Gaia Collaborative Medicine, Inc.

What is BEAM (Brain Electrical Activity Mapping)?

The brain is a complex network of nerve cells (neurons). These special cells relay messages between areas of the brain tasked with important functions such as cognition, memory, attention, perception, emotion, and processing external stimuli (such as what we see, hear, touch, smell, and taste). When neurons fail to perform optimally, the entire network –the brain – may fail to function normally. Because the brain also signals and regulates the body in many ways, abnormalities that originate within the brain may contribute to or worsen physical illness anywhere in the body.

BEAM measures brain electrical activity. Like the beating of the heart, during resting phases the beat (or frequency of the brainwave) is slower, whereas during arousal phases, the beat (frequency) increases. Brainwave functions measured include Speed, Power, Rhythm, and Symmetry. BEAM is based on the electroencephalograph (EEG), but it samples on many more points for longer durations than the standard EEG. The BEAM computer will clear extraneous (artifact) measurements prior to collecting your data, and then process it via statistical analyses to report altered brain wave functions.

What does this mean?

Accurately testing the key biochemical, electrical, psychological and neurological components of your brain allows an amazingly accurate diagnosis of your total brain and mind health. Our state-of-the-art brain diagnostic equipment tests your brain in critical areas that are almost always overlooked by conventional medicine.

Hundreds of minor and major conditions can be traced to brain dysfunction, and your Brain/Mind Assessment is essential to identifying the underlying causes of health breakdowns. At Gaia Collaborative Medicine, we let the mind be the teacher.

The non-invasive procedure gives us 4 key measures of brain function:

• Brain Power: Loss of power and symmetry (dopamine deficiency) impacts your energy and drive, causing weight gain, fatigue and diminished libido.
• Brain Speed: Loss of speed (acetylcholine deficiency) impacts information processing and recall, causing memory and concentration lapses, and revealing your true age.
• Brain Rhythm: Loss of rhythm (GABA deficiency) impacts calmness and stability, causing anxiety, hypertension GERD and seizures.
• Brain Synchrony: Loss of coordinated development (serotonin deficiency) affects mind-body connection, causing headaches, backaches, insomnia and depression.

This data allows us to treat causes, instead of symptoms, so you can avoid excessive use of medications and unnecessary surgeries.

 

The Tests:

P300

Measures capacity to process relevant and ignore irrelevant info, indicator for attention deficits of various forms. Electrical burst of the P300 brainwave in response to an “odd tone” brain stressor indicates:

• Speed – Identifies “brain age” as opposed to biological age, impacts info processing and recall.
• Voltage – Power or energy/metabolism/output/drive

 

TOVA (Test of Variables of Attention)

A well-validated, reliable neuropsychological test specifically developed for screening, diagnosing and monitoring of attention deficits.

TOVA testing screens for ADHD, problems of focus, inattention & distractibility, hyperactivity & impulsivity/anxiety (GAD), slow speed, problems of clinical depression, chronic fatigue, attention/concentration and attention deficits. Attention problems are often co-morbid w/other problems, such as substance abuse, nicotine and/or caffeine dependency, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety and conduct disorders.

 

WMS-III (Wechsler Memory Scale)

A standardized memory test measuring four different facets of memory, used to assess learning and memory. This test is done because difficulty with memory is a common complaint of most patients. It specifically measures:

• Auditory (Verbal) Memory: Ability to remember information immediately after oral presentation.
• Visual Memory: Ability to remember information immediately after visual presentation.
• Immediate Memory: Overall measure of immediate recall, ability to remember both visual and auditory information immediately after it is presented.
• Working Memory: High level attention/concentration, capacity to remember and manipulate both visually and orally presented information in short-term memory storage.

 

CNS-VS (Central Nervous System-Vital Signs Test)

Evaluates neurocognitive performance, speed and accuracy of five basic mental functions to measure the health and integrity of the brain’s higher functions. Measures the Neurocognitive Index (NCI) in an average score of five domains:

1. Memory ability: Remember words and geometric figures
2. Psychomotor Speed: motor speed, fine motor coordination, visual-perceptual ability
3. Reaction Time: How fast you react to complex directions
4. Complex Attention: Ability to maintain focus/perform quickly/accurately
5. Cognitive Flexibility: Ability to adapt to rapidly changing directions

 

MILLON: Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III

Psychological assessment tool based on Dr. Theodore Millon’s theory of personality and clinical syndromes (psychopathology), the assessment helps measure 14 personality disorders and 10 clinical syndromes for adults 18+ undergoing psychological or psychiatric assessment or treatment. This self-report questionnaire is used to help develop a treatment approach guided by the patient’s personality characteristics.

 

MMSE (Mini Mental Status Exam)

Commonly used in medicine to screen for cognitive impairment/dementia. Briefly tests various cognitive functions, including arithmetic, memory, and orientation.

 

Type and Temperament Personality Testing

Self-report questionnaire that measures an individual’s personality type and temperament, used in our practice to help transform an individual, using insights from the tool to capitalize on behavioral strengths and improve weaknesses.

It is designed to increase our understanding of an individual’s beliefs and behaviors (personality and temperament). The information obtained from this test is used to discover how each unique personality type contributes to the individual’s performance, learn new ways to facilitate treatment and improve overall patient care and decision making by considering all points of view.

 

Abstract Ability and IQ

The Abstract Ability Test score helps estimate an individual’s general intellectual ability and provides information about the individual’s performance as they complete tasks in the following categories: matching, sequences, analogies, and construction.

 

Brain Health- A Leading Edge Full Day Experience at Gaia:

Gaia Collaborative Medicine Inc. is the only centre in Canada to use the Brain mapping technology designed at Harvard ( Brain Electrical Activity Mapping) to accurately measure brain speed, voltage, synchrony, and rhythm. Combined with other psychometric tests this full day experience will determine your memory capacity, abstract thinking ability, concentration, personality type, reaction time and attention. All of these tests will give our team of experts an accurate picture of your brain fitness, detect any early markers of cognitive decline, and alert you to potential preventative measures that you can implement to improve not only your brain function but also intelligence. If you are experiencing any health issues whether it be stress, insomnia, fatigue, weight issues, or other diseases, the key to your health lies in the health of your brain. When we are able to diagnosis the health of this vital organ we can help to correct almost every other disease process. Get ready for an exciting day of participating in your own wellness and learning more about the most important part of you!

Your day will begin with tea with Dr. Thomson and her team of testing clinicians as the flow of the day will be explained to you. Several forms will need to be completed to assist our testers in your process. Martin Law (clinical psychologist) will go over any issues that you may have about your health or questions that you have about the testing.

Our first priority is to begin the BEAM testing which will take approximately one hour. During this time you will be asked to relax and perform very simple instructions. Your brain waves will be read like anECG, or heart cardiogram. You will not receive any electricity. It is a fairly passive test.

During the day, you will be encouraged to take breaks, get fresh air, stretch, have a healthy snack (provided) between the various tests. You will be lead to different testing areas over the day to complete all of the psychometric testing. Please see a description of the individual tests and feel free to call our office if you have further questions about the testing process.

An organic lunch will be provided by one of our caterers as you will learn that proper nutrition is essential to optimal brain function. A menu, with explanations of each food and how it effects your brain chemistry will be given.

Your day will end with a relaxing Shirodara hot oil scalp massage by our Aryvedic practitioner, Simmi Latulippe. This beautiful technique will calm the brain and promote a restorative and restful sleep. Our massage therapist, would also be delighted to nourish your brain and spinal cord with a cranio-sacral technique and give a luxurious full body massage to reward you for your efforts during the day .

If you choose to stay overnight in Canmore, you can book a one hour appointment with Dr. Thomson and a one hour appointment with Martin Law the following morning. Martin Law will discuss with you the results of all psychometric testing and Dr. Thomson will discuss the results of the BEAM and the effect of the psychometrics on your brain health. An customized plan will be given to you to optimize your brain health. Depending on the severity, medications may be suggested, but otherwise suppliments, dietary recommendations, stress reductions techniques, fitness, and lifestyle modifications may form part of your plan.

It is crucial to take care of our most important organ. Even with great cardiovascular fitness, if we don’t have our “edge” or our memory, what becomes of the quality of our life?

 

Congratulations on taking this first step towards optimal health!

I look forward to spending the day with you!

 

Dr. Tracy Thomson HBsc, MD, CCFP, GP Anesthesia, CYT, MEd.Acupuncture

Specialist in Family Medicine

Candidate for the Fellowship in Anti-Aging, Functional and Regenerative Medicine

Candidate for the Masters Degree in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine- The University of South Florida