I'm changing my tune(s)!.....

[speber]

Here's a new development in the hunt for the connection between music and the epileptic brain.

I have claimed to be able to help myself with music.
I have been able to help myself by 'playing' and by 'listening' to certain tracks so far.

The new development is this:
I have had some issues of late and have NOT been able to get the same relief as before using the same techniques. HOWEVER...I have AGAIN begun to see relief by listening to music----just not my 'go-to' tunes! I started listening to new music I've either NEVER heard or music I haven't heard in a long time and found some of them helped my head feel better!

SUMMARY:
I hypothesize that the brain gets 'bored' or 'calloused' in a sense...and no longer responds to the same stimulus after awhile like building up tolerances to anti-epileptic drug's!
The change to something new and interesting may spark an 'attention-grabbing' reaction and share of your brain that it wasn't really giving up before and that could be enough to swing a delicate balance into the 'safe zone' for epileptics.

[Bernard]

I definitely get bored listening to the same tunes over and over. I always enjoy finding a new tune to get me in a groove.

[brain]

When I used to hear ....

I had to have variety of music. Whether
it was concert, jazz, country, marching,
seasonal, rock, etc ...

For some reason, if I listened to the same
tempo/style music day in, week out, month
in, year out (like some people are pure 100%
addicts) - I would go nuts! I'm being honest
here ... it would have driven me insane!

Take my neighbor for example; years ago, when
cassettes were "new"; and she was "One of
those who were lucky to get a recorder where
you could record music on cassettes" - I was
about to go berserk hearing: Deep Purple,
Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Stop & Smell the Roses,
etc ... Over and Over and Over and Over and
Over again ...

(Back then; central air conditioning were
expensive, people had A/C Units - everyone
had windows OPENED in those days - so trust
me ... I HEARD IT - LOUD AND CLEAR!)

Personally - I wanted to take her "recording
machine" and smash it along with that cassette
and smash that too.

The best thing in my life was hearing that her
dad received a job transfer and they were
moving!



Ever have one of those type of people???

PS: I'd love to "Seize Her!"

[speber]

It isn't like I had nothing else but my 'goto' tunes to listen to and threw everything else away. These 'goto' tunes were the ones I suspected were special somehow because they could do what other tunes could not...and for no apparent reason? There has to be some yet-to-be-discovered scientific reason for this.

I would listen to them really only when I needed them actually...and that has been often lately.



(...cue Huey)

New music can excite and interest the brain...but I still believe there is specific music\auditory stimulus for specific brains as well!

[Shelley]

I switch my goto tunes from time to time, because my brain gets tired of the same thing, and wants a challenge, I think. Our brain changes daily, so why can't our goto tunes change once in a while?

[speber]

BECAUSE of this 'everchanging' nature (whatever the rate of change may be for the individual), science has its work cut out for it!

Finding out AND PROVING TO THE BRAIN TRUST just how a particular 'goto tune' actually aids a person is seemingly impossible....but I dare to dream still!

I like to think there is COMMONALITIES that lurk inside these 'goto tunes' that strike pleasant 'chords' (pardon the pun) with an individual's 'neural net' (big Star Trek fan) and IF FOUND--- can be located in other pieces and offered up for positive use as well! It's a medical twist on "if you liked that---you might also like...." except it would be "you liked ...you also will like...."!

Ray Bradbury say yo!

[Bernard]

One thing you might consider in your search to understand the music connection is a cue from EEG neurofeedback. Specifically, neurofeedback tries to normalize brain activity - exciting brain waves that are too slow and dulling brain waves that are too excited.

I would imagine that the effectiveness of music for seizure control would be related to the choice of music that excites or calms the brain according to whatever brain waves are out of balance.

[Zoe]

Here's a new development in the hunt for the connection between music and the epileptic brain.

I have claimed to be able to help myself with music.
I have been able to help myself by 'playing' and by 'listening' to certain tracks so far.

