type of ‘monorail’ system.

Categories: Brain, cancer, cancer cells, cancerous cells, cells, monorail, nbsp, tumour, types

Could ADHD Drugs Give Addicts a Better Chance at Quitting?

If your mental health is affected by ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), you may use Ritalin for help with your concentration. However, according to a new study, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, the drug may also help treat addiction in people who use cocaine.

 

Prior studies have shown that that oral methylphenidate – a stimulant drug prescribed to treat ADHD – helped improve brain function in cocaine addicts when they were performing specific cognitive tasks, such as ignoring emotionally distracting words or resolving a cognitive conflict. This new study revealed that, when your wellness is affected by cocaine addiction, the drug works by changing connectivity in certain brain circuits responsible for self-control and craving, but the researchers noted that the findings might also apply to other types of addictions.

 

In a statement, Rita Goldstein, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai, who led the research while at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in New York, commented, ‘Orally administered methylphenidate increases dopamine in the brain, similar to cocaine, but without the strong addictive properties. We wanted to determine whether such substitutive properties, which are helpful in other replacement therapies such as using nicotine gum instead of smoking cigarettes or methadone instead of heroin, would play a role in enhancing brain connectivity between regions of potential importance for intervention in cocaine addiction.’

 

For the study, the researchers evaluated 18 cocaine addicted who were either given an oral dose of methylphenidate or placebo. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the researchers measured the strength of connectivity in particular brain circuits linked to addiction both before and during peak drug effects. They then determined how severe each patients’ addiction was, in case level of addiction had any effect on the results. The findings revealed that methylphenidate normalised the nerve pathways that are usually disrupted in cocaine addiction, strengthening connectivity between several brain regions of your brain that are involved in regulating your emotions and exerting control over your behaviours

 

Goldstein concluded, ‘The benefits of methylphenidate were present after only one dose, indicating that this drug has significant potential as a treatment add-on for addiction to cocaine and possibly other stimulants. This is a preliminary study, but the findings are exciting and warrant further exploration, particularly in conjunction with cognitive behavioural therapy or cognitive remediation.’

Categories: addiction, ADHD Drugs, Brain, brain circuits, cocaine, cocaine addiction, Cocaine Addicts, Drug, methylphenidate, Research

Could the Desire to Cough be a Reflex We"ve Imagined?

A recent study has claimed that the desire to cough can be reduced psychologically, as the irritation may not be just a reflex action. The study, carried out by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia, made all of the participants in the study breathe in a small amount of capsaicin, which is a throat irritant. They were previously given some inert gas which didn’t impact their need to cough. However, some of the participants were told that the gas wouldn’t be able to help them when it came to coughing, and others were told that they were given liodcaine – a local anesthetic. The results of the study showed that people who were told they had consumed a local anesthetic had a 45 percent lower urge to cough, compared to the other participants. This study shows that the urge to cough can be controlled with psychological willpower, by certain thought centres in the brain.

 

Professor Omer Van den Bergh, from the University of Leuven in Belgium, explained that it is as though the brain has some occasion to control when it needs to cough, and when not to. Other studies show that the brain does respond to placebos, with people suffering from depression or even urinary problems reacting positively to placebo treatments. Sometimes, the effect of counselling or anti-depressant medicines can influence the effect as well. Lead researcher Stuart Mazzone exclaimed that the team were surprised by the effect of placebos in this study – a placebo is generally effecting around 25 to 30 percent where pain reduction is concerned.

 

The study confirms that placebos can be as effective in reducing coughing as some anti-cough medicines can be. While this is the case, researchers are unsure why it is that we respond so well to the placebos when we feel the need to cough. It’s thought that the cough reflex in people is less hard-wired than the pain reflex, as the latter is more necessary for survival. Researchers are keen to analyse this subject further in order to see whether the brain can be made to believe that a substance can soothe a cough.

Categories: Brain, cough, local anesthetic, new study, placebo, placebos, reflex, study

Aphrodisiacs: How Can Foods and Smells Stimulate Desire?

Aphrodisiacs are a prime seller in the sexual health industry, with customers eager to have the best sex of their lives. Even manufacturers of wellness products, such as nutritional supplements, are getting in on this booming market but the question remains; do aphrodisiacs really do anything for your wellbeing. While the products are all there, the research certainly isn’t, and you really don’t have any proof that these aphrodisiacs work. However, even though the scientific evidence is still in question, millions of people swear by certain foods, drugs and scents for increasing their sexual desire. So, let’s investigate, shall we?

