Improve Basic Visualization Skill with

Modified Image Streaming

Robert Chittenden
© 2022
 Table of Contents

Page

1. Modified Image Streaming to improve basic visualization

skill, and related research literature 4

2. Nootropic supplementation may help sustain nascent 18

neural development

3. Summary of program and ways to implement 22

4. About the author 24

5. References 26

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 I would like to dedicate this work to the Lord Jesus Christ,
Author of my Christian faith which was vital to survive many
years of chronic illness.

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 Chapter One

Visualization is a skill that can be of great benefit for both

work and education. When a person sees in their mind’s eye what
they are learning, this represents an additional way that a person can
store learned information in their brain, which helps make the learning
process more proficient. The more areas of the brain a person can
bring “online” when they learn, the more quickly and easily they will
absorb new information, and the more clearly they will later recall
what they have learned.

Dr. Win Wenger, a pioneer in brain development, created a

brain exercise called “image streaming”, which many people have
claimed has helped them improve their visualization skill and
creativity. 1,2 This brain exercise is recommended as a visualization
improvement exercise by notable self-improvement experts, including
Vishen Lakhiani, CEO of Mindvalley. 3 Most people have some
capacity for visualization, yet some have no ability to visualize at all.
Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School refer to
complete mental blindness with the term “aphantasia”. 4 Dr. Wenger
claimed image streaming would help even those with no visualization
ability to begin to visualize images in their mind’s eye. 5

Image streaming is based upon the idea of neuroplasticity,

which is the brain’s capacity to establish new dendritic and synaptic
connections within and between brain regions, through various brain
exercises, and perhaps nootropic supplementation to support the
nascent neural communication. According to Spanish neuroscientists,
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“Neural plasticity, also known as neuroplasticity or brain plasticity,
can be defined as the ability of the nervous system to change its
activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganizing its
structure, functions, or connections. A fundamental property of
neurons is their ability to modify the strength and efficacy of synaptic
transmission through a diverse number of activity-dependent
mechanisms, typically referred as synaptic plasticity. Research in the
past century has showed that neural plasticity is a fundamental
property of nervous systems in species from insects to humans.” 6

We will first explain the original and modified versions of

image streaming, and then will examine how the author’s modified
version of the exercise relates to current published research regarding
visualization.

Dr. Wenger’s image streaming works the following way. A

person visualizes an image or a scene in their mind as clearly as
possible and describes aloud the images that are being perceived with
as much detail as possible, as quickly as possible, while verbalizing
the descriptions into a tape recorder as an external focus. The purpose
of the external focus is to achieve what neuroscientists describe as a
“mental flow state”, whereby internal and external distractions are
sufficiently blocked out during the exercise, which greatly improves
concentration and results. 7 As one perceives an image in the mind and
describes it in vivid detail, another image then presents in the mind’s
eye, and the person describes that image in abundant detail. The more
one practices the exercise, the more images present in the mind and
the quicker they do so. This helps build neural connections between
brain regions responsible for production of speech and perception of
visual imagery, etc. For additional explanation of Dr. Wenger’s
method, please visit www.winwenger.com/imstream.htm.

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 In the author’s experience working with image streaming,
although the exercise as described by Dr. Wenger appears to be quite
helpful for people who already are proficient at visualizing, my
visualization skills were not all that great, and my progress with Dr.
Wenger’s exercise, although definite, was still somewhat slow. Since
image streaming is based upon neuroplasticity, I questioned whether
modifying the exercise in some way would render it more productive.

In 2015, I modified Dr. Wenger’s exercise in the following

way. Instead of merely visualizing whatever imagery appeared in the
mind without regard to what the type of imagery might be, I focused
on visualizing letters and words. At first, I was only able to visualize
one letter at a time. Soon afterward, I was able to visualize entire
words, not with the greatest clarity, yet clear enough to recognize
them, then pronounce the word and very quickly spell out each word,
focusing on building clarity in visualizing each letter as it was
pronounced. The idea of this exercise is to build more neural
connections between the prefrontal cortex and the brain regions
responsible for visualizing words and their meanings, and also to
regions responsible for production and understanding of speech, with
the intent of improving the ability to visualize words and print in the
mind, while also improving speed regarding the processing of the
ideas represented by the words.