The new development is this:
I have had some issues of late and have NOT been able to get the same relief as before using the same techniques. HOWEVER...I have AGAIN begun to see relief by listening to music----just not my 'go-to' tunes! I started listening to new music I've either NEVER heard or music I haven't heard in a long time and found some of them helped my head feel better!

SUMMARY:
I hypothesize that the brain gets 'bored' or 'calloused' in a sense...and no longer responds to the same stimulus after awhile like building up tolerances to anti-epileptic drug's!
The change to something new and interesting may spark an 'attention-grabbing' reaction and share of your brain that it wasn't really giving up before and that could be enough to swing a delicate balance into the 'safe zone' for epileptics.

Sounds more like two dollars' worth. Boredom did turn up in one of my searches as a sometime trigger for seizures. So are you into polkas? Or what about Ravi Shankar? I have found his music very soothing for the brain.

[speber]

One thing you might consider in your search to understand the music connection is a cue from EEG neurofeedback. Specifically, neurofeedback tries to normalize brain activity - exciting brain waves that are too slow and dulling brain waves that are too excited.

I would imagine that the effectiveness of music for seizure control would be related to the choice of music that excites or calms the brain according to whatever brain waves are out of balance.

...but it's finding those particular tunes that's difficult at this point in the journey. Speber's Auditorium is an interesting look into what works or some people...but is very unscientific. The fact that the brain waves that are out of balance could differ from time to time throws a monkey wrench into the works as well!

Research continues!

[speber]

Sounds more like two dollars' worth. Boredom did turn up in one of my searches as a sometime trigger for seizures. So are you into polkas? Or what about Ravi Shankar? I have found his music very soothing for the brain.

If 'boredom' is a trigger for seizures, it's almost like the brain has a mind of its own!
....I'm starting to imagine some little Lilliputian gentleman inside my head waiting for my next song selection now!

Seriously, I believe it CAN get 'bored' and needs new stimulus...just like a small child and a new toy.

On the subject of Polkas.......love to play them, love to dance to them, listening to them alone is not as enjoyable.

On the subject of Ravi Shankar........he's a sitar MASTER....he's da man. I have some bootleg stuff of him I got off Napster (when it seemed like it was legal way back when) on my iPod...it's a 'goto fav' as well. His daughter Anoushka isn't far behind him either. If you ever get achance to see "The Concert For George Harrison" (which was a tribute to George after his death), she performed a number composed by Ravi that would knock your socks off!

Peace

[Zoe]

I haven't had a chance to listen to Ravi's daughter play and will make a point to do so. Don't know why I haven't in all these years.
Meanwhile, a quick google search turns up over 300 links on "boredom" "seizure threshold." A few samples:
Epilepsy Ontario :: Physical HealthPeople who have seizures sooner have a lower seizure threshold. ... caffeine; boredom, lack of activity or interest; extreme fatigue; drug abuse ...
http://www.epilepsyontario.org/clien...hysical+Health - 24k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

Epilepsy Parent Support GuideEveryone has a seizure threshold. The lower the seizure threshold, .... Boredom - Research shows that individuals who are happily occupied are less likely ...
http://www.ca.geocities.com/epilepsy911/parents.html - 37k

[Zoe]

....I'm starting to imagine some little Lilliputian gentleman inside my head waiting for my next song selection now!

:

Have you tried this?


March of lilliputians, music video backgrounds, royalty free music ...March of lilliputians, flash royalty free music and soundtrack music downloads.
http://www.audiosparx.com/sa/play/pl...und_iid.242413 - 19k

Lilliputians 1 & 2 by Bernard Herrmann on Yahoo! MusicView the full discography of Bernard Herrmann on Yahoo! Music. Also check out Bernard Herrmann downloads, biography, discography, videos, news, photos, ...
http://music.yahoo.com/track/1151722

[Shelley]

Maybe cuz its Monday morning, but that was a bit intense.