How Brain Training Works

Zengar has been developing a Neurofeedback system for years that they have referred to as a Non-linear Dynamical® approach to brain training. But what in the world does that mean? It is sometimes difficult to call this system ‘Neurofeedback’, because this educational brain training program has very little in common with the Linear approach that so many people understand as Neurofeedback.

It helps to understand a little more about the brain. The Brain is ever-changing. Neuroplasticity is an example of how the brain is constantly changing and evolving. Did you know, every time we learn something new the brain is actually making a structural change to itself?! The Central Nervous System (CNS) communicates through the detection of change. The brain’s ability to create neuro-pathways and adapt to a new set of changes is essential for learning and ‘surviving’ …this is called a ‘self-organizing dynamic system’. At the same time, the brain is inherently geared towards the ‘general’ (imprecise) self-regulation based on information. In other words, the brain does not require absolute (or precise) information to learn from, it is always learning and drawing conclusions and formulating, judging, comparing from what information it has received visually, auditorily, tactilely and so forth. What we mean by this can be explained better in an analogy.

A child does not require being taught the ‘BEST’ way to walk (standing so many inches apart) – but rather through experimentation the brain discovers and develops an internal balance and a natural gait unique to that individual. The brain processes and assesses feedback (information) from its own muscles & muscular-skeletal system about its position and stability in space and finds a comfortable stance.

NeurOptimal® has been designed to work in conjunction with the way the body communicates to itself. The training program is Infinitely cycling thereby mirroring through an auditory and visual feedback system a process for the brain to self-regulate. No ABSOLUTE values are ‘augmented’ or ‘inhibited’ as with a Linear process, because as trainers we understand that the brain inherently knows what is ‘best’ and understands the “amount” of activity required for specific functions. NeurOptimal® also understands that individual ‘needs’ vary from brain to brain. So, who better to regulate that than the inherent wisdom of that person’s own brain?

To better understand the process of the CNS let’s compare it to an orchestra. We can think of the instruments as the different parts of the brain…when the brain is healthy all of the parts play together, and are balanced, making an incredible harmonious sound. However, when one instrument is:In a different ‘time signature’ playing notes too long or short compared to the rest of the orchestra, there is a mismatch in ’Duration’.  If any are ‘too loud’ or “too soft”, there is a mismatch in ‘Intensity’If any are off key, too sharp or flat, the mismatch is in the ‘Frequency’Or if any of the information is just ‘off-beat’ or changing the melody, this is noticed as a ‘Shift’.

As the NeurOptimal® system constantly detects these 4-D changes in the brain’s electrical activity (DIFS) it mirrors back to the individual that one or more of these is in the process of change within the CNS – and this gives ‘feedback’ to the overall balance. The DIFS detection built into the NeurOptimal® software system is mathematically calculating and detecting the change in the cortical activity millisecond by millisecond. This mirroring indicates the information that change is about to occur and the interruption is the feedback that is informing you in “real time”. Then the CNS in its own intrinsic wisdom, makes the changes it deems necessary for personal transformation.

Therefore, it doesn’t really matter what your “ouch” is when you feel off. That is just your body’s way of saying “Hey, pay attention to me, I am not balancing well and need NeurOptimal®!”