Daniel Amen, M.D. - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Daniel Amen, M.D.

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs., Jun 2008

The goal of this study was to test whether clinician-rated regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) as... more The goal of this study was to test whether clinician-rated regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) as rendered by SPECT imaging is a meaningful predictor of patient response to CNS stimulants. Chart reviews were used to identify patients who reported prior significant positive and negative responses to CNS stimulants. Each patient in the study had received resting and concentration SPECT scans using Tc99m exametazime. Differences in cerebral blood flow for frontal regions of interest were assessed in three conditions (resting, concentration, and their difference, or "delta") using ANCOVAs and age-matched ANOVAs. Prefrontal pole deltas were found to be highly sensitive and specific predictors of response to CNS stimulants, with pole activation predicting adverse responses and pole deactivation predicting good responses. Positive and negative predictive values were greater than .75 for both poles. We conclude that SPECT renderings of rCBF, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, are a potentially powerful clinical tool for anticipating response to stimulant medications, both positive and adverse.

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The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences , 2009

The authors compared regional cerebral blood flow in the brains of 12 psychiatric patients who co... more The authors compared regional cerebral blood flow in the brains of 12 psychiatric patients who completed the act of suicide with groups of healthy and nonsuicidal depressed subjects using statistical parametric mapping. Results were consistent with prior imaging studies on depression and were indicative of impaired impulse control and limbic dysregulation, including significant perfusion deficits in the medial prefrontal and subgenual areas (Brodmann's areas 11, 25) and ventral tegmentum. These results warrant further research.

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Consciousness and Cognition, Dec 2010

We have studied a number of long-term meditators in previous studies. The purpose of this study w... more We have studied a number of long-term meditators in previous studies. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in baseline brain function of experienced meditators compared to non-meditators. All subjects were recruited as part of an ongoing study of different meditation practices. We evaluated 12 advanced meditators and 14 non-meditators with cerebral blood flow (CBF) SPECT imaging at rest. Images were analyzed with both region of interest and statistical parametric mapping. The CBF of long-term meditators was significantly higher (p < .05) compared to non-meditators in the prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, thalamus, putamen, caudate, and midbrain. There was also a significant difference in the thalamic laterality with long-term meditators having greater asymmetry. The observed changes associated with long-term meditation appear in structures that underlie the attention network and also those that relate to emotion and autonomic function.

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The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 2011

The authors recruited 100 active and former National Football League players, representing 27 tea... more The authors recruited 100 active and former National Football League players, representing 27 teams and all positions. Players underwent a clinical history, brain SPECT imaging, qEEG, and multiple neuropsychological measures, including MicroCog. Relative to a healthy-comparison group, players showed global decreased perfusion, especially in the prefrontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, and cerebellar regions. Quantitative EEG findings were consistent, showing elevated slow waves in the frontal and temporal regions. Significant decreases from normal values were found in most neuropsychological tests. This is the first large-scale brain-imaging study to demonstrate significant differences consistent with a chronic brain trauma pattern in professional football players.

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Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Jan 2011

Brain injuries are common in professional American football players. Finding effective rehabilita... more Brain injuries are common in professional American football players. Finding effective rehabilitation strategies can have widespread implications not only for retired players but also for patients with traumatic brain injury and substance abuse problems. An open label pragmatic clinical intervention was conducted in an outpatient neuropsychiatric clinic with 30 retired NFL players who demonstrated brain damage and cognitive impairment. The study included weight loss (if appropriate); fish oil (5.6 grams a day); a high-potency multiple vitamin; and a formulated brain enhancement supplement that included nutrients to enhance blood flow (ginkgo and vinpocetine), acetylcholine (acetyl-l-carnitine and huperzine A), and antioxidant activity (alpha-lipoic acid and n-acetyl-cysteine). The trial average was six months. Outcome measures were Microcog Assessment of Cognitive Functioning and brain SPECT imaging. In the retest situation, corrected for practice effect, there were statistically significant increases in scores of attention, memory, reasoning, information processing speed and accuracy on the Microcog. The brain SPECT scans, as a group, showed increased brain perfusion, especially in the prefrontal cortex, parietal lobes, occipital lobes, anterior cingulate gyrus and cerebellum. This study demonstrates that cognitive and cerebral blood flow improvements are possible in this group with multiple interventions.

