Presenting at the 2025 ANSA Conference

Martha Mack's Advances in Auditory Neuromodulation to address Auditory Attention and Receptive Language

Neuromodulation of the auditory system by the use of speech sounds and orchestral music has a longstanding historical foundation.

Contemporary auditory training approaches rely on monaural sound delivery, neglecting the fact that natural listening involves the integration of input from both ears.

Auditory signals rarely arrive at each ear simultaneously, requiring the brain to reconcile and process competing inputs via complex bilateral auditory pathways—both ipsilateral and contralateral. Inadequate neural development within these systems may lead to the suppression of signals from one pathway, adversely affecting auditory attention and receptive language processing.

In response to these challenges, Martha Mack developed the MACK-Box, a neuromodulation tool designed to selectively manipulate the timing and intensity of auditory input delivered separately to the left and right ears. The interaural technique known as Dichotic Auditory Training aims to engage and strengthen underperforming auditory pathways by mimicking natural auditory discrepancies in a controlled and therapeutic manner.

In clinical practice, this approach is offered to neurodiverse clients presenting with ASD, ADHD – Auditory subtype, Language impairment, Dyslexia and Auditory Processing Difficulties.

Further innovations by Martha include the application of auditory bone conduction methods to stimulate speech development in minimally verbal children and individuals recovering from stroke.

These interventions represent novel approaches to enhancing auditory attention and language acquisition through tailored, neuroplasticity-driven techniques.