Hi all! Input much appreciated!

[speber]

Speber, that's so great you can stave off seizures with music. I wish I could too just so that I could get a doctors note to listen to music wherever I am.

But seriously... I think I need to rephrase my question. What I was wondering is if someones seizures are triggered by a specific music, could that same persons seizures be lessened by another type of music? If a seizure is triggered when a specific part of the brain is stimulated (the part that we use to listen to music), wouldn't calming that same part of the brain with other music help the seizures?

I totally believe that is so Eric!

What I failed to mention, (I'm always in a hurry), was that while I've been lucky to find some helpful audio...I've found audio that quickly turns me off too.

Luckily for me, none have caused full-blown seizures but I can tell you I KNOW I could get there if I chose to stay in the environment that had all the right factors. These factors (again, for me) include the audio and the right physical and mental stress levels.

It really is a combination of all, a 'perfect storm', but audio plays a more noticeable part for me.

Hope that helps...PEACE!
Speber

[travel bug]

Would music as cause or cure of a seizure depend on the area of the brain in which the seizure arises? Could music as a trigger cause any type of seizure?Would the "Mozart effect" that nakamova brought up work like the techniques discussed in the "putting off seizures" thread? I'm just thinking out loud...well, not out loud, but you know what I mean

Speber...do you think listening to music helps you because you are a musician and are able to analyze what you are listening to, or is it a more emotional or meditative thing?

I remember a Nova episode with Oliver Sacks ( I noticed he came up a lot in the threads speber directed me to ) and they showed a functional MRI of him listening to music he enjoyed and knew well compared to music he didn't enjoy or know as well. Different parts of the brain lit up with each. (Seems like I remember it being Bach vs. Beethoven)That seems like it could make a difference. I like all the music I listen to or I wouldn't listen to it:P, but some of it kind of washes over me while some engages me more. More "thinking out loud."

[epileric]

I totally believe that is so Eric!

What I failed to mention, (I'm always in a hurry), was that while I've been lucky to find some helpful audio...I've found audio that quickly turns me off too.

Luckily for me, none have caused full-blown seizures but I can tell you I KNOW I could get there if I chose to stay in the environment that had all the right factors. These factors (again, for me) include the audio and the right physical and mental stress levels.

It really is a combination of all, a 'perfect storm', but audio plays a more noticeable part for me.

Hope that helps...PEACE!
Speber

I'd be curious if you've noticed anything consistent in either music that helps or might trigger like tone, tempo, volume etc. & if so have you noticed the opposite in the music that does the opposite?

Travel bug, I'm pretty sure a link to that Nova episode was posted in Spebers Auditorium. It was a while ago so I'm not sure the link would still be good though.

[travel bug]

Thanks epileric!

I found that link in speber's auditorium as you said, but it came up, "page not found". I went to PBS and it's still available at pbs.org/wgbh/nova/musicminds

[epileric]

Thanks T.Bug (calling you TB just didn't sound right lol)

[travel bug]

You're welcome, and thank you! (and much appreciated)

[Bernard]

I found that link in speber's auditorium as you said, but it came up, "page not found". I went to PBS and it's still available at pbs.org/wgbh/nova/musicminds

I fixed the link in the Auditorium thread. Thanks for letting me know.

[speber]

Would music as cause or cure of a seizure depend on the area of the brain in which the seizure arises?

Possible I'm sure...to much education needed (or hands-on experience in the right scientific field of research) to correctly answer that one.

Could music as a trigger cause any type of seizure?

My guess would be 'no' if re-created EXACTLY. I think a piece of audio affects a brain so localized to start that it's almost like a randomly generated password...which is to say:

• the odds of someone else having your same 'password' are very high.
• the odds against a different type of seizure in the same person with the EXACT SAME audio piece are high. CAVEAT--> however, it only takes a moment for music to change...so what seems to be exactly the same audio selection CAN vary, dig? It's very hard to nail down the perfect length, volume, eq, etc...to re-create!

Would the "Mozart effect" that nakamova brought up work like the techniques discussed in the "putting off seizures" thread? I'm just thinking out loud...well, not out loud, but you know what I mean

Not sure...but I like to think so.

Speber...do you think listening to music helps you because you are a musician and are able to analyze what you are listening to, or is it a more emotional or meditative thing?

Flip that! --- I think I am a musician because music helps me



Good Luck T-Bug!
Speber

[travel bug]

Thanks speber for your insight! I really like the password analogy

I'm glad your experience has inspired something positive. Music is so important, it must be gratifying to have musical ability.