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Nature Publishing Group: Open, May 2011

Obesity is a risk factor for stroke and neurodegenerative disease. Excess body fat has been linke... more Obesity is a risk factor for stroke and neurodegenerative disease. Excess body fat has been linked to impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and impulsivity and may be a precursor to decline in attention and executive cognitive function. Here, we investigated the effects of high BMI on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging in healthy subjects. A total of 16 adult men and 20 adult women were recruited from the community between January 2003 and July 2009 as part of a healthy brain study (HBS) conducted at the Amen Clinics, a private medical facility. Participants in the study were screened to exclude medical, neurological, and psychiatric conditions, including substance abuse. Subjects were categorized as normal or overweight according to BMI. Using a two sample t-test, we determined the effects of BMI on rCBF in normal vs. overweight subjects. Subjects were matched for age and gender. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) revealed a higher BMI in healthy individuals that is associated with decreased rCBF in Broadmann areas 8, 9, 10, 11, 32, and 44, brain regions involved in attention, reasoning, and executive function (P < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons). We found that an elevated BMI is associated with decreased rCBF in the prefrontal cortex of a healthy cohort. These results indicate that elevated BMI may be a risk factor for decreased prefrontal cortex function and potentially impaired executive function.

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Translational Psychiatry , Aug 2011

Suicide has a high comorbidity with impulsivity and depression, and ﬁnding imaging biomarkers ind... more Suicide has a high comorbidity with impulsivity and depression, and ﬁnding imaging biomarkers indicative of patients at high
risk for suicidal behavior is invaluable to the clinician. Using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging,
we have previously reported regional cerebral blood ﬂow (rCBF) decreases in the medial prefrontal cortex, ventral tegmental area
and subgenual cingulate cortex (Brodmann area 25 (BA 25)), a region found to be hypoperfused with treatment-resistant
depression. From 2007 to 2010, we have extended our analysis to include nine additional completed suicides. In all, 27 healthy,
age- and gender-matched subjects from a previously acquired healthy brain study served as controls to our 21 completed
suicides. All 21 suicides had been previously diagnosed with depression according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorder-IV criterion. Voxel-by-voxel analyses were performed using statistical parametric mapping to compare
the differences in technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime brain uptake between the groups. Factor analysis of the
data identiﬁed the top 10 regions of hypoperfusion in the suicidal group, including the bilateral superior frontal lobes, the right
precuneus, the rolandic operculum, postcentral gyrus, left caudate and insular cortex. We also demonstrate more focal
decreases in rCBF in the subgenual cingulate cortex (BA 25) in 18 subjects, supporting our previous hypothesis that
hypoperfusion of BA 25 may be a risk factor for suicide in depressed patients. This work suggests that SPECT might be useful in
predicting risk for suicide completion in subjects with depression or treatment-resistant depression. Further investigation of this
work is necessary to better understand the predictive value of this ﬁnding.

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JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA, Jan 2012