During the past five years, this modified version of image

streaming significantly improved the rate of progress in visualization
skill, and my verbal skills also have improved somewhat. In addition,
my ability to visualize faces and my surroundings has also improved,
even though the focus of my exercises has relied entirely upon
visualizing words. Since speed in executive processing appears to be
vitally important to more efficiently building neural connections
between the prefrontal cortex and other brain regions, it appears to

6
have been much easier to achieve the necessary speed in focusing on
words than it would have been if I had focused on more mundane
everyday objects, perhaps because there is a far greater number of
‘more immediate’, or more proximate, neural connections between
letters, words, and their related meanings than there would be more
immediate neural connections between objects that we think far less
about on a daily basis, an elephant and an apple, for example.

I submit that the difference between the two methods has to

do with the way the brain has been taught to categorize information.
When a person visualizes a word, the word is categorized with
thousands of other words, and they are all categorized under the letter
A in the brain. On the other hand, if one imagines an apple, and then
says the word apple, instead of visualizing the word “apple”, the brain
must go through an additional step of finding the word apple based
upon input of an image of an apple. In other words, by focusing
initially on the image of an apple and less attention on the main
categorizing mechanism itself (letters and words), it takes the brain a
little more time to find the word, and then produce the word through
speech. This would be more of an issue for people with less
visualization skill, or slightly less proficient neural connectivity
between the prefrontal cortex and speech regions of the brain.

Another way to explain the difference between the two

methods is as follows. With Dr. Wenger’s exercise, especially if a
person has less ability to visualize, when one tries to visualize, in their
mind’s eye they usually will only perceive random shapes or blobs
with little or no intrinsic meaning. At this point, they are instructed to
describe the random images in as much detail as possible, including
any color changes, etc., even if their descriptions are somewhat
invented. I was able to achieve some progress with this exercise, and
noticed improvements, yet my degree of accomplishment was still

7
limited. With the modified exercise, even if one is not as
skilled at visualizing, the focus is constantly changing to the different
shapes of the letters of the alphabet, and then to different
combinations of those shapes, i.e., different words, each of which
reflects and more directly or proximately connects to a far greater
variety of ideas compared to the variety of ideas one generally will
more directly access by focusing on a square shape of a certain color,
yet they are not totally sure what the square represents, etc. The
immediate uncertainty of what the square represents will greatly slow
down the exercise and thereby diminish its efficiency, since the person
will waste time trying to think of what the square might represent.

Conversely, when one thinks of a letter or word, they know

exactly what it represents, and they will quickly think of another letter
or word, speak the word aloud, and then spell the word aloud, etc.
They will then quickly think of and visualize many related words and
ideas. This process will far better help a person to build the speed
necessary to develop their visualization skill with greater efficiency.

The literature regarding visual working memory appears to

help validate that visualizing letters and words improves development
of visualization skill. Visualization is a function of visual working
memory. Characterizing the nature of visual working memory may
help support the working theory presented earlier for modified image
streaming, that visualizing letters and words is a process that utilizes
foundational mental categorizing mechanisms learned formatively,
and thereby improves efficacy in development of visualization ability.
In 1997, Luck & Vogel (University of Iowa) published their famous
report in which they concluded that working memory works in terms
of integrated objects rather than individual features. 8 In essence, they
were arguing that memory relies upon categorizing mechanisms to
recall elements of information.

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 Although many scientists may find Luck & Vogel’s
characterization of the mechanisms for working memory incomplete,
people generally agree that working memory employs categorizing
mechanisms. Timothy Brady, from MIT’s Department of Brain and
Cognitive Sciences, “In addition, recent work has suggested that the
representation of the perceptual features of an object may often differ
depending on the category the object is drawn from. Taken together,
these ideas suggest an important role for categories and concepts in
the storage of the visual details of objects, an important area of future
research.” 9 Given that visualization involves neural mechanisms of
recall (recalling the image of an apple, an elephant, or words), Dr.
Brady’s statement regarding the importance of categories in visual
working memory parallels the central theme of modified image
streaming, that reliance upon the primary categorizing mechanisms for
the greatest variety of words and ideas represents a methodology to
improve efficacy for development of visualization skill.

If all a person is able to visualize is a purple blob, try your

best to think of letters and see the letters in the random image,
speaking the letter aloud. Next try to visualize another letter from the
non-distinct image and keep working at this exercise. At a certain
point, the vague images will begin to slightly resemble certain letters.
It will be a very gradual process, and one may have to spend an hour a
day at the exercise for months before they begin to realize significant
progress. The rate of progress will partially depend upon the degree
of synaptic connection from the prefrontal cortex to the visual cortices
already in place. Fortunately, there are other exercises that can help
build this neural network to help amplify progress for those with less
visualization ability. Others with better visualization skill may
experience much more rapid progress, since they have more of a
foundation to work with.

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 In my experience, it was far more difficult to develop the
necessary speed to achieve adequate results in improving visualization
skill by focusing on random objects instead of words. Also, one of the
more practical purposes of visualization, in general, is to visualize
words and printed material, for work and education. Thus, instead of
trying to visualize objects or random shapes with less intrinsic
meaning in order to improve the ability to visualize and more quickly
memorize printed material, it makes more sense to focus the exercises
on visualizing words themselves, i.e., thereby directly accessing the
brain’s primary categorizing mechanism for the greatest variety of
ideas.

Since processing speed is vital for improving visualization

skill, certain online brain exercises that help develop speed may be
quite beneficial. One such exercise I found extremely helpful was
“Divided Attention”, available at BrainHQ, founded by renowned
neuroscientist, Dr. Michael Merzenich. This exercise requires speed,
and involves executive function, the motor cortices, and visual
cortices, which are many of the same areas relied upon for
visualization, albeit visualization does not directly rely upon the motor
cortices. The element of speed together with executive function
appears to be effective, and indeed essential, in helping to build
efficient neural connections between the prefrontal cortex and other
brain regions. Conversely, brain exercises that do not require as much
speed throughout the entire process of the exercise have not appeared
to have been as helpful. As one develops more proficiency with this
BrainHQ exercise, one could start to combine exercises, practicing the
Divided Attention exercise while simultaneously visualizing and
verbalizing letters and words. A person may have to work on
modified image steaming and Divided Attention separately for a year
or so before they develop sufficient concentration and speed to begin
practicing the exercises simultaneously. Of course, everyone will

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progress at their own pace. As one develops fluency in practicing the
exercises simultaneously, exercises in various combinations could be
integrated, which would help build neural connections to all the
neurons being utilized, and which would reflect more complex
cognitive processing with respect to working memory.

If a person’s overall brain processing speed is somewhat

slower, they will greatly benefit from brain exercises that focus on
simple cognitive tasks. As the person gains proficiency in the simpler
exercises, they will then benefit from exercises gradually increasing in
complexity, which in turn may begin to employ additional brain areas.

Scientists at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, published a

clinical study demonstrating the vital role of the dorsolateral
prefrontal cortex/superior parietal lobe network in working memory
processing speed. The superior parietal lobe also generally receives
neural transmission from the visual and motor cortices. This suggests
a neural basis for the BrainHQ Divided Attention exercise’s capacity
to improve working memory processing speed, since this exercise also
ostensibly involves the prefrontal, motor, and visual cortices. The
Japanese study summarized, “Our findings showed that this difference
(greater working memory processing speed) was characterized by the
increased activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
(DLPFC) and the increased functional interaction between the right
DLPFC and right superior parietal lobe. Furthermore, the local gray
matter volume of the right DLPFC was correlated with participants'
accuracy during fast WM (working memory) tasks, which in turn
correlated with a psychometric measure of participants' intelligence.
Our findings indicate that the right DLPFC and its related network are
responsible for the execution of the fast cognitive processes involved
in WM.” 10

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 The scientific literature on visualization and related topics is
sufficient to produce reasonable working theories about visualization,
in addition to how to potentially improve this general skill. In 2004,
researchers at Harvard’s Department of Psychology reported, “The
results document that visual imagery and visual perception draw on
most of the same neural machinery. However, although the vast
majority of activated voxels were activated during both conditions, the
spatial overlap was neither complete nor uniform; the overlap was
much more pronounced in frontal and parietal regions than in
temporal and occipital regions. This finding may indicate that
cognitive control processes function comparably in both imagery and
perception, whereas at least some sensory processes may be engaged
differently by visual imagery and perception.” 11

Senden, Emmerling, et al. explain in their 2019 report, “In

conclusion, our letter encoding, reconstruction, and classification
results indicate that the topographic organization of mental imagery
closely resembles that of perception. This lends support to the idea
that mental imagery is quasi-perceptual not only in terms of its
subjective experience but also in terms of its neural representation and
constitutes an important first step towards the development of content-
based letter-speller systems.” 12