 

The basic idea behind aphrodisiacs is that they are elements used for evoking or stimulating your sexual desire. Drugs or products that are labelled as aphrodisiacs are often mislabelled by the companies that manufacture them, as the products actually aim to enhance your sexual performance or ability (such as Viagra). In order to be a true aphrodisiac, the food, smell or whatever it is has to create desire. Creating desire is a tricky process, which is why you first have to understand what happens in your body and brain when you are sexually excited. For both sexes, sexual desire all comes down to your hormones, and testosterone specifically. If the balance of your hormones is off, and you don’t have as much testosterone as you should, your sex drive won’t function as it should. When the balance is right, everything falls into place.

 

When you encounter something sexually stimulating – be it through sights, sounds, feelings, touches, smells or thoughts – a chain reaction begins in your body:

 

1. The limbic lobe of your brain sends signals to your pelvic region via the nervous system.

 

2. These signals tell your blood vessels to dilate.

 

3. This dilation creates an erection. This occurs in both men and women, albeit not with the same outward results. In women, your erectile tissues can be found in your clitoris and the region around your vaginal entrance.

 

4. The vessels then close so as to keep these erectile tissues erect. This erection is accompanied by rapid heart rate.

 

5. At the same time as this is going on, your brain releases neurotransmitters called norepinephrine and dopamine. These tell your body that what’s going on is good and pleasurable.

 

So where do aphrodisiacs come in? According to the experts, aphrodisiacs can work in one of three ways:

 

• Working on the mind: Some aphrodisiacs create sexual desire by targeting your brain, which will then kick-start the chain reaction of desire. This includes something that lowers your brain’s inhibitions, such as alcohol or marijuana.


• Working on the body: Instead of beginning at the beginning, some aphrodisiacs bypass the brain and head straight for the body parts that are affected at the end of the chain reaction. An aphrodisiac might increase blood flow in your sexual organs, for example, which aims to simulate the feelings of sexual intercourse and have the effect of creating desire.


• Placebo: Sometimes, just thinking something is an aphrodisiac makes it appear to work as one.

 

As we’ve already covered, the research proving the effectiveness of aphrodisiacs is scarce. However, scientists are beginning to discover that some foods, herbs and other supplements do stimulate production of hormones or other chemicals that affect your libido. The problem is that the researchers are still trying to work out whether or not those chemicals are produced in a high enough quantity for you to really notice the difference. Libido is a somewhat difficult thing to study and, as such, there isn’t much hard research in the area. Many people swear by the effects of certain foods, herbs or minerals, be it the placebo effect or a real process. However, according to the FDA, aphrodisiacs have no scientific basis and are simply myth. Still, whatever works for you, go for it!

Categories: Aphrodisiac, aphrodisiacs, Brain, chain reaction, desire, erectile tissues, foods herbs, nbsp, people swear, placebo effect, sexual, sexual desire

The Science of Orgasms: What Goes On in Your Brain?

Orgasms are a mysterious thing. Some people struggle to have one at all, while others can bring themselves to climax just by thinking about it. The famous sex researcher Dr. Alfred Kinsey once said that an orgasm ‘can be likened to the crescendo, climax, and sudden stillness achieved by an orchestra of human emotions … an explosion of tensions, and to sneezing.’ The weirdest thing about orgasms is that they don’t just related to your sexual health or physical wellbeing, but also your mental wellness. As Ruth Westheimer, a sex therapist and author best known as Dr. Ruth, famously put it, ‘the most important sex organ lies between the ears.’ So what exactly goes on in your brain during an orgasm?

 

According to health and wellness expert Shanna Freeman, former Senior Editor at HowStuffWorks, ‘Without nerves sending impulses back to the spinal cord and brain, an orgasm wouldn’t be possible. Just like any other area of the body, the genitalia contain different nerves that send information to the brain to tell it about the sensation that’s being experienced. This helps to explain why the sensations are perceived differently depending on where someone is being touched. A clitoral orgasm, for example, differs from a vaginal orgasm because different sets of nerves are involved.’ There is a huge number of nerve endings in your genitals, but what do they all do?

