MNRI stands for Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration. It was developed by Dr. Svetlana Musgatova, a psychologist out of Russia who felt that the preferred cognitive approach was insufficient when working with children, particularly those who have been through trauma.
As she developed her method, her research lead her to the work of reflex and developmental techniques.
This ultimately became the foundation of her work, focusing on developmental movement and reflex integration which proves to facilitate sensory-motor processing and emotional recovery.
Her work expanded to a wider demographic of not only children but also adults with pathologies and/or trauma at the brain and central nervous system. The pathologies and trauma can occur in utero, at birth or during infancy prior to reflex maturation which can cause the central nervous system, sensory system and motor systems to be compromised.
Every human inherits primary movement patterns in utero. These brain stem level patterns are innately protective and essential to survival as we grow in utero, during birth and serve as a neurological foundation for development of learned sensory-motor movement patterns as an infant. In fact, they continue to support our development through out our lifespan.
When a child encounters an event or pathology that interrupts the integration of our primitive reflex the brain can get “stuck” at the brain stem level resulting reduced access to higher level motor skills, social-emotional development and learning. According to Dr. Musgatova and the MRNI approach, reflexes are categorized and defined based on their role in protection/survival, motor action, and level of neurophysiological circuits. Reflex can be defined as simple or complex and further categorized at central dynamic, central postural, peripheral dynamic and peripheral postural (2013, 2019, Svetlana Musgatova & Svetlana Musgatova Educational Institute for Neuro-Sensory-Motor and Reflex Integration).
Like all modalities and various therapeutic approaches, MNRI assesses the child as an individual, taking into consideration their motor, emotional and sensory performance and needs. MNRI can make up an entire session or it can be coupled with motor exercises to promote the functional use or integration of certain reflexes.
If you would like to learn more about MNRI, please visit their website or ask your NAPA therapist!
