Possibilities with Parkinson's - a Column by Dr. C

The imaginary talking neocortex of my brain, whom I call Neo, looks up from reading my column, “Possibilities with Parkinson’s.” “Hey, Doc. I still don’t understand this conductor theory. How can I use it as a treatment for my Parkinson’s?” he asks, referring to a mental construct Dr. C…

The symbiotic conductor/exercise training, which centers on a mental construct for shifting perspective that I’ve described in previous columns, helps me to live better with Parkinson’s. Putting it in place as an early intervention (unknowingly on my part) was a crucial piece of this successful outcome. If we…

In previous columns, I have discussed using the conductor (in particular, the resting mind state) to suppress faulty input from the second dopamine center, thus reducing the effects of Parkinson’s symptoms. Is there any evidence to support this besides my ramblings? The first piece of evidence is my own…

I have written about “the conductor,” a mental construct useful for shifting perspective. The conductor likely has major neural components in a network of areas in the brain: the default mode network, the salience network, and the executive network. In this column, I will focus on the default mode…

The idea for the title of my column, “Possibilities with Parkinson’s,” arose from my attempts to understand what was happening to me. Because I do not display the dramatic motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, but have many of the non-motor symptoms, I seek out research that can help explain…

During my training for the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in 1968, I was exposed to toxic chemicals in the water. Later, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs investigated and found that Parkinson’s disease was strongly associated with exposure to those toxic chemicals. Out of the…

The conductor is a mental construct that supports metacognitive processes while in a rested state. That means it is a nonjudgmental observer of the mind that is curious without causing harm. There are many benefits to having a strong conductor, but for me, the most beneficial is the…

A loud crack. I turned and yelled at my grandson, “Keep the billiard balls on the table!” The noise was so loud that I was sure the ball had smashed into the Sheetrock wall. I’ve been known to bounce a ball off the table practicing a special billiard shot. But,…

It was one of those “perfect storm” weeks, when everything came together in a cumulative effect to make life miserable. Too much stress on my system makes it exceedingly difficult to use the conductor due to malfunctions. This only happens to me a few times a year, but it is…

Conductor brain training has made living with Parkinson’s disease easier for me. The most amazing thing I discovered while using what I call “the conductor” is that signals coming into my brain are sometimes distorted. This distortion can take place in the form of signal amplification or suppression. If…