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Posted by Veteran's Art Center on Thursday, August 13, 2015

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Mother to Mother #19

Mother to mother # 19 Mavis MacDowell Articles in the Las Vegas Review Journal March 2015 and Scientific American Mind April 2015 were about how music heals the brain. How music’s power lifts our moods and builds connections. I actually bought a little organ a couple years ago. A friend who had a brain tumor removed had learned to play the organ and it had restored a lot of her function. Her husband died and her playing of the Organ also gave her emotional support. New therapies are using rhythm, melody and beat to help people with brain disorders recover speech, language, hearing, motion, and emotion. Wow! Talk about a positive effect, just from learning music. The treatment is called Melodic intonation therapy. When used intently over months it produces long term gains that appeared to arise from changes in neural circuitry, the creation of alternate pathways in the brain. This article was so interesting. You may be able to look it up online, on buy the March/April Scientific American Mind. Music is effective in treating neurological impairment by recruiting other undamaged regions of the brain. Music promotes recovery in speech, verbal memory, attention and motor function. Seven ways music works to repair function is through physical movement, emotional responses can produce chemicals that change mood and speed rehabilitation. Music is engaging, synchronization improves timing and coordination. Social aspects bring about coping skills. The joy of music can persuade patients to continue in their therapy. The personal aspects of music can promote memories, certainly helpful with Alzheimer’s disease. Try music therapy anyway you can with your loved one.

Mother to Mother #18

Mother to Mother # 18 Mavis MacDowell It’s been a while since I have written a mother to mother blog. The loss of my white Doberman left me very depressed. A lot has been happening including two surgeries to repair my sons hip and back. My favorite subject is neurogenesis. Since my son and I are a long way out from our last brain injuries we have been practicing the theories of neurogenesis. I can say we have had a lot of success. One theory that using your non-dominant hand will increase brain cells seems to be valid. Because of injuries to the left side of my head and my right hand I was unable to write legibly. Being a special education teacher I was required to fill in lengthy forms and write reports. I went to a neurologist and he said I would never be able to write legibly with my left hand starting at age 30. He was right, but using my non-dominant hand and both hands together every way I could improve functionality on my left side which would necessitate an increase in neurons on the right side of my brain. I quoted some articles about this in earlier blogs. Now I think I look like a cool European when I eat. It’s actually much easier to use your left hand. My handwriting has actually improved, but it’s different than pre-injury.

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