User:Goldshtrom/sandbox

= Rhythmex - the Rhythmex method =

The Rhythmex method is a set of physical activities that aimed at improving cognitive, emotion, and motor functions using five principles; Active movements, Bilateral alternating hands and feet, Crossing mid-line, Duration (duration, repetitions, and frequency), and Rhythm (usually with rhythmic auditory cues like a metronome).

Active movements
Active movements is the first principle since we realized that there is a different between moving body parts and generating movement. In order for us to facilitate challenge we must be actively moving. As long as an individual can generate movement, it can be as minimal a tapping one finger. Active volitional movement was studied in many forms. We share several studies: BATRAC is a repetitive bilateral arm movement exercise method that uses mechanical levers to train the upper extremities after stroke. APBT is a bilateral UE technique that activates both arms together during the activity. Robotic assistant therapy allows the patient to use the paralized hand and fingers to move a virtual object on the screen. The robot senses small movements of the fingers and translated them into move of the screen All studies established that active volitional is essential for learning new skill. Active movement facilitates brain centers more than passive movement and therefore has a greater potential to create a change

Bilateral Alternating movements
The second principle states it is beneficial to activate both sides of the body, bilateral, and preferably alternating the movement. Any motions that involve the two sides of the body also involve the two sides of the brain which is significant for some neurophysiological and neurochemical processes that help us grow more brain cells that can assume new skills, and help our brain secrete chemicals that give us the “feel good” feeling.

Crossing mid-line
Crossing mid-line is a specific movement pattern. One has to reaching far enough for the elbow to cross over the center of the body to the other side. Our brain is divided into two halves, called hemispheres, it is important to activate each side, but it is even more beneficial to activate both sides of the brain at the same time. When the right arm crosses over to the left, for example, two things happened in our brain. One, the left side that controls the right arm is activated sending signals and perceiving the motion. The second phenomenon is that the right side of the brain that controls our left side of the body becomes active too, since the arm has just crossed over to its territory. Body-part awareness and motion activation occur in each contralateral hemisphere, where sensory information (vision, tactile, and audio data) integrates into a dynamic baseline spatial map, which then develops into sensory, movement, and overall self-awareness. Cross-midline movement activation creates dynamic multisensory multisensory integration that can restore body-part perception, improve motor action execution, and increase body-part self-awareness. Motor control theorists have suggested that midline crossing movements are more complex because they involve neural processing by both cerebral hemispheres, whereas unilateral movements can be processed within one hemisphere Crossing midline movement access, activate and coordinate both hemispheres with greater intensity

Duration
Duration refers to exercise time durations and repetition. The principles governing muscle training and new skill acquisitions seem to have common themes. Skills improve with training. More training, more repetition, and more frequency improve muscle strength and mastering of skills. However, learning a new skill is a multi phase process. The first phase of a novice learning requires conscious and attention and occurs in multiple parts of the brain simultaneously and thus requires energy sources to sustain. The later phases of skill improvement require repetition and occur in different areas of the brain. Therefore, the brain cannot sustain a long first phase of novice learning for more than 15 minutes at a time and after that it switches the activities in the cortex to an automatic process that prohibits further new learning. The "learned" movement is distinguished from a novice conscious movement by its being automatic, rapid, and stereotyped. Novice learning occurs in the first few minutes of activation while prolonged activation causes fatigue and the brain switches to an automatic mode. An example of an automatic mode action is “day dreaming” while driving the car. Short duration of activation for 30-90 seconds with breaks optimizes learning and reduces fatigue and frustration.

Rhythm
The main rhythmic activation we use in Rhythmex is by sound using a metronome. Rhythm or tempo is part of music, but is also independent of music. Music is a complex auditory input and is processed by many areas in the brain, but the main processor for rhythm in the brain is the cerebellum. Rhythm activates and processed mainly via the cerebellum and then the signals travel to the thalamus and the cerebral cortex. The thalamus is responsible for merging the incoming sensory signals with the limbic (emotional) information on its way to the cortex. By moving to a rhythmic tempo we increase the brain’s activity in multiple involving areas and as result set the conditions for new learning or changes. Working with rhythmic tempo can be stimulating, like in dancing with the music, or inhibiting, like when marching to moderate tempo. Our brain operates in two distinct modes; stimulation and inhibition to provide balance actions. While each hemisphere is independent the corpus callosum (the bridge between them) is a structure that communicate between the hemispheres and its main function is synchronizing activities mainly by inhibiting the stimulation of one side over the other. Movements with tempo using the ABCD principles generate communication and synchronization between the two hemispheres via the bridge that result in a more balanced perception and action. It can explains why moving to a moderate rhythm is rewarding and calming.