 

1. Hypogastric nerve: This nerve transmits from the uterus and the cervix in women and from the prostate in men.

 

2. Pelvic nerve: While this nerve transmits from the rectum in both sexes, women also have the pelvic nerve in their vagina and cervix.

 

3. Pudendal nerve: If you’re a woman, this nerve transmits from your clitoris, and if you’re a man, it transmits from your scrotum and penis in men.

 

4. Vagus nerve: This nerve is just for women, transmitting from your cervix, uterus and vagina. However, the role of the vagus nerve is a new discovery, and there’s much we still don’t know about it.

 

Freeman explains, ‘Since most of those nerves are associated with the spinal cord, it would stand to reason that a person with a severed spinal cord wouldn’t be able to have an orgasm. And for a very long time, that’s what people with these types of injuries were told. However, recent studies show that people with spinal cord injuries – even paraplegics – can reach orgasm…Because the vagus bypasses the spinal cord, women [are] still able to feel cervical stimulation.’ However, your orgasm brain activity isn’t just about nerve endings, you also have a pleasure centre in your brain which lets you know when something is enjoyable and reinforces the desire for you to perform the same pleasurable action again. Also known as the reward circuit, the pleasure centre includes every pleasurable action from sex to laughter to certain types of drug use. Some of the brain areas impacted by pleasure include:

 

• Amygdala: This area regulates your emotions.


• Nucleus accumbens and VTA: The former area controls your release of dopamine, while the ventral tegmental area (VTA) actually releases the dopamine.


• Cerebellum. This area controls your muscle function.


• Pituitary gland. This area releases beta-endorphins, which decrease your pain; oxytocin, which increases your feelings of trust; and vasopressin, which increases bonding.

 

Until the late 1990s and the mid-2000s, not much was known about how the pleasure centre of your brain works during sex. However, a team of researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands conducted several studies of both men and women, finding that there aren’t too many differences between men’s and women’s brains when it comes to sex. In both sexes, the brain region behind the left eye, called the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, shut down during orgasm. Study researcher Janniko R. Georgiadis commented, ‘It’s the seat of reason and behavioural control. But when you have an orgasm, you lose control.’ Dr. Gert Holstege added that ‘95%’ of the brain looks the same during orgasm as it would if you were to take heroin.

Categories: area controls, Brain, men nbsp, nerve endings, nerve transmits, Orgasms, pelvic nerve, pleasurable action, pleasure centre, spinal cord, vagus nerve

Sex Headaches: Are You Dreading Your Next Orgasm?

Everyone’s heard of the “Sorry, I have a headache” gambit when you’re just not in the mood, but did you know that a special kind of headache could affect your wellness after you have sex? Any kind of sexual activity can negatively impact your wellbeing, but orgasms are especially well-known for causing sex headaches. These headaches can be a serious dampener on your sexual health; after all, would you want to get intimate if you knew a nasty headache was to follow? Let’s take a closer look at the causes of sex headaches, and what you can do to prevent and treat them.

 

Most sex headaches are nothing to worry about, but if you don’t understand the signs as they’re happening, you may be a bit concerned. Sometimes, sex headaches begin as a dull ache in your head and neck, often on both sides. You might also find that your neck and jaw muscles might tighten up. Then this pain builds over several minutes as your sexual excitement increases. However, the most common form of sex headache is a sudden, severe pain just before or during orgasm. Though this can hurt, sex headaches are usually no more than a general annoyance. However, some sex headaches can be a sign of something serious, such as problems with the blood vessels that feed your brain.

 

Generally speaking, a sex headache will last for a few minutes, but some can linger for a few hours. For most people, sex headaches will occur in clusters over a period of a few months, and then they’ll disappear for a year or more. While we’ve already established that sex headaches aren’t usually a cause for concern, if you do experience a headache during sexual activity, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible. This is especially true in the case of headaches that begin abruptly, or if it’s your first headache of this type. No matter the kind of sexual activity – be it masturbation, anal sex, oral sex or intercourse – you should speak to your doctor.

 

If your sex headache comes on abruptly, it may be associated with:

• Intracranial aneurysm: This is a widening or bubble in the wall of an artery inside your head.