This is a preliminary report on the safety and efficacy of 1.5 ATA hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO... more This is a preliminary report on the safety and efficacy of 1.5 ATA hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in military subjects with chronic blast-induced mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI)/post-concussion syndrome (PCS) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sixteen military subjects received 40 1.5 ATA/60 min HBOT sessions in 30 days. Symptoms, physical and neurological exams, SPECT brain imaging, and neuropsychological and psychological testing were completed before and within 1 week after treatment. Subjects experienced reversible middle ear barotrauma (5), transient deterioration in symptoms (4), and reversible bronchospasm (1); one subject withdrew. Post-treatment testing demonstrated significant improvement in: symptoms, neurological exam, full-scale IQ (+14.8 points; p<0.001), WMS IV Delayed Memory (p=0.026), WMS-IV Working Memory (p=0.003), Stroop Test (p<0.001), TOVA Impulsivity (p=0.041), TOVA Variability (p=0.045), Grooved Pegboard (p=0.028), PCS symptoms (Rivermead PCSQ: p=0.0002), PTSD symptoms (PCL-M: p<0.001), depression (PHQ-9: p<0.001), anxiety (GAD-7: p=0.007), quality of life (MPQoL: p=0.003), and self-report of percent of normal (p<0.001), SPECT coefficient of variation in all white matter and some gray matter ROIs after the first HBOT, and in half of white matter ROIs after 40 HBOT sessions, and SPECT statistical parametric mapping analysis (diffuse improvements in regional cerebral blood flow after 1 and 40 HBOT sessions). Forty 1.5 ATA HBOT sessions in 1 month was safe in a military cohort with chronic blast-induced PCS and PTSD. Significant improvements occurred in symptoms, abnormal physical exam findings, cognitive testing, and quality-of-life measurements, with concomitant significant improvements in SPECT.

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The Open Neuroimaging Journal, Jul 2011

Over the past 20 years brain Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging has devel... more Over the past 20 years brain Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging has developed a substantial, evidence-based foundation and is now recommended by professional societies for numerous indications relevant to psychiatric practice. Unfortunately, SPECT in clinical practice is utilized by only a handful of clinicians. This article presents a rationale for a more widespread use of SPECT in clinical practice for complex cases, and includes seven clinical applications where it may help optimize patient care.

Keywords: Brain SPECT, evidence based, brain trauma, dementia, toxicity, complex cases.

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Translocational Psychiatry , Jan 2012

Obesity is a risk factor for neurodegenerative disease and has been shown to adversely affect cog... more Obesity is a risk factor for neurodegenerative disease and has been shown to adversely affect cognitive function. Professional athletes who participate in sports, which expose them to repetitive concussions, may be at heightened risk for cognitive impairment. Here, we investigated the effects of body mass as measured by waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) on regional cerebral blood flow using single-photon emission computed tomography imaging in 38 healthy weight (WHtR mean 49.34±2.8; age 58±9.6) and 38 overweight (WHtR mean 58.7±4.7; age 58±13.3) retired National Football League football players. After matching for age and position, we used a two sample t-test to determine the differences in blood flow in healthy versus overweight subjects. Statistical parametric mapping revealed a higher WHtR ratio is associated with decreased blood flow in Brodmann areas 8, 9 and 10, brain regions involved in attention, reasoning and executive function (P<0.05, family-wise error) along with deficits in the temporal pole. Moreover, overweight athletes had significant decrease in attention (P=0.01326), general cognitive proficiency (P=0.012; Microcog: Assessment of Cognitive Functioning) and memory (P=0.005; Mild Cognitive Impairment Screen). The association between elevated WHtR percentage and decreased blood flow in the prefrontal cortex and temporal pole may be correlated with the decreased performance on tests of attention and memory. These findings suggest that a weight management program may be critical to the health of athletes who have been exposed to mild brain trauma during their careers.

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Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Jan 2012

Brain SPECT imaging is a nuclear medicine study that uses isotopes bound to neurospecific pharmac... more Brain SPECT imaging is a nuclear medicine study that uses isotopes bound to neurospecific pharmaceuticals to evaluate regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and indirectly metabolic activity. With current available technology and knowledge SPECT has the potential to add important clinical information to benefit patient care in many different areas of a substance abuse practice, including in the area of process addictions. This article explores the ways brain SPECT has the potential to be useful to clinicians in helping to understand and direct treatment for complex cases of obesity and sexual addictions. Areas where SPECT can add value include helping clinicians ask betterquestions, helping them in making more complete diagnoses, evaluating underlying brain systems pathology, decreasing stigma and increasing compliance, and visualizing effectiveness via follow-up evaluations. In particular, SPECT can help in identifying and assessing the issue of brain trauma and toxicity in process addictions, which may be significant contributing factors in treatment failure. Three illustrative case histories will be given.