In 2014, Dentico, Cheung, et al. informed us, “We quantified

the directionality of signal flow in an occipito-parieto-frontal cortical
network during perception of movie clips versus mental replay of the
movies and free visual imagery. … These results are the first direct
demonstration of a reversal of the predominant direction of cortical
signal flow during mental imagery as compared to perception.” 13

Researchers from the Netherlands in 2017 explained,

“Furthermore, using a novel multivariate analysis technique, we show

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that the neural overlap between imagery and perception in the entire
visual system correlates with experienced imagery vividness.” 14
These scientists demonstrate in a second report that when subjects
visualize, the inferior frontal gyrus is activated. This brain region
houses the Broca area, and is involved in production of speech, which
may ultimately help explain why verbalizing images as they are
pictured in the mind is constructive for improving visualization skill.
This study also demonstrated that increased vividness in visualization
correlated with a greater number of activated neural connections in the
primary visual cortex, and that signal flow for visual perception
originates more from the primary visual cortex of the occipital region,
and synaptic flow for visualization begins more from the prefrontal
cortex. 15 This latter result reflects the findings of Dentico, Cheung, et
al.

The implications of the above published studies are quite

significant. Visual perception and visualization share many of the
same neural networks. When a person is daydreaming, or visualizing,
they are often paying much less attention to their surroundings.
Conversely, when one is more attentive to their immediate
environment, they generally are less attentive to visual imagery.
Prefrontal-occipital network utilization is shifted in one direction or
the other. Increased vividness of visualization is most likely
accompanied by a greater number of effective neural connections
between the prefrontal and visual cortices. This suggests that if one
could augment the number of efficient neural connections from the
prefrontal cortex to the visual cortices, this could very well result in
increased capacity for more vivid visualization, in addition to a
quicker ability to visually process one’s environment. If so, it would
appear to explain why the BrainHQ Divided Attention exercise has
greatly aided my visualization skill, since this exercise employs the
above brain regions.

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 In addition, it would suggest that practicing the Divided
Attention exercise and visualization skill simultaneously (when one is
able to) may offer great promise to significantly increase the number
dendritic/synaptic connections from the prefrontal cortex to the visual
cortices, thereby augmenting capacities for more vivid visualization
and more quickly and accurately processing one’s surroundings. Both
these capacities can be related to intelligence. As I progressed in
proficiency at Divided Attention, I noticed my ability to maintain
better focus improved. It became easier to achieve and sustain a
mental flow state, ignoring distractions. The author is also starting to
notice more automatic imagery with eyes opened, which might
suggest that more neural networks that support visualization may be
starting to connect to the default mode network in the brain, which is
the neural network that produces awareness and thoughts that are
automatic when the person is awake yet totally at rest.

The better one’s visualization skill, the more neural circuitry

will be in place necessary to support eidetic memory. One reason for
this may be that for those with eidetic memory, it represents an
element of their visual working memory. Thus, improving neural
structures responsible for visual working memory for those without a
proficient eidetic memory may help build the circuitry that could
ultimately serve as an important component of eidetic memory.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins completed neural imaging tests

for a subject with unusual memory capabilities, “MM’s ability to
recall general factual information, historical facts and dates, sports
statistics, and popular culture, as well as personal life experiences, is
exceptional, even though he performs in only the average range on
tests of intellect and new learning ability. Unlike most mnemonists,
he denies using any specific mnemonic strategy and, unlike many

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other HSAM cases, is unable to recall highly specific details of days
in his adult life. Structural brain imaging in MM reveals atypical
anatomy in his left temporal lobe, and functional neuroimaging
suggests greater than usual connectivity of the left hippocampus with
premotor, prefrontal and retro-splenial cingulate cortex.” 16 Although
the subject, “MM”, claimed he did not possess eidetic memory,
additional neural connectivity between the hippocampus, cingulate
cortex, and prefrontal cortex appear to provide superior memory in
other cognitive areas. Perhaps neural circuitry for eidetic memory
would combine a neural connectivity profile similar to MM’s with
greater connectivity to and within the visual cortices as well.