• Arteriovenous malformation: This is an abnormal connection between the arteries and veins in your brain that bleeds into the spinal fluid-filled space in and around the brain


• Dissection: This is a case of bleeding into the wall of an artery leading to your brain.


• Stroke


• Coronary artery disease


• Use of some medications: This includes birth control pills


• Inflammation from certain infections

 

As well as these underlying medical conditions, there are some nasty side effects that can come along with sex headaches. Accompanying symptoms of sex headaches include loss of consciousness, vomiting, stiff neck, other neurological symptoms and severe pain lasting more than 24 hours. If these occur alongside your sex headache, this means that it is more likely to be due to an underlying cause. You’re also more likely to get a sex headache if you’re a man or your generally prone to having migraine headaches. However, sex headaches can affect anyone. If you want to prevent sex headaches, stopping sexual activity before you reach orgasm can help, as can taking a more passive role during sex. For those who have a history of sex headaches and there’s no underlying cause, your doctor may recommend that you take preventive medications regularly. These may include daily medications, such as beta blockers, or occasional medications like indomethacin (Indocin) or one of the triptans.

Categories: Brain, headache, headaches, Medications, orgasm, severe pain, sex headache, sex headaches, sexual, sexual activity, Underlying Conditions

Mood Boosters: Why Caffeine, Carbs and Fat are Good for You

When you’re stressed out or feeling grouchy, you find yourself reaching for a sugary snack to give you an emotional wellness a boost. However, you know all-too-well that your feeling of wellbeing won’t last long, and will be replaced by the inevitable blood-sugar crash, with added irritability to boot. The problem with many foods in the Western diet is that they set you up for depression, anxiety, and mood swings. However, the good news is there are also plenty of foods to boost your mood, energy and performance. According to Drew Ramsey, MD, co-author of The Happiness Diet, ‘Food choices that you make every day influence your brain’s ability to grow and heal. The foundation of good mental health is good wholesome food.’ So, which foods can do the trick?

 

1. Caffeine: There’s something soothing about your morning cup of coffee, and a 2011 study from the Harvard School of Public Health has proven it. The results of the research revealed that if you drink at least two cups of coffee regularly, your risk of depression is 15% lower than women who don’t drink coffee – and your risk decreases by 20% if you plump for four or more cups. This is possibly because caffeine triggers your brain to release dopamine, which sharpens your focus and improves your outlook. Dr. Ramsey adds, ‘Coffee also contains plant-based nutrients that function much like a class of drugs that are used to treat depression.’ However, caffeine doesn’t affect everyone the same way, so cut back if you start to get the jitters or sleep poorly.

 

2. Fat: Because fat slows digestion, it gives you an unparalleled a calming, blood-sugar-evening effect. This is especially the case with omega-3 fatty acids, as a recent study found. The researchers asserted that eating two meals containing seafood per week can lower your rate of depression, anxiety and other mood disorders. This is possibly due to the fact that omega-3s maintain function in the areas of your brain that are responsible for regulating mood and emotion. However, Mary Morreale, MD, a psychiatrist at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, laments that, over the last 150 years, ‘we’ve greatly minimized the amount of omega-3s in our diet.’ It is the recommendation of the American Psychiatric Association that you eat two to three servings of oily fish a week. Other good sources of omega-3s are avocados, nuts and grass-fed beef, chicken and pork.

 

3. Carbs: Sure, carbs aren’t the best thing if you’re trying to lose weight, but they can seriously help with the mid-afternoon slump. Former director of MIT’s Clinical Research Centre in Women’s Health Judith Wurtman, PhD, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet, explains you start to get cravings in the afternoon ‘thanks to a drop in the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, which can lead to that 4 o’clock mood slump some of us experience every afternoon.’ However, if you have a small snack that containing 25 to 30g of carbs, ‘it’s a small caloric expense to pay for feeling good,’ says Wurtman.

 

4. Tryptophan: Susan Bowerman, RD, assistant director of UCLA’s Centre for Human Nutrition, comments, ‘In order to make serotonin, you need tryptophan, an amino acid that your body can’t produce on its own, so it must be obtained from food.’ These include sources such as poultry, beef, eggs and nuts.

