Shhh… Want to Take a Peek Inside the NeurOptimal® System?

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 neuropathways 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 if you have migraines, attention problems, sleep issues, fatigue, anxiety, depression or any other ‘symptom’. The symptom is just your body’s way of saying “Hey, pay attention to me, I am not balancing well and need NeurOptimal®!”

Comments (4)

  • Bradley Corbin

    Who wrote this article so I can reference it please. Thank you

    August 30, 2017 at 12:45 am
  • Lydie Lavigne

    Hello Bradley,

    Our one and only Lise’ D. DeLong, Ph.D., CPCRT, Director of Education, Representative & Instructor wrote that piece.

    The Zengar Team

    September 1, 2017 at 6:39 pm
  • Miriam

    I have a question. I’m trying to understand if this rebalancing of the brain creates new or more efficient neural pathways? Please feel free to email me a response: [admin removed email address]

    Thanks so much for your time and thanks for this article!

    September 21, 2017 at 10:19 pm
  • Lydie Lavigne

    Hello Miriam,

    NeurOptimal® is a training method and not a diagnostic model, therefore, we do not look at what is occurring in the brain (MRI’s, CT’s fMRI, SPECT scans etc) when NeurOptimal is in use. It is an assumption to say ‘we are creating more efficient neural pathways’. We do though understand how the brain organically monitors and responds to the ‘detection of any change’ and then ‘reorganizes’ or ‘re-orients’ from that change. We are learning daily more about how neuroplasticity works and the effects on learning. However, It is a jump for us to say “NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback rebalances the brain and therefore, it has created “new or more efficient neural pathways” But using a more precise language we can say- The physiology of the brain (and CNS) works by using any information that has been ‘detected as change’ and when that individual is at its most efficient it is able to effortlessly and flawlessly regain balance on its own. This is called flexibility and resiliency. NeurOptimal® has simulated that same ‘detection of change’ communication system using a mathematical process called J.T.F.A. (Joint-Time-Frequency-Analysis). This retrains the brain brain for flexibility and resilience supporting the CNS’s innate ability of infinitely cycling through a ‘rebalancing’ or a ‘reorganizing’ so the brain can more efficiently use the neural pathways.

    Lise’ D. DeLong, Ph.D., CPCRT
    Director of Education
    Representative & Instructor

    October 2, 2017 at 2:25 pm

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