There is not much published research regarding eidetic

memory. A good research design might be to recruit people claiming
to possess eidetic memory, and then to screen possible research study
candidates by giving them 60 seconds to silently read 2,000 words.
Candidates would then be asked to recite from memory what they had
just read. If they are able to visualize the 2,000 words after a 60
second viewing, arguably that would qualify as a proficient eidetic
memory. All who could memorize 2,000 words would be placed in
one experimental group. Those who could memorize at least 50% of
the words yet less than 100% would be placed into a second
experimental group. Average visualizers with no eidetic memory
would represent the control group. Functional MRI would endeavor
to map neural differences between the three groups. Neurological
differences between these groups might provide insights regarding
how to design exercises based upon neuroplasticity to develop neural
circuitry that would support eidetic memory. The efficacy of
exercises designed to develop eidetic memory could be evaluated with
functional MRI.

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 With modified image streaming, as one is visualizing and
verbalizing words brought to mind in rapid succession, related
meanings of the words will also often be brought at least partially into
focus. Words and their meanings are elements of semantic memory,
the operation of which is sustained significantly by the left
hippocampus. It is therefore possible that modified image streaming
would be more proficient at building neural connectivity from the
prefrontal and visual cortices to the left hippocampus and other
structures supporting semantic memory, compared to traditional
image streaming which does not rely upon the primary categorizing
mechanisms for ideas, i.e., letters and words.

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 Chapter Two

Nootropic supplements and nutritional support for

mitochondria would generally always help sustain developing neural
circuitry and could amplify cognitive improvements obtained from
modified image streaming. The following nutritional or nootropic
supplements may provide synergistic benefit to brain exercises:
Bacopa monnieri, choline, DHA, uridine, ubiquinol, EPA,
magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin C. This section presents
scientific literature published on the National Institutes of Health’s
website PubMed, from the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda,
Maryland, which validate these nutrients as beneficial for cognitive
health and development. If one has any medical condition, they
should always consult with their medical physician prior to starting
any nutritional supplement. Especially if one is over forty, a person
could have undiagnosed medical conditions that may be incompatible
with certain supplements. For nutritional counseling specific to each
person’s nutritional requirements, one should always consult with a
registered certified nutritionist.

Examining the effects of the ayurvedic herb Bacopa monnieri

on development of neuronal dendrites in the basolateral amygdala
(involved in learning and memory), researchers from the Rajiv Ghandi
Institute of Medical Sciences in India explained in a 2011 report, “The
results showed an improvement in spatial learning performance and
17
enhanced memory retention in rats treated with Bacopa monniera
extract. Furthermore, a significant increase in dendritic length and the
number of dendritic branching points was observed along the length
of the dendrites of the basolateral amygdaloid neurons of rats treated
with 40 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg of Bacopa monniera (BM) for longer
periods of time (i.e., 4 and 6 weeks). We conclude that constituents
present in Bacopa monniera extract have neuronal dendritic growth-
stimulating properties.” 17

Another published study found that Bacopa monnieri

provided exceptional antioxidant benefits to help protect brain tissue
from the damaging effects of oxidation. Scientists from India
reported, “Bacopa monniera (BM) induced a dose-related increase in
(anti-oxidant enzymes) superoxide dismutase, catalase, and
glutathione peroxidase activities, in all the brain regions investigated,
after 14 and 21 days of drug administration.” 18 Thus, evidence shows
that bacopa monnieri provides exceptional protective effects for the
brain.

After studying the effects of phosphatide precursors on brain

synapse formation, researchers from MIT, Japan, and Turkey reported
in 2011, “The rates at which brain neurons form new dendritic spines
and then synapses depend upon brain levels of three limiting
compounds – uridine; docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]; and choline –
which are precursors of the phosphatides in neuronal membranes.
“Moreover, the uridine, acting as an agonist for P2Y2 receptors (and
perhaps the DHA, via other receptors) concurrently stimulates the
production of pre- and post-synaptic proteins, and activates the
mechanisms that cause synaptic membrane to be shaped into neurites,
dendritic spines, and, ultimately, synapses. Administration of the
three precursors for several weeks can enhance cognitive functions
and neurotransmitter release in experimental animals. Moreover, their

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administration to patients with mild Alzheimer’s Disease, along with
the B-vitamins that promote hepatic choline synthesis, significantly
improved memory in a clinical trial involving about 220 subjects.” 19

Scientists at the Centre for Human Psychopharmacology in

Australia in 2014 explained that EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) helps
with cognition, “By extending the theory of neural efficiency to the
within-subject neurocognitive effects of supplementation, we
concluded that following the EPA-rich supplementation, participants'
brains worked ‘less hard’ and achieved a better cognitive performance
than prior to supplementation.” 20 In 2020, researchers from Osaka,
Japan reported the benefits of ubiquinol for cognition, “The
improvements in fatigue, relaxation, cognitive function, and
autonomic nerve function obtained in this study from ubiquinol intake
suggest a relationship with improved central nervous system
functions. “Since it has been considered that fatigue could potentially
accelerate the oxidation of the central nervous system including these
regions of the brain, the present results may suggest that ubiquinol
intake may have inhibited intracerebral oxidation.” 21

