WHY IS TENNIS SO IMPORTANT TO MEDICAL SCIENCE?

For centuries our basic theory of the brain was neurocentric. This means that learning, growing; recovering from brain trauma, modifying addictive behavior and rehabilitating criminal behavior all depended on a restructuring of neurons. We know that neurons by themselves cannot be restructured easily. For example, being guided by a neurocentric theory we only have a 10% rehabilitation rate in drug addiction; and the probability of criminal recidivism can be as high as 50% depending n the nature of the crime.

The Gliocentric Hypothesis offers an entirely new approach. According to this hypothesis, neurons are not “moved” but only their signal strength is changed. We know from nonlinear dynamics that small changes in signal conductance in a complex system can produce very dramatic changes in the systems output dynamics. Translated into common sense language, it may be possible to dramatically improve learning, rehabilitate drug users and criminals and rehabilitate brain trauma patients if approached from a Gliocentric based protocol than a neurocentric based protocol.

So what does this have to do with tennis? To prove the Gliocentric Hypothesis and establish the initial protocols that could guide rehabilitation and learning it is necessary to develop a training system for a complex highly demanding sport that is readily visible using protocols based on the Gliocentric Hypothesis.

Massive experimental laboratory data has been accumulated around the world in the last 10 years that all point to the validity of the Gliocentric Hypothesis. However, none of this data can be obtained from human subjects and so no protocols can be developed to be used for rehabilitation to prove the Gliocentric Theory. This is where tennis takes center stage in this international hunt for the holy grail of neurodynamics. Tennis is the perfect sport to use to develop the initial protocols. What must be done is to use Gliocentric based training protocols to develop players more rapidly and efficiently than the traditional approach which is, de facto, based on a neurocentric theory of the brain.

The differences in approach are dramatic from the traditional perspective but go noticed by the student who will primarily experience a greater degree of freedom, self determination and creativity that is common with a traditional program.

But the important point is that tennis has a value to medical science that sets it apart from all other sports and can be used to advance the world of science in developing an entirely new approach to the treatment of many difficult traditional social and medical problems.