THE FIVE PRINCIPLES
OF
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
THROUGH ORGANIZATION OF THE BRAIN
Glenn J. Doman
Copyright © 1964, 1977, 1989, 2004
“....It must then be considered as a basic principle, that when a lesion exists within the confines of the brain, treatment, to be successful, must be directed to the brain wherein lies the cause rather than to that portion of the periphery where the symptoms are reflected. Whether the symptoms exist as an almost undetectable subtlety in human communication or in an overwhelming paralysis, this principle must not be violated by those who seek success with the brain-injured patient.”
—Glenn Doman conclusion of lecture to the staff of
The Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
(New York, 1953)
NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT
UTILIZING PRINCIPLES OF NEUROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
There are five principles of non-surgical and non-pharmacological treatment of brain injury. These principles are based on the fact that the function of the brain is to relate the organism to its environment. Utilizing each of these principles, we have established groups of effective procedures for the treatment of brain injury. Each procedure encompasses a large number of techniques.
THE FIVE PRINCIPLES
1.
Procedures which supply basic discrete bits of information to the brain for storage.
2.
Procedures which demand an immediate response from the brain to a basic discrete bit of information that has just been supplied to the brain.
3.
Procedures which program the brain.
4.
Procedures which permit the brain to respond to previous programming.
5.
Procedures which provide an improved physiological environment in which the brain may function.
INTRODUCTION
It must be remembered that all brain pathways can be divided into two broad categories. These are (1) sensory (afferent) pathways that bring information into the brain and (2) motor (efferent)