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Journal of Psychoactive Drugs , Apr 2012

Our objective was to ascertain in a prospective case series how often brain single photon emissio... more Our objective was to ascertain in a prospective case series how often brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) neuroimaging adds relevant information for diagnosis and/or treatment beyond current standard assessment tools in complex psychiatric cases. Charts of 109 consecutively evaluated outpatients from four psychiatrics clinics that routinely utilize SPECT imaging for complex cases were analyzed in two stages. In stage one, psychiatrists reviewed detailed clinical histories, mental status exams, and the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV, but not the results of SPECT studies, assigned a diagnosis based on DSM-IV criteria, and then developed a comprehensive treatment plan. In stage two, evaluators were given access to the SPECT studies for each patient. The addition of SPECT modified the diagnosis or treatment plan in 78.9% (n=86; rated level 2 or 3 change) of cases. The most clinically significant changes were undetected brain trauma (22.9%), toxicity patterns (22.9%) and the need for a structural imaging study (9.2%). Specific functional abnormalities were seen as follows that potentially could impact treatment: temporal lobe dysfunction (66.1%) and prefrontal hypoperfusion (47.7%). SPECT has the potential to add clinically meaningful information to enhance patient care beyond current assessment tools in complex or treatment resistant cases.

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Advanced Mind Body Medicine , 2013

Background: Psychiatric diagnoses are made primarily through clinical histories, with psychiatris... more Background: Psychiatric diagnoses are made primarily through clinical histories, with psychiatrists searching for DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)-driven symptom clusters, and outcomes for patients have not substantially improved in decades for many disorders.
PRIMARY STUDY OBJECTIVE:
In this study, the research team examined the outcome impact of the addition of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to the assessment of complex patients.
DESIGN:
The research team designed a multisite, prospective, 6-mo outcome study. The study was completed after final outcome measures were obtained on 500 participants.
SETTING:
The study occurred in four psychiatric clinics, the Amen Clinics in Newport Beach and San Francisco, CA; Bellevue, WA; and Reston, VA.
PARTICIPANTS:
Participants were new outpatients at the four clinics who were entered into the study between January 2011 and August 2012.
PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES:
Evaluations included (1) histories, (2) mental-status examinations, (3) a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV), (4) the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), (5) the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), (6) the Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI), and (7) brain SPECT scans during rest and concentration. At 6 mo, standardized outcome measurements were readministered (BDI-II, BSI, QOLI), and the research team asked questions about improvement and compliance.
RESULTS:
Seventy-five percent of participants reported significant clinical improvement; 55% reported being "very compliant," 41% "somewhat compliant," and 4% "noncompliant." Significant improvements were observed across all three assessments: (1) BDI, 360 out of 500 (72%) participants decreased, mean difference=-6.92; (2) BSI, 367 out of 461 (80%) participants decreased, mean difference=-0.39.; (3) QOLI, 427 (85%) of participants improved) at 6 mo (Hotelling T2=460; P<.0001), mean difference=+1.65. Net improvement was measured at 81% (n=405).
CONCLUSIONS:
To the research team's knowledge, this study is the first outcome study of complex psychiatric patients using SPECT as an additional diagnostic tool and demonstrating significant improvement. Further studies comparing the addition of brain SPECT to "treatment as usual" groups are warranted.

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Abstract Purpose: This systematic review evaluated the clinical utility of single photon emissio... more Abstract
Purpose: This systematic review evaluated the clinical utility of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in
traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Methods: After defining a PICO Statement (Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome Statement), PRISMA
(Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) criteria were applied to identify 1600 articles. After
screening, 374 articles were eligible for review. Inclusion for review was focus on SPECT in the setting of mild, moderate, or
severe TBI with cerebral lobar specificity of SPECT findings. Other inclusion criteria were comparison modalities in the same
subjects and articles in English. Foreign language articles, SPECT studies that did not include comparison modalities, and
case reports were not included for review.
Results: We identified 19 longitudinal and 52 cross-sectional studies meeting inclusion criteria. Three longitudinal studies
examined diagnostic predictive value. The first showed positive predictive value increases from initial SPECT scan shortly
after trauma to one year follow up scans, from 59% to 95%. Subsequent work replicated these results in a larger cohort.
Longitudinal and cross sectional studies demonstrated SPECT lesion localization not detected by CT or MRI. The most
commonly abnormal regions revealed by SPECT in cross-sectional studies were frontal (94%) and temporal (77%) lobes.
SPECT was found to outperform both CT and MRI in both acute and chronic imaging of TBI, particularly mild TBI. It was also
found to have a near 100% negative predictive value.
Conclusions: This review demonstrates Level IIA evidence (at least one non-randomized controlled trial) for the value of
SPECT in TBI. Given its advantages over CT and MRI in the detection of mild TBI in numerous studies of adequate quality,
and given its excellent negative predictive value, it may be an important second test in settings where CT or MRI are
negative after a closed head injury with post-injury neurological or psychiatric symptoms.
Citation: Raji CA, Tarzwell R, Pavel D, Schneider H, Uszler M, et al. (2014) Clinical Utility of SPECT Neuroimaging in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Traumatic Brain
Injury: A Systematic Review. PLoS ONE 9(3): e91088. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0091088
Editor: Jie Tian, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Received September 3, 2013; Accepted February 10, 2014; Published March 19, 2014
Copyright: 2014 Raji et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Funding: The authors have no support or funding to report.
Competing Interests:John Thornton is affiliated to Rossiter-Thornton Associates and Howard Schneider to Sheppard Associates. Muriel van Lierop belongs to a
private practice corporation which has no research funding. Dr. Uszler is Medical Director of Drspectscan.com and co-owner of Neuro-Luminance Corp, both of
which are clinical service corporations with no research funding. Dr. Pavel is Director of PathFinder Brain SPECT which is a clinical service corporation providing
SPECT functional neuroimaging and has no research funding. Dr. Amen is owner of Amen Clinics, which provides SPECT functional neuroimaging and other
diagnostic and clinical services. Dr. Henderson is President and owner of Dr. Theodore Henderson, Inc. and The Synaptic Space and co-owner of Neuro-Luminance
Corp, which are clinical service or consulting corporations with no research funding. Drs. Raji, Tarzwell, and Cohen have no conflicts of interest or financial
disclosures. This does not alter the authors’ adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.
* E-mail: thesynapticspace7@gmail.com
"
President of The International Society of Applied Neuroimaging.

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Teaching Documents by Daniel Amen, M.D.

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In this animation, Founder of the Amen Clinics, Daniel G. Amen, M.D. outlines the Amen Clinics Me... more In this animation, Founder of the Amen Clinics, Daniel G. Amen, M.D. outlines the Amen Clinics Method of integrative psychiatric care and how it offers hope. Using innovative and personal care, our outcomes consistently demonstrate improvement for patients -- including many who have tried and failed prior treatment.

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Journal of Psychoactive Drugs., Jun 2008

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The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences , 2009

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Consciousness and Cognition, Dec 2010

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The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 2011

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Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Jan 2011

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Nature Publishing Group: Open, May 2011

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Translational Psychiatry , Aug 2011

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JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA, Jan 2012

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The Open Neuroimaging Journal, Jul 2011

Keywords: Brain SPECT, evidence based, brain trauma, dementia, toxicity, complex cases.

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Translocational Psychiatry , Jan 2012

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Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Jan 2012

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Journal of Psychoactive Drugs , Apr 2012

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Advanced Mind Body Medicine , 2013

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A revolutionary approach to treating anxiety and depressive disorders Daniel G. Amen, M.D. and... more A revolutionary approach to treating anxiety and depressive disorders

Daniel G. Amen, M.D. and Lisa C. Routh, M.D.

Anxiety and depression are not the result of bad character or weak will. When either are diagnosed and treated correctly, the quality of life for millions of suffers, and their families, can change dramatically.

Healing Anxiety and Depression is based on the authors' discoveries that

Anxiety and Depression commonly occur together
These illnesses are, in large part, the result of brain dysfunction
These illnesses occur as specific types related to multiple brain-system problems
Dr. Amen and Dr. Routh explain the science behind these discoveries in terms that will be understood and appreciated by both those who suffer from these illnesses and the clinicians who treat them. Case histories include before-and-after brain SPECT scans of individuals who have been successfully treated.

A detailed questionnaire enables readers to identify which type of disorder they (or someone they know) may have. A proven treatment protocol is described for each of seven major categories.

Those who suffer from anxiety and depression will find this ground-breaking resource a powerful tool that will provide help and hope today.

Healing Anxiety and Depression

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How to Be Your Best in School by Daniel G. Amen, M.D. Students who are struggling in school,... more How to Be Your Best in School
by Daniel G. Amen, M.D.

Students who are struggling in school, or excellent students who want to become more effective: this book is for you!

To go from being an average student in high school, to graduating “Summa Cum Laude” with highest honors from college and second in his medical school class, Dr. Amen understands what it takes to change habits and find success in school. He has outlined these principles in The Secrets of Successful Students, and now he’s sharing these "secrets" with you.

This book will teach you how to:

Recognize and change bad study habits
Prepare for classes, decrease overall study time
Organize your class work, your time and yourself
Choose the BEST study methods suited to YOUR personality and needs
Get the most from lectures and your notes
Memorize faster with longer retention
Use a study partner to maximize your study efforts
Use teachers as your most valuable resource
Skillfully prepare for and take exams
Improve writing and speaking skills
For students from 6th grade to graduate school and beyond a brilliant way to get the most out of every learning moment!

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The Brain In Love: 12 Lessons to Enhance Your Love Life by Dr. Daniel G. Amen Formerly titled... more The Brain In Love: 12 Lessons to Enhance Your Love Life
by Dr. Daniel G. Amen

Formerly titled: Sex on the Brain

What is the most important sex organ in the human body? The brain! And in this case, size does matter: A healthy brain increases your chances for intimacy and great sex. Daniel G. Amen, M.D., the bestselling author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life and Magnificent Mind At Any Age, helps us understand our most intimate relationships with The Brain In Love: 12 Lessons to Enhance Your Love Life (Harmony Books; 2009).

With the most up-to-date information available, Dr. Daniel Amen reveals everything there is to know about the brain in love and lust, including:

How sex can prevent heart disease, improve memory, stave off cancer, and boost the immune system
Advice for men and women on how to successfully navigate the differences between the male and female brains
How the chemistry of attraction, attachment, commitment, and detachment influences ”brain-smart” or “brain dumb” relationships
Techniques to fix common brain problems that hinder our sexual satisfaction
How to make ourselves unforgettable to our partners
Behaviors that help the brain and increase your chances for more passion
An internationally recognized expert on the brain (he is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist by training), Amen outlines in an accessible and clear format exactly how the average person can enhance his or her love life, based on 12 lessons gleaned from modern brain science.

What sets Dr. Amen’s research apart is that his findings are based on the pioneering use of advance medical imaging to see exactly how his patients’ brains are functioning—or malfunctioning. Dr. Amen’s treatments for his patients are as varied as can be, and include everything from vitamin therapy to relaxation exercises to surgery, but instead of guessing what will help a patient’s problem, he bases his diagnosis and treatment plan on a careful comparison of thousands of brain scans. He is generally acknowledged as the leader in this emerging technology. With over 50,000 images, the Amen Clinic has amassed the largest collection of brain scans in the country.

