Story At-a-Glance Traditional education often separates the mind from the body, but neuroscience reveals an integrated relationship between movement and cognitive development. Physical activity directly stimulates neurogenesis, with exercise increasing Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)—what neuroscientist John Ratey calls "Miracle-Gro for the brain." Movement triggers the release of …
Supporting Brain Health
The Inflammation Factor: Understanding How Chronic Inflammation Affects Brain Development and Learning
Story at-a-glance Chronic inflammation—a persistent, low-grade inflammatory response lasting months or years—can profoundly affect brain development, cognitive function, and learning capacity in children. The relationship between inflammation and the brain is bidirectional and complex, involving the blood-brain barrier, microglial activation, neuroinflammation, and neurotransmitter …
The Hidden Impact of Blue Light on Children with Learning Disabilities
Story at-a-Glance Children with learning disabilities face increased risks from blue light exposure from digital screens and LED lighting. Blue light disrupts melatonin production, impairing sleep, impulse control, and prefrontal cortex function. Research links evening screen time to anxiety, depression, and disrupted eating patterns through hormonal changes affecting hunger and …
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Nurturing Resilience and Brain Growth
There is no harder job than that of being a parent, especially when your child is struggling. The pain that comes from watching your child struggle with a learning challenge, low self esteem, or in any area, can feel overwhelming. I recently had the pleasure of being a guest on the Lyndi and Lizzie podcast, where we discussed neuroplasticity and brain growth, parenting strategies for nurturing …
Music and Brain Growth
Hello Foundations Families and Friends, Some of you may wonder why Foundations students spend regular time at school listening to music while they do tracing and cursive. Well, the fact is, music has a big impact on brain development. Studies have shown that listening to specially composed music can: Increase intelligence by boosting spatial reasoning. Repair brain damage. Improve language and …