Magnesium helps with cognition, according to Chinese

researchers, who explained, “Synaptic plasticity is a prerequisite of
learning and memory and can be measured using alterations in LTP or
synaptic morphology. Increasing extracellular magnesium in the
physiological range enhances synaptic plasticity in cultured
hippocampal neurons, suggesting its role as positive regulator of
synaptic plasticity.” 22 Tong Yang et al. at Tianjin Medical University
in China presented a study demonstrating the promise of vitamin D for
cognitive health, “Vitamin D supplementation for 12 months appears
to improve cognitive function through reducing oxidative stress
regulated by increased TL in order adults with MCI (mild cognitive

19
impairment). Vitamin D may be a promising public health strategy to
prevent cognitive decline.” 23

Nikolaj Travica et al. explains the important role of vitamin C

to cognition, “In conclusion, there was a significant association
between vitamin-C plasma concentrations and performance on tasks
involving attention, focus, working memory, decision speed, delayed
and total recall, and recognition.” 24

In addition to nutritional supplementation, better diet is also

important for brain development. Numerous studies indicate the
Mediterranean diet helps to support cognition. Limongi et al. from the
Neuroscience Institute in Podova, Italy, conducted a literature review,
“The review's analysis confirmed that adherence to the MedDiet is
associated with some improvement in cognitive health. Although
other interventional studies are warranted to confirm the efficacy of
the MedDiet in preventing cognitive disorders, the results show that it
can be considered part of a multifactorial approach to improve late-
life cognitive function.” 25 An abundance of studies also demonstrate
the importance of adequate, quality rest for cognition. 26, 27 Researchers
from the University of Turku, Finland, “First and foremost, total SD
(sleep deprivation) impairs attention and working memory, but it also
affects other functions, such as long-term memory and decision-
making. 28 Generally, any health issues that increase systemic or brain
inflammation will impair progress. Nutrition, functional and holistic
medicine provide avenues to manage many chronic inflammatory
conditions. Although this particular topic is beyond the scope of this
article, it is something to be aware of.

If one has had a brain injury, they should consider avoiding

EPA, DHA, and GABA supplements until fully recovered. EPA and
DHA may decrease coagulation when there is already platelet

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hypofunction, and GABA creates additional potassium efflux out of
damaged neurons already dealing with potassium loss and consequent
neuronal hypofunction caused by the injury. One must always work
with their physician in such situations regarding diet and
supplementation, in addition to medication.

Chapter Three

A notable percentage of the population has difficulty with

visualization. Based upon the author’s experience, modified image
streaming, together with certain online brain exercises, and nootropics
offer significant promise for development of visualization ability. In
addition, the modified image streaming program may help people
regain certain areas of brain function damaged through traumatic brain
injury or other cerebrovascular injury, although modified image
streaming has not been tested empirically.

With total aphantasia, the first step is for a person to evaluate

the general condition of the prefrontal-parietal-occipital network of
the brain. The reason for this is that both visualization and visual
perception rely upon this network. How does one evaluate the
strength of this network? A good test for this is available at
BrainHQ.com, by Posit Science. The brain exercise is called
“Divided Attention”. One should practice this exercise for 15
minutes. If the exercise is difficult, a person should keep working
diligently at this exercise until it becomes easier. Any brain exercises
that require speed throughout the entire exercise will help to build this
brain network. One should practice this exercise at least 30 minutes

21
each day. Tennis or video games also incorporate speed in a way that
augments development of this foundational neural network.

The next brain network to develop will be the left

hippocampus, where general knowledge is significantly stored, to the
prefrontal cortex and also to the occipital (or visual) cortex. This
network enables the visualization/visual perception network to access
the general knowledge sections of the brain. To help develop this
network, a person should do their best to think about individual letters
of the alphabet. With eyes closed, one should visualize different
letters as clearly as one is able, thinking about letters in the alphabet
randomly, then verbalizing the letter. At first, one might not really be
able to see the letters in the mind's eye at all. Then at a certain point,
possibly after weeks or months, one may start to recognize certain
letters very faintly. As time goes on, more letters will begin to
become progressively clearer. At this point, one may begin to notice
entire words as one spells them audibly as quickly as they are able.
When a person begins this process, it will be somewhat difficult.
They should keep working at this anyway, and not get discouraged.