The Brain In Love will prove to be an important contribution in helping Americans achieve optimum satisfaction in their sex lives.

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Are you chained to your addiction to smoking? Drinking? Sugar? Drugs? Food? Prescription painkill... more Are you chained to your addiction to smoking? Drinking? Sugar? Drugs? Food? Prescription painkillers? Caffeine? Internet porn? Gambling? Sex?

When you are chained by an addiction, it can ruin your life, devastate your family, destroy your relationships, derail your career, lower your grades, and make you physically ill.

Do you want to break free from your addictions?

Then you need to optimize your brain. The brain plays a central role in your vulnerability to addiction and your ability to recover. Brain dysfunction is the number-one reason why people fall victim to addiction, why they can’t break the chains of addiction, and why they relapse.

Optimizing your brain is the key to breaking free from your addictions.

Unchain Your Brain: 10 Steps to Breaking the Addictions that Steal Your Life is a practical, easy-to-follow, step-by-step program that shows you how to boost your brain so you can kick your bad habits.

In this book, you will discover:

How addictions get stuck in your brain, how to get them unstuck, and how to find lasting motivation to change
Why brain imaging changes everything, even if you never get a scan
How to get the right evaluation to ensure that you can heal from your addictions
The six different types of addiction based on brain types: why all addicts are NOT the same and how to find the best treatment solutions for you based on your brain type
Strategies to boost your brain to get control
Ways to lock up the craving monster that steals your life
Tips to eat right to think right and heal from your addiction
How to kill the addiction ANTs that infest your brain and keep you in chains
Ways to prevent relapse by following H-A-L-T plus brain science
How hypnosis and meditation can help you unchain your brain, including a 12-minute meditation and a real hypnosis session done by Dr. Amen

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Unleash the Power of the Female Brain: Supercharging Yours for Better Health, Energy, Mood, Focus... more Unleash the Power of the Female Brain: Supercharging Yours for Better Health, Energy, Mood, Focus, and Sex is a guide on how to strengthen, optimize and heal the most important part of you: your brain. Specifically you will learn how to harness the unique strengths of the female brain – intuition, collaboration, empathy and a little worry -- and how to overcome some of its inherent vulnerabilities, such as depression and being unable to turn your brain off.

The book will help you end the confusion regarding hormones, get your cravings under control, no matter where you are in your cycle, and optimize your brain for love, sex and relationships. Plus, the book will help you get your brain ready for babies, and give you insight into how to raise them in a brain healthy way. It will give you 12 simple hour-long exercises to assess, train and strengthen your brain. It’s the only owner’s manual you will ever need for your female brain.

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The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life by Pastor Rick Warren, Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Mark ... more The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life by Pastor Rick Warren, Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Mark Hyman maps an innovative approach to achieving a healthy lifestyle where you get better together by optimizing your health within five key life areas:

FAITH ✚ FOOD ✚ FITNESS ✚ FOCUS ✚ FRIENDS

Each element was designed to support and influence the others, providing an achievable healthy focus for anyone.

The program was developed and originated at Saddleback Church in 2011, and within the first year, more than 15,000 church members lost a collective of more than 250,000 pounds! The collective weight loss was met with dramatic decreases in health issues and stress and increases in spiritual growth and energy.

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Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is a national health crisis that continues to grow—yet it remain... more Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is a national health crisis that continues to grow—yet it remains one of the most misunderstood and incorrectly treated illnesses today. Neuropsychiatrist Daniel G. Amen, MD was one of the first to identify that there are multiple types beyond just purely hyperactive or inattentive ADD, each requiring a different treatment. Now, in this all-new, revised edition, Dr. Amen again employs the latest medical advances in the field, including the largest brain imaging study ever completed on patients with ADD, to identify, examine, and demystify the 7 distinct types of ADD and their specific treatments.