 

5. B Vitamins: Instead of making your lunchtime salad with boring, old romaine lettuce, switch to spinach for a better boost of the B vitamin folate. Dr Ramsey notes, ‘Higher concentrations of folate in the blood are linked to a decrease in negative mood, clinical depression and fuzzy thinking.’

Categories: Blood Sugar, Brain, caffeine, Coffee, depression, depression anxiety, dr ramsey, fats, mood, nbsp, omega 3s

Brain Training: Could it be a Way to Keep Your Brain Young?

Your brain is not a muscle, but when it comes to exercise, you should certainly think about it as if it was one. People focus on the wellness and wellbeing of their bodies all the time, but rarely stop to consider the fitness of their brains. Few people actually realise that brain fitness is something that you can work on and continually improve. You can (and should!) exercise your brain every day, and the results can be hugely rewarding and empowering.

 

In order to get into the right mindset, so to speak, it is useful to think about your brain in the same way that you would think about a muscle. If you are working on a physical muscle, you can’t simply do the same exercises over and over again, because they soon cease to challenge your body. You have to keep varying the exercises and making it more of a challenge for your body. In the same way, you can’t simply repeat the same brain exercises over and over again otherwise your brain will become used to tackling them and they will not force the brain to form new neural pathways. You need to master the easy exercises and then push your brain on to the next level.

 

Your brain has an innate neuroplasticity, which means it has an ability to grow and change in order to respond to new challenges. This is where brain training comes into play. Studies on neuroplasticity show that the brain continues to grow and change during adulthood and that it needs guidance and challenge in order to ensure that new neural pathways are formed and the brain continues to thrive.

 

Studies have been carried out recently at Stanford University, which showed that just 12 weeks of brain training could lead to improved processing speed, increased mental flexibility and improved ability to perform working memory tasks.

Categories: Brain, brain continues, Brain Training, challenge, exercises, health, neural pathways, order, training

Porn Problems: Is Watching Porn Affecting Your Brain?

Watching pornography isn’t only a sexual health issue; it seeps into your idea of mental wellness. With porn being more readily available than ever before, you can worry about what life in the age of porn is doing to the mental wellbeing of those who watch it – especially if you’re one of those people. Does pornography distort your expectations of sex with real people? Let’s take a look at what the experts say watching porn does to your brain.

 

According to Paul Wright, PhD, an assistant professor at Indiana University who researches the social aspects of sex, a woman’s appearance can give more clues to her ability to reproduce than a man’s can. This may be why men have seemingly evolved to pursue lusty, busty women who are willing to engage in casual sex. However, research out of Emory University shows less of a gender divide in watching porn, albeit still showing a difference in the reasons for men and women liking it. Study author Heather Rupp, PhD, now a research fellow at the Kinsey Institute, details, ‘Men prefer novelty, while women are more interested in stable dynamics.’

 

Still, for men, pornography solves somewhat of a primal problem: how to access commitment-free sex with multiple partners. Evolution teaches us that, on some level, a man is more reproductively successful if he has inseminated as many women – ideally young and beautiful i.e. fertile women – as possible. For women, on the other hand, reproductive success is more measured by how much the men they choose are interested in and have the resources for parenting. Wright explains, ‘Men still have instinctual preferences today because those preferences served a reproductive purpose for their ancestors. Men’s modern environment has changed dramatically, but their evolved sexual preferences have not.’

 

When a man watches porn, his physical responses – such as a faster heart rate, increased blood flow and an erection — is preceded by a deeper neurological process. However, scientists who have attempted to capture through brain scans have come out with a wide range of results. William Struthers, PhD, a biopsychologist and the author of Wired for Intimacy, notes, ‘There are so many moving parts in this equation. How old is the man? Is he involved in a sexual relationship? Is he regularly masturbating? People think sex is always the same. It’s not. You look at food very differently when you’re hungry compared with when you’ve just finished a meal.’

 

Nonetheless, there are a few broad themes that consistently emerge from these types of studies. For example, there’s a cognitive component of visual processing, attention, and reward. Struthers clarifies, ‘Pornographic images seem to activate a man’s visual system in a manner that goes beyond just looking at trees or even people. It’s almost like a high-definition signal compared with a standard signal.’ Once this signal hits a man’s antenna, your mesolimbic (reward) system kicks in and gives you a rush of feel-good dopamine – reinforcing your behaviour much in the same way that drugs like cocaine would. Struthers comments, ‘Guys freak out when they think porn might be “rewiring” their brains. The reality is, our brains are regularly being “rewired”—we wouldn’t learn anything otherwise.’

