Learning & Developmental Concerns in Waterloo IA

Functional disconnections and disconnections: Functional disconnection implies an interrupted circuit. Examples of this would include damage done to the brain during its development during the "pruning process." We are born with twice the number of brain cells that we need. This allows us to adapt to nearly any environment that we may be born into.

Somewhere around ages 18 months to 2.5 years our brain "prunes" and gets rid of unnecessary wiring so that our brain can function more efficiently. Unfortunately, if there is inflammation present during this time the body may read this and prune valuable wiring too, even if it is being used. This can create functional disconnections as it literally disconnects by damaging the connections within the circuits.

Functional disconnections are too much or too little function between two or more locations and can be evaluated via a variety of different measurements such as amplitude asymmetry, coherence, or phase lag. These concepts are measured by Quantitative Electroencelphalography or QEEG. These are discussed more fully on our QEEG page under functional neurology services.

Because brain science can get complicated very fast we sometimes simplify our descriptions to labels that describe the predominant area of involvement. Sometimes we use the description hemisphericity to describe which side of the brain is functioning lower relative to the other side.

Left Brain or Right Brain Dominant Conditions: Brain-based conditions are often simplified in their description as spectrums relating to the side of the brain that is most involved. For example:

The Right-Brain Spectrum: ADD, ADHD, OCD, Tourette syndrome, Asperger Syndrome, Autism

The Left-Brain Spectrum: Dyslexia, Learning Difficulties, Fatigue, Memory Problems, Depression, Migraines

While these simplifications are useful, it is important to understand that the nervous system is a system of systems and is much more complicated than just left or right brain concerns and there are individual differences that may vary from these generalizations. The brain has modules of function and our specialty is diagnosing which parts are low functioning and selecting the right tools for rehabilitating them back up normal. We look forward to helping you and your loved ones with their developmental or behavioral concerns!