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There are very few published or truly scientific Brain Gym research reports (Khalsa et al, 1988; Sifft & Khalsa, 1991). I am working towards obtaining scientifically verifiable data on the effects of Brain Gym on visual processing skills, and this paper presents preliminary results which will be followed up by a larger-scale study in due course.

The ability to read is very important. Lack of literacy leads to loss of self-confidence, behavioural problems, aggression, and crime. Research shows that approximately ¾ of prisoners are illiterate, ½ dyslexic.

Reading is difficult. When reading, the eyes are moving very rapidly most of the time. Words can only be identified during very brief “fixation” periods of one third of a second. Easy reading requires good control of eye movements, but many children have difficulty in controlling their eye movements, either in up-down directions or side-to-side or in both directions.

Scientific research shows reading problems are often linked to brain impairment in the magnocellular system which controls eye movement. [e.g. Stein 2003.]

Visual motion is sensed by a special set of visual nerve cells, the magnocellular system.This plays the main part in controlling visual attention and eye movements following the letters when reading. If the visual magnocellular system is weak, then eye control during reading will be poor, and the letters may appear to move around and take the wrong order.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scans of dyslexic and normal readers show significant differences in brain activity between the groups when attempting to follow a moving image (figure 1) [Eden et al (1996)]. Research indicates that brains of control subjects are active in the magnocellular that deals with moving images (the middle red blob indicated by the red arrow on the right hand side of the picture), whereas dyslexic subjects show little or no brain activity in this area.

FIGURE 1

 fMRI Scans redrawn after Eden et al (1996)

Research has suggested that the ability to detect coherent motion of a group of dots on a computer screen is an excellent indicator of impairment in the magnocellular system and likewise of dyslexia [Cornelissen et al (1998)]

2.  New visual processing speed test

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In a collaborative venture, Peter Mooney and I have developed an easy-to-use computer programme which uses the ability to follow coherent movement of a group of dots as described above to test a child or adult's visual processing speed. It can be operated by a child who cannot read, as they can follow voice prompts. A screen full of white dots on a black background gradually drift upwards, downwards, left or right, and the child has to click on the correct box to identify the movement direction (figure 2). The dots all wiggle about gently as well as drifting. As the test progresses, the drift rate reduces and the amount of vibration of each dot increases, and it gets more difficult to detect the drift motion direction. Here is a frozen image of the test in progress.

Figure 2

The programme creates a visual processing speed score that is a very useful guide to a child or adult's ability to control their eye movements. For example, one child was unable to correctly detect even the easiest level of the test, as he saw upward motion as downward, and vice versa! Parents and school teachers are very unlikely to pick up this sort of problem without this type of test. After three weeks of regular Brain Gym practice, this unwanted effect disappeared and he now sees motion in the correct direction, and reading has become much easier.

3. Results of preliminary study on effects of Brain Gym ® on visual processing speed and reading abilities.

3.1. Difference between good and poor readers.

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Preliminary results suggest that the test discriminates well between good readers and poor readers. Possible scores range from 0 to 9. Good readers (defined by their own assessment) achieve high scores (averaging 5.7) and poor readers achieve significantly lower scores (average 2.6). Also, tests show that both children and adults achieve significant and consistent increases in their test scores after Brain Gym interventions, along with improvements in actual reading ability.

There are nine levels of difficulty and the following graphs in figure 3 show how typical children and adults perform. Five coloured boxes at each level indicates that the testee answered all 5 tests correctly at that level. Fewer than 5 boxes filled indicates some incorrect answers were given.

Figure 3.

Four poor readers, child and adult

Four good readers, child and adult

Analysis of the data indicates that clients who came for Brain Gym help with reading have consistently lower scores (average score = 2.6) than those who came for help with other problems (e.g. organisational difficulties, coordination problems; average score = 5.7).

3.2. Is visual processing speed score age related?

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There is also NO statistically significant change in visual processing speed score with age (see Figure 4), so that the computer programme appears to be testing a fundamental brain process, not a skill that is learnt with age, at least above age 6.

For those interested in statistical analysis, here are the regression coefficients for the data.

Group with no reading problems:   R² = 0.046;    Group with reading problems:    R² = 0.020.

Figure 4

  ▪   BG clients who came for help with reading

▪   BG clients who came for other problems

3.3. Changes in visual processing speed after Brain Gym sessions with home practice.

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Preliminary results show that all clients who came for help with reading had initially low visual processing speed scores. These results also show that all clients who came for help with reading had significantly increased visual processing speed scores after three or four Brain Gym sessions and home practice of movements. Figure 5 shows the complete data set from two child clients, where the visual processing speed score increased by a large percentage.

Figure 5.

Figure 6 shows the complete data set (at the present date) which includes some control data in the central and right hand part of the figure. For controls I have used two clients who had already done at least three Brain Gym sessions and home practice (which had already resulted in improvements in reading ability) before the first measurement of their visual processing speed score, and two clients who did not have reading problems at their first session. The control data suggests that repeat measurements of the visual processing speed score, spaced several months apart, do not result in increased scores, i.e. clients do not improve their scores by infrequent repetition of the test. This supports the interpretation of the data from clients who came for help with reading, that Brain Gym has improved their brain's ability to visually detect movement. More data is needed to confirm these indications.

Figure 6.

3.4. Changes in visual processing speed after Brain Gym exercises in school.

50 children in a UK secondary school have used this test in combination with a research programme on Brain Gym and reading age. The 25 children who did 3 months of Brain Gym movements for 20 minutes per day showed a significant increase at 95% confidence in visual processing speed score (average increased from 4.56 to 5.54) while the 25 children who had only the usual school interventions showed no significant change (average score increased from 4.51 to 4.90) figure 7. This data provides further indications that the Brain Gym intervention has improved the brain's ability to visually detect motion.

Figure 7.

4. Conclusions.

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Published neurological research shows that poor readers often have impairment in a particular part of the brain that detects and interprets moving visual images. Poor ability to detect coherent movement of a group of dots is a proven indicator of problems in this magnocellular brain system.  The visual processing speed test developed by Buffy McClelland and Peter Mooney uses scientifically accepted principles to test for impairment in this brain system.

This preliminary phase of study reported here indicates that the visual processing speed score is a successful indicator of visual problems that may underpin many reading problems. The results also indicate that Brain Gym interventions successfully increase the brain's ability to detect motion visually and to move the eyes smoothly from word to word when reading.

These are preliminary results, and I am actively collecting more data to improve the analysis. There are a number of limitations to this type of research, e.g. it is not possible to make repeat measurements of visual score at precisely determined time intervals as the times are determined by when clients want to come!

A larger-scale study from a UK Secondary School also supports the indication that Brain Gym interventions improve visual processing abilities.

5. References.

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Cornelissen PL, Hansen PC, Gilchrist I, Cormack F, Essex J & Frankish C (1998), Coherent Motion Detection and Letter Position Encoding, Vision Research. 38 (14) 2181-2191)

Eden GF, VanMeter JW, Rumsey JM, Maisog JM, et al (1996). Abnormal Processing of Visual Motion in Dyslexia Revealed by Functional Brain Imaging Nature 382: 66-70

Khalsa, Morris and Sifft, 1988. Effect of Educational Kinesiology on static balance of learning disabled students. Published in Perceptual and Motor Skills, v67, p51-54

Sifft and Khalsa, 1991. Effect of Educational Kinesiology upon simple response times and choice response times. Published in Perceptual and Motor Skills, v73, p1011-1015.

Stein J. Visual motion sensitivity and reading. Neuropsychologia 2003; 41: 1785-1793.

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