Why Healthcare Practitioners need to learn about Predictive Brain Coding.

In this article I'll explain in easy to understand ways, how our brains work via predictive coding. I'll share toddler stories describing how neural networks are created that could last a lifetime.

Predictive coding is a function of the brain that helps us understand our world and helps to interpret information with reference to what we already know or have experienced. That is why within any healthcare interaction with patients or clients, practitioners need to be aware of the influence of predictive coding.

This is particularly important when supporting change within chronic conditions especially in my area of chronic pain. Hence the reason for this article is to introduce terminology in an easy to understand way that they can use directly with people who have the standard health literacy.

Change is a very interesting proposition and yes, we all experience change that comes from the outside with technology, new ideas, new knowledge and invariably we have no control over those changes. Although we certainly have control over how we react; whether we take them on board, ignore them or engage with them. As a consequence, we then continue to make external changes to our world and surroundings or not.

However rather than external change - let’s focus about internal change.

These can be many things: -

o   Physical changes when we decide to move more.

o   We may decide to eat different food or try to change our mindset.

Mostly we don't succeed to change very much. Change can be very difficult or even impossible. A reason for this is predictive coding, a process within our brain, meaning everything we see, everything we hear, smell, and touch our brain recognizes by our past experiences. Unlike what we think we see, in reality is just coding within our brains. The brain doesn't take a snapshot, the sort of pictures such as a car or a green bush. Our brain constructs pictures (i.e what we see) from the knowledge that we already have.

One of the problems with predictive coding is it's kind of like an elastic band so when we want to change, we have a history relating to: -

o   How we eat,

o   How we move 

o   How we think

More particularly our predictive coding governs how we react to things and maybe: -

o   We read a new book. 

o   Listen to a podcast.

o   Watch a video.

We immediately say, “wow that's a good idea perhaps I should try that” and yes you might.

However, if it's new you will have that great heavy elastic band that pulls you back to the ways that you have always behaved.

Predictive coding keeps bringing you back to your favourite foods even though there's someone telling you that it's not good for you or even bad for you. Your brain knows, it has learnt, it’s your favourite food!

Building Neural Networks – The brain's learning process

This predictive coding is a continual learning process for the brain. Obviously, the brain has to remember, keep records, know what to update or how and when to update. These records are neurons that connect together to form neural networks.

Neural networks continuously collect new information. Instead of connecting to a neuron next door they may decide I'm going to go across the road and connect with that one over there. Alternatively, they're going to notice that's really new or unknown knowledge it’s too dangerous I'm certainly not going to go near the neuron next door. Connection not made, so change not made!

A good way to think about this is a business networking group. Each week members come in and invariably sit with those people they know. Maybe there’s a new member who they welcome one week but they may just decide, to revert back to sit with the people they know, as an automatic response.

What stops us making changes?

What I'm trying to illustrate is change can be difficult, or impossible because of where we've been and what we've experienced, is stored in our predictive coding brain. Therefore, it’s no surprise that one of the major problems I have with clients is that; yes, they may understand what I am asking them to do, make changes to get out of this trap of chronic pain.

But there is this enormous great big rubber band that keeps pulling them back to an old neural network. The well-travelled neural network that is: -

“I'm in pain”

“I have chronic pain.”

“I have fibromyalgia.”

“I have irritable bowel syndrome.”

We become our label, given to us by a medical diagnosis that has an ingrained, never to be shifted neural network.

We are reminded of this pain diagnosis each time we move by the brain sending pain signals that we feel as physical pain. This messaging from the nervous system strengthens or thickens that elastic band, the neural network in our brain that says there is something wrong there is something broken in our body because we have learnt about pain since a small child when we first hurt ourselves.

The information I want to share is knowledge of predictive coding and our automatic programmed reactions. With this understanding there are steps you can begin to take to enable change, or to at least recognize why you are stuck.

Predictive coding is part of the way we learn.

Imagine climbing trees. Something many of my generation did when we were young. When you are climbing the tree it is an exercise in risk analysis. A continual process because you know if you fall you may get injured.

The awareness you might hurt yourself builds knowledge: -

o   risk analysis of where your next move is going to be,

o   how you can further climb up the tree,

o   The need to do it safely without falling.

We must consider the results, if you get overly ambitious you fall, injure yourself, maybe break your arm. Alternatively, if you're successful and you get to a height that satisfies you or you realize "I can't go any higher, I can't take the risk".

The example of climbing trees is an intrinsic learning exercise that young children do naturally. And I guess the results of their afternoon climbing trees will govern whether it's something they continue to do or else perhaps if injured they may become fearful. Aa a consquence becoming fearful creates an impact on their future risk analysis.

I'd like to share a couple of toddler stories. Each I observed when walking in my local park. Each experience for the toddler could lead to future different reactions, due to adult responses and predictive coding.

Story One

The first occasion was the toddler falls, falls forward. Dad immediately responds “ohh dear” he says to the child. In an effort to be understanding and comfort his child he continued “I know it hurts...”. Some of you may be able to guess the rest of this story. The toddler begins to cry more and needs to be consoled even more.

Story Two

Now this day, again a toddler probably 2 years old was with her parents and granny.The toddler falls over, there is a slight pause into which granny calmly steps, “ohh look, look over there at those ducks in the river over there. Can you see them?” The child who almost started to cry, stops and looks for the ducks because they sounded interesting.

What did each toddler learn?

Now these two different instances and reactions get encoded into the brain of each of those toddlers’ subconscious. Therefore, as I've said before once this predictive coding starts it is going to learn from the reaction of the adults.

In the first case the toddler will be looking to others for reassurance, because they're fearful because it hurts.

Whereas in the second story I claim the reaction is of benefit to the toddler. They just tripped, nothing serious, and this was an episode to build resilience and a different reaction to future pain.

Here are two different ways the brain builds up its knowledge, figures out experiences, learns how it is going to react next time regardless of whether you're a child climbing a tree or a toddler who trips and falls over. The resulting experience can be the beginning or influence how someone reacts to challenges, experiences in life, or perceives painful sensations.

Conclusion 

The idea of predictive coding, especially the terminology should form part of basic training for every healthcare worker. The reason for writing this article is to introduce the idea that our past experiences and the subsequent way our autonomic nervous system reacts to events, big or small are recorded in neural networks in the brain is very important for all healthcare professionals.

Regardless of their therapy or modality practitioners need to be aware of predictive coding as it now impacts our behaviour and also our emotional reactions when treating their patients or clients.

Jean Jordan – about me

After over 20 years of owning pain clinics, I started Natural Pain Solutions (NPS) to reach more people, rather than one person at a time.  After studying Postgraduate Pain Management & Freedom from Chronic Pain with Howard Schubiner, I want to spread the word about neuroplastic holistic self-help techniques people can use at home and healthcare practitioners can use in their clinics.

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NOTE: The information on this website is for education purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis.