In the first episode of 2025, Dr. Melillo and Dr. Scire discuss habit formation, goal setting and manifestation from a neurological perspective. Throughout their conversation they explain how different parts of the right and left brain contribute to these functions, especially the prefrontal cortex and the basal ganglia. Dr. Melillo shares how to apply the Goal, Purpose, Action (GPA) program he wrote about in the Reconnected Kids for yourself and child.

So many children are currently being diagnosed with Anxiety, OCD, Motor tics and other hyperkinetic behaviors. In this new episode Dr. Melillo and Dr. Scire expand on prior conversations about the right and left hemisphere’s specialization. They discuss specific pathways within each hemisphere and how they are responsible for these various symptoms.

Key Points:

• The Platform of Behavior: Approach and Avoidance
• Review of Right and Left hemisphere Emotions
• Early Development of the Right Hemisphere
• Review of Basal Ganglia Pathways and how they influence human motor, cognitive and emotional functions.
• Discussion of the 5 major frontal-striatal brain circuitry
• Right and left hemisphere personalities
• Case Review of teenager with motor tics and hyperactive immune responses.

Over the past several episodes, Dr. Melillo and Dr. Scire have discussed the developmental blueprint of the human brain. In this episode, they elaborated on the early development of the brain during gestation, the first several years of life and how these various stages of development allow the brain to build the complex networks that operate social engagement, emotional regulation, executive functions and human consciousness.

Key Topics:

•  The right brain’s role in attachment, social engagement, nonverbal communication and emotional regulation.
•  Explanation of the development of the autonomic nervous system in the first year of life.
• Why is movement during early childhood so critical for the brain?
• How does the brain modulate the development of the gastrointestinal system?
•  What are the early signs of alterations in the developmental brain blueprint?
•  How does bipedalism drive the emergent properties of the human brain?
•  Discuss the role of the vestibular system in movement and cognition.
• The role of hemispheric function on the autonomic nervous system and the immune system.

In the previous episode of Everything Brain, Dr. Melillo and Dr. Scire discussed how the Melillo Method can change the brain. During this episode they discuss how the changes in the brain don't often look good while a child undergoes the Melillo Method protocols. Oftentimes there are emotional, behavioral and even metabolic transitions that appear to be negative while the brain is being stimulated. Dr. Melillo and Dr. Scire explain why these changes appear to be negative but in fact are positive developmental changes as well as demonstrate how parents/caregivers can use the Reconnected Kids book to know what to expect during these developmental stages.

One of the first questions parents often ask Dr. Melillo is how does the Melillo Method approach change my child's brain? In this episode of Everything Brain, Dr. Melillo explains exactly how his approach can change the brain by harnessing the principles of neuroplasticity to improve the functional capabilities of the brain of a child with a developmental delay. Dr. Melillo and Dr. Scire discusses how they determine what areas of the brain are underdeveloped in the brain and then how they choose which Melillo Method therapies they will use to stimulate the brain to promote neuroplasticity within those areas and the entire brain.

Over the past few decades pop culture has created numerous lists to describe the functions of the right and left hemispheres. However, many of these lists have created more misconceptions regarding the 2 hemispheres than clarity. During this episode of Everything Brain, Dr. Melillo and Dr. Scire tackle these misconceptions by providing an in-depth perspective on brain laterality research over the past several decades while also discussing several books that have been written on brain lateralization by the acclaimed psychiatrist Dr. Iain McGilchrist.

Welcome back to the Melillo Method Podcast, it’s now been several weeks since the 3rd Edition of the Disconnected Kids book was released. The excitement surrounding this edition is at an all-time high. During this episode Dr. Melillo and Dr. Scire discuss the new chapters on primitive reflexes that explain the new research conducted by Dr. Melillo’s research team as well how impactful retained primitive reflexes are to the developmental blueprint of a child's brain. In addition, Dr. Melillo and Dr. Scire highlight how to use the Melillo Method home assessment to determine if your child has a developmental brain imbalance.

How does telling some they have ADHD help them understand what is going on inside their brain? Is it possible the symptoms and gifts that they possess are really a difference in the developmental maturation of their 2 hemispheres? Could immaturity in either hemisphere be responsible for attentional issues, hyperactivity, and impulsivity? Dr. Melillo and his colleague Dr. Scire will explore how each hemisphere has a role in the various forms of attention while also discussing how the symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity, tics that are present in ADHD are because pathways from the frontal lobes are developmental immature. 

Finally, the new edition of the Disconnected Kids is available. 15 years after its initial release the new edition expands on the extensive research and clinical work that Dr. Melillo conducted while pursuing his PhD. Dr. Melillo catches up with Dr. Scire to discuss the contents of the new book but also takes us back on how the original book came about and the impact that the book has had world wide over these past 15 years. 

How often do we use the expression “timing is everything”? In the human brain it literally is! Dr. Melillo, co-host Dr. Scire and CEO of Interactive Metronome Matt Wukasch discuss how a computerized metronome device which arouse from a musician’s need to help other musicians keep time can now help clinicians and therapists reestablish abnormal timing within the brain networks that oversee executive functions, attention, speech, sensory and motor functions and much more.