 

The perhaps more troublesome outcome is what occurs after your surge of pleasure: the brain regions tied to motivation become activated, driving you to seek sexual release. Struthers points out, ‘Several brain regions, called the higher cortical component, have to decide, “What’s the best way to deal with this?” The problem is, these cortical systems can shut off—that is, they may receive less blood as the visual and arousal systems become more active. Essentially the decision-making system is turning itself over to the experience; it’s almost like the men are hypnotized. This is the classic male stereotype: When men think with what’s below, they don’t make good decisions.’

Categories: Brain, Brain Activity, brain regions, men, nbsp, Porn, struthers, watching porn, Women

What Are The Best Mind and Body Tricks For Your Wellness?

Have you ever heard people say that wellness is a state of mind? There is actually some truth in that. Your mental and emotional state is quite closely linked to your physical wellbeing. That’s not to say that you can think your way out of any kind of serious health condition, but there are certainly ways in which you can use your powers of make-believe to help you succeed in life and feel healthier overall.

 

A recent study has proved that the power of the mind can actually help you to control cravings, to increase your motivation to work out and to improve your vision.

 

When you imagine yourself doing something, the brain is stimulated in the same way that it would be if you were actually doing the thing. Trying this technique is a way of ‘harnessing’ the brain’s powers.

 

If you are looking to curb cravings – such as when you are stopping smoking or attempting to stop eating carbs – your best friend is distraction. In one study on this area, volunteers were found to be able to reduce their cravings for food by using the smell of eucalyptus, or by imagining what a rainbow would look like.

 

Getting yourself down to the gym can be a brain-related problem too – the step out of your front door is often the most difficult step in your whole workout. In order to fix this, take a few moments to conjure up what your workout is going to feel like, imagining your heart pounding, and this is likely to give you the impetus to get up off the sofa.

 

Taking a power stance can also help if you are suffering from confidence issues. Research has showed that striking a confident stance can actually make you produce hormones that make you feel more confident.

Categories: Brain, cravings, feel, health, mind, nbsp, trick

The Scars of Abuse: Study Shows Impact on Brain Patterns

There’s no denying that childhood sexual and emotional abuse leave their scars on your wellbeing, but a new study has shown that it leaves a distinct pattern on your brain, which feeds into other areas of emotional health. The research, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, finds that emotional abuse affects the regions of your brain involved in self-awareness, while sexual abuse affecting areas involved in genital sensation.

 

The study, which connects specific types of abuse to symptoms experienced by many survivors later in life, is based on brain imaging from 51 women in Atlanta, aged 18 to 45 who took part in a larger project on the impact that early trauma has on your wellness. Of these participants, 23 experienced either no maltreatment or next to nothing, while the other 28 had been seriously maltreated as children, suffering from various combinations of neglect and emotional, physical and sexual abuse. The women were given a standard questionnaire on childhood trauma to assess their early-childhood experiences, and then the researchers scanned their brains to measure the thickness of various regions of the cortex.

 

There’s a correlation between healthy brain development and thicker cortical regions. Much in the same way that using your muscles enables them to grow and develop, “exercising” regions in the brain means that they will tend to be bigger. However, abuse can get in the way of these regions being used, as your brain can alter patterns of signalling from the pathways involved in order cope with the overwhelming experiences of distress. This reduced input eventually means that those regions will be underdeveloped.

 

Jens Pruessner, associate professor of psychiatry at McGill University in Montreal, explains, ‘If abuse was of a sexual type, we saw changes in the somatosensory cortex, the area that processes input from the body to create sensations and perceptions.’ In this area, a map of your body is created on your brain, each region of which processes sensation from specific body parts. According to Pruessner, compared to women who had not been sexually abused, ‘women who were sexually abused had thinning in the area where the genitalia were located.’

 

This seems to tie in with anecdotal evidence that many sexual-abuse survivors give, albeit varying depending on the severity and the amount of abuse. Still, sexual-abuse survivors generally report sexual problems in adulthood, such as reductions in desire and sensation and even chronic genital pain. Pruessner notes, ‘There are some studies suggesting that thinning of the cortex [in these regions] would be associated with a lowered pain threshold, so you would more easily perceive pain instead of touch from that area.’