Another exercise utilizes Microsoft Word. Type individual

letters at 200 font. One then focuses intently on each letter for 5
seconds, then with eyes closed, one does their best to visualize the
letter and then verbalize it. One could type the letter in different
colors. One could work at these exercises 30 minutes per day, after
the 30 minutes working on Divided Attention. When developing
brain networks, speed throughout the entire exercise will generally
tend to produce better results.

To support the developing neural networks, it is important to

minimize sources of inflammation in the brain. The Mediterranean
diet is helpful for minimizing general systemic inflammation and

22
neuroinflammation. Smoking, alcohol, and inadequate rest all
increase brain inflammation, which in turn damages neuron
mitochondria, the segments of a brain cell that produce energy. The
recommendations in chapter two may also help. If a person has
aphantasia, it will be a real project to develop proficient visualization
skill. Yet this is certainly possible, since the concept of
neuroplasticity, the ability for brain cells to develop synaptic
connections with other brain cells, is well established in the scientific
literature. Functional MRI testing may be one way to evaluate how
well a person has been able to develop new neural networks with
these exercises.

One additional point regarding the BrainHQ exercise

"Divided Attention" to develop the visualization/visual perception
network. When working with this exercise, each frame is displayed
on the screen for a fraction of a second. There is about .7 seconds
between each frame. One should focus on the two different images
for each frame as intently as possible, with the intent of memorizing
as much information about the characteristics of each image as
possible. Then when the next frame with different images appears,
one memorizes the details about these images in the frame, which to
some degree will require forgetting the information just memorized
for the previous frame. This strategy will help develop speed and
increase capacity for working memory, since the visualization/visual
perception network ostensibly employed for this exercise is a
foundational neural correlate for working memory.

For the author, visualizing with a focus on letters and words

has improved visualization of random objects, faces, events, etc. I
think the reason for this is that each word represents a categorizing
mechanism for ideas, objects, or events associated with that word.
When we visualize a word, say the word and vocally spell it out

23
(while focusing on visualizing each letter as clearly as possible), this
strengthens all the synaptic connections between the word and its
related ideas and images (including other similar words and their
ideas) that are categorized with that word in the semantic memory
(left hippocampus), and from this region to all other brain regions
involved in recollecting the word, its images, and then translating
them into spoken words (Broca and Warneke areas) and awareness in
the prefrontal cortex. The more these synaptic connections are
strengthened, at a certain point they begin to add to the brain's default
mode network, meaning that these images and the ideas related to
them will begin to appear automatically in the mind's eye and register
in the mind with virtually no effort.

When greater proficiency at the exercises has been acquired,

one could work at the visualization exercises simultaneously with
other exercises, such as Divided Attention. Or work at Divided
Attention while simulating a lecture on some topic. Simultaneous
exercises will help to build working memory capacity.

This book makes no guarantee that anyone will experience

any particular result from this protocol. Yet with diligent and focused
work, one should achieve significant improvement with visualization
skill.

24
 About the Author

The author is starting a research organization, TBI & Eidetic

Research, to conduct preclinical and clinical studies regarding
intravenous liposomal products, including liposomal ATP, for
treatment of varying degrees of traumatic brain injury, as an adjunct to
conventional treatment. ATP and other nutraceutical substances
encapsulated in 50 to 80 nanometer liposomes should help reduce
oxidative damage and other secondary brain dysfunctions caused by
brain injury.

The author also plans to work toward graduate degrees in

immunology and neuroscience.

25
 References

1. Image Streaming is explained by Dr. Wenger at

www.WinWenger.com
2. Meier, J.D., “Image Streaming: Think Faster, More Visually,
and More Fluidly”,
www.sourcesofinsight.com/image-streaming/
3. www.youtube.com, “How to Improve Your Creative
Visualization Ability”, Vishen Lakhiani,
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extremes: aphantasia versus hyperphantasia”, Fraser Milton et
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265046?login=true
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modern world”, Joshua Gold, 2020,
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conjunctions”, SJ Luck & EK Vogel, 1997,
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9384378/

26
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perception: an fMRI study”, Giorgio Ganis, 2004,
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27
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29