MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Two months after launching its Corporate Area location, Everbrook Brain Institute and Cognitive Clinic Chief Executive Officer Dr Francene Gayle has announced its expansion to central Jamaica.

The institute aims to offer assessments to patients, including those with autism spectrum disorder.

The assessment forms part of a wider push by Everbrook to utilise non-invasive transcranial pulse stimulation to reduce childhood autism symptoms.

“Studies have been done which have documented that the induction therapy, which is six sessions over two weeks, lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, can reduce the childhood autism responsiveness scale by 25 per cent,” Dr Gayle said. “The higher that scale is, the more affected the child is with autism, and after the induction therapy, that scale is reduced by 25 per cent.”

Addressing her audience at last Thursday’s launch of Everbrook Brain Institute’s assessment programme at Hargreaves Memorial Hospital in Mandeville, Dr Gayle pointed to the benefits of transcranial pulse stimulation for neurological conditions.

“There are other [autism] scales that have been used that have decreased by as much as 55 per cent, and the patient or child is actually able to enter that booster therapy, much like the patients with either Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s dementia until the milestone that is trying to be achieved is reached,” she said.

“This is the only centre in the entire Caribbean that is offering this therapy, and we want everyone to be aware of this. We intend to offer specialised services to train shadows so that the contact time that they have in school is fruitful,” she added, while pointing out that she intends to meet with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Tourism to highlight the benefits of transcranial pulse stimulation.

Dr Gayle noted that Everbrook was launched on March 10 with its first location at 80 Lady Musgrave Road in St Andrew. The expansion of services to central Jamaica is pivotal to assist patients in need of assessment.

“Autism spectrum disorder is on the rise, and we have heard the cries of parents, caregivers, shadows, school systems, because the wait lists are long for assessments. There are only a few centres offering this capacity. We have our in-service neurodevelopmental psychologist Ashakee Mahabeer. She is United Kingdom-trained with specialisation in autism and ADHD [attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder], and is capable of doing the assessments,” said Dr Gayle.

The audience at the launch of Everbrook Brain Institute and Cognitive Clinic’s assessment services at Hargreaves Memorial Hospital in Mandeville. (Photo: Kasey Williams)