 

Emotional abuse left a different type of scar. ‘We [saw thinning] in areas that have to do with self-awareness and emotional regulation, areas in the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe, which typically show activation when people are asked to think about themselves or reflect on their emotions,’ says Pruessner. Depending on who you are and the particular circumstances of the abuse, such experiences can leave you prone to depression, moodiness and extreme or dulled emotional responsiveness. ‘As adults,’ Pruessner adds. ‘[Victims have difficulty] reflecting on themselves and finding the right way to deal with emotions.’

 

In an editorial accompanying the study, Dr. Maria Oquendo, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University, and her colleagues wrote, ‘If replicated, these data provide compelling evidence about the enduring structural effects on the brain as a function of early life experience.’ Current research is increasingly suggesting that the brain can change dramatically when provided with the right type of support and emotional nourishment, and so this study can shed light on goes wrong during and after abuse, which will help them figure out how to make it right. ‘That is our long-term hope,’ Pruessner says.

Categories: abuse, abuse survivors, Brain, Cortex, emotional, emotional abuse, regions, Research, sexual, Sexual Abuse, sexually abused

Could Brain Stents Support Stroke Patients?

A new study suggests that certain stroke patients could benefit from angioplasty and the placement of brain stents to open the arteries.The finding of this most recent study has a focus on ischemic strokes, which are attacks that occur when the blood flow to the brain is blocked, usually by a fatty deposit, leading to blood flow stopping in that area. In brain angioplasty, a balloon-tipped catheter is guided to the area of the blockage and then the balloon is inflated to re-open the blocked vessel. A stent, a mesh tube, is then inserted so that the vessel remains open and the balloon is deflated. In the study, 131 ischemic stroke patients in the Czech Republic were analysed, with an average age of 66. 75 percent of the patients were given a clot-busting drug whereas the rest were not eligible and were given nothing. Because of these limitations, many ischemic stroke patients had no treatments at all.

However, of the patients who received the clot-busting drug, 35 percent of them had a positive outcome within three months after their stroke. Among those patients in which the drug failed to re-open the artery, less than half underwent the brain angioplasty and stent replacement. The rest had no treatment at all. Among the patients who didn’t receive the drug, 31 went on to have an angioplasty and stenting, and 25 had no further treatment. There were favourable outcomes in 45 percent of those who had the stenting and angioplasty.

For patients with this type of blockage, who can’t receive the drug that could benefit them, re-opening the vessel with stents is considered far more beneficial than having no further therapy, according to researchers. Two experts in the US say that the usefuleness of this approach is still being debated, but it offers hope for those undergoing these problems. DR Keith Siller is the medical director for the Comprehensive Stroke Care Centre in NYU Langone Medical Centre, in New York City. He has claimed that although the Czech study clearly found a real benefit to patients who had an ischemic stroke, another trial which is referred to by the acronym SAMMPRIS concluded that patients with a recent stroke from long-standing blockages in the brain arteries had a worse outcome from angioplasty and stenting than those using normal medications, such as aspirin and statin when combined with aggressive risk-factor modification, such as diet and exercise.

 

However, Siller stated that the Czech trial used similar stents but focused on a different and less easily managed subset of patients, who were already kown to have the worst outcomes if their arteries remained blocked. He believes that these patients the angioplasty and stenting led to a far better clinical outcome and less hemorrhagic complications with results that were far superior to the patients in SAMMPRIS. Siller claims that the benefits for angioplasty and stenting could play an important role for worst-case patients, but there is still little proof in less urgent cases where the goal is simply to limit it happening again. Based on this study, the stenting process in the acute stroke setting could well be an option for patients who have contraindications for clot-busting drugs, according to DR Rafael Ortiz who is the director for the Centre fro Stroke and Neuro-Endovascular Surgery and Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Further studies and more in-depth information needs to take place in order to make final recommendations about the safety of the therapy in other patients.

Categories: blood flow, Brain, brain angioplasty, brain stents, busting drug, clot busting, ischemic stroke, new study, Patients, stroke, stroke patients, york city

How to Improve Your Intelligence With Brain Training

You may not fully believe in it, but new research seems to prove that the wellness and wellbeing of your brain is directly linked to how much exercise you give it. Brain training, as it is often called, is also not only good for your cognitive function, but for your mental and emotional health, as it helps to retain or recover failing brain function.

 

Many people find as they get to middle age that their mental clarity and memory start to fail. They often start to forget simple things, such as where they put their purse just a minute ago, the name of an old friend that they bump into on the street or the name of a specific book, film or song that they used to love. As the brainpower fades, many refer to these as ‘senior moments’.

 

Although people joke about these ‘senior moments’, the distress caused by this loss of brain power can be very upsetting and can have a negative effect on your social, professional and personal wellbeing.

 

Whilst this loss of brainpower happens to most of us, scientists are now saying that it is not inevitable, and that there is actually a lot that can be done to help fight against it. The brain is, after all, a muscle just like any other in the human body, and when it is exercised, or given mental workouts, the cognitive function can significantly improve. Thinking is a process whereby neural connections are made in the brain, and when these connections are made on a regular basis, through brain training, the pathways become clearer and more fluid.

 

Brain training programmes have been developed all over the world, now, providing older adults with the opportunity to use their mental skills on a daily basis. These vary from computer programmes to set tasks, but all have the same aim of forcing the user to engage their brain on a regular basis.

Categories: basis, Brain, Brain Training, Cognitive Function, mental, nbsp, regular basis, senior moments, training

Effects of Listening to Stimulating Music Early in Life

At four months in the womb, a baby can be soothed by the rhythmic sounds of her mother’s heartbeat, blood flow and digestive organs. By seven months, (s)he can hear everything that her mother does. Some parents chose to sing their unborn child songs in the womb, and there is even a set a speakers available that look like large headphones that fit over the belly to expose the unborn child to music. Some people may raise their eyebrows at the practice of singing to unborn children, or exposing them to classical music before they even see sunlight, but many parents find that the very same songs heard in the womb will sooth the newborns when they are fussy. There is certainly no denying the power of music!

Toddlers love to sing and there are countless YouTube videos made by parents who were shocked to discover their small child who barely talks, is singing along to the radio word for word in the back seat. Nursery rhymes, lullabies, hymns or listening along in the car to popular radio, it is clear that children absorb the music they hear like a sponge and enjoy it.

 

Listening to a classical song one time will not make much of a difference any more than being accidentally exposed to inappropriate music will really harm a child once. Repetitiveness is key when attempting to gain benefits from enriching music for a child. Play upbeat music in the background during playtime to set a tone for the moment, play a relaxing refrain during nap-time, and if the same songs are used over and over a three positive things will happen.

 

First, your child will recognize the chords of the classical music that sets the tone and, after a while, the child may know exactly what a song from Mozart sounds like compared to Chopin or Bach. Second, the songs that set a tone will help your child understand what to expect. If you play a certain type of music at nap time, then when the music comes on they will begin to subconsciously calm down. The same is true of the upbeat tunes during playtime. The third and greatest benefit of repetitively exposing your child to music is the things you cannot be seen immediately; when a person listens to music, his or her brain tries to predict the coming chords. In many popular songs the chords and lyrics are easy to predict and rewarding for the brain, and therefor they are somewhat addictive. Classical music does have chords that are predictable by the brain, and can certainly have the same addictive qualities as popular music, but the payoff in the synapses of the brain is higher because the brain has to work a little harder to build the connections that enable the prediction of the coming chords. These connections are like muscles, they can be worked repetitively and help your child have more brain connections due to simply finding joy in complex music.

 

Choosing appropriate music for your toddler and encouraging play with sounds will help brain development in young children. Preschoolers and elementary school kids should be encouraged to practice self-expression, whether it is through singing or dancing. Having a toy chest full of different children’s musical instruments found at vendors like West Music and Making Friends will allow your child to use their imagination and perhaps forge the beginnings of a valuable new skill. In a day and age in which electronic handhelds and videogames run rampant through many households, your kids will benefit from fun activities that encourage socializing, creativity, dexterity and more.

 

** This article has been contributed to www.yourwellness.com by Amanda Harris.

Categories: Brain, Child, chords, classical music, coming chords, music, nap time, songs, Stimulating, toddlers, unborn child