Critique of the neurophysiological model of dolphin assisted therapy - Sonophoresis and echolocation
A number of researchers (Birch, 1996; Cole, 1995, 1996; De Bergerac, 1998), claim a neurophysiological model in order to support therapeutic benefits of dolphin assisted therapy in treating various DSM-IV cognitive and emotional disorders in children and youth. The model is based on analogies with mechanisms of sonophoresis, echolocation and neurohormonal transmission during therapy. In order to demystify pseudo scientific elements in view of a non-specialized readership, the present article discusses the postulates and implications for each mechanism and concludes to the absence of reliable and valid support for this model.