With updated recommendations for nutraceuticals and/or medications targeted to brain type, diet, exercise, lifestyle interventions, cognitive reprogramming, parenting and educational strategies, neurofeedback, and more, Dr. Amen’s revolutionary approach provides a treatment program that can lead sufferers of ADD to a normal, peaceful, and fully functional life.

Sufferers from ADD often say, “The harder I try, the worse it gets.” Dr. Amen tells them, for the first time, why, and more importantly how to heal ADD.

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A breakthrough program for conquering anxiety, depression, obsessiveness, anger and impulsiveness... more A breakthrough program for conquering anxiety, depression, obsessiveness, anger and impulsiveness

Daniel G. Amen, M.D.

If you’ve been struggling unsuccessfully to overcome a problem, this book is for you! Your inability to change probably isn’t for lack of trying, thinking, or motivation. You’ve most likely never had the right answers or the right tools . . .

Research shows that these problems are related to the physiology of the brain. And the good news is there’s compelling proof that you can fix what’s wrong for many problems!

This book can teach all about the brain systems and what mental disorder correlate with each different part of your brain, for a more individualized treatment plan. Follow Dr. Amen as he takes you through each case study and shows you how each disorder can affect each person differently.

Do you feel like you suffer from any of these symptoms?

Plagued by anxiety? The problem may lie in your basal ganglia...
Trouble focusing? It could be that your prefrontal cortex needs attention...
Difficulty connecting with others? Perhaps it’s a deep limbic problem...
Temper out of control? You temporal lobes may be to blame...
At last, here are the answers you’ve been looking for. You can optimize your brain to achieve your fullest potential today. If you’ve been thinking your problems are “all in your head” . . . and purely psychological, this book will be a breath of fresh air!

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life

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Best-selling author and Medical Director of the world famous Amen Clinics Daniel G. Amen, M.D., h... more Best-selling author and Medical Director of the world famous Amen Clinics Daniel G. Amen, M.D., has developed a revolutionary way to achieve your personal and professional goals. Unlike most self-help books, which focus on challenging people to change their attitudes, Dr. Amen argues that the real key to maximizing success is a healthy, balanced brain. He shares the most up-to-date research to show you ten ways to boost your ability to bounce back from adversity, how to think more independently and creatively, and much more. He also shows how diet, exercise, and supplements can treat such brain-related illnesses as depression, bipolar disorder, ADD, and anxiety. For readers looking for all-natural ways to overcome these mental challenges, those looking to improve their personal and professional lives, or anyone interested in what the latest data tells us about the brain, Magnificent Mind At Any Age is an eye-opening account that can help people take charge of their success.

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A simple step-by-step program to boost your brain in order to lose weight and keep it off for a l... more A simple step-by-step program to boost your brain in order to lose weight and keep it off for a lifetime

Have you tried diet after diet without success?

Most diets don’t address the #1 secret about successful weight loss: If you want a better body the first place to ALWAYS start is by having a better brain.

Your brain and your weight are intricately connected. If you want to lose weight—and keep it off—you need to have a healthy brain. In The Amen Solution bestselling author and brain expert Dr. Daniel Amen shares his LIFETIME weight loss program based on healthy brain habits that has been followed successfully by hundreds of people at his clinics.

IF YOU WANT TO BE THINNER, SMARTER AND HAPPIER THIS PROGRAM IS FOR YOU.

Based on the most up-to-date research, Dr. Amen shows you how to:

Determine your specific brain type and the diet plan that’s right for you
Say goodbye to emotional overeating and shed pounds
Curb your cravings and boost willpower
Improve your cognition, memory, and mood
Make small lifestyle changes that have a huge impact on weight loss
Prepare easy, delicious brain-healthy meals
Get control of your brain and body for the rest of your life
The Amen Solution will help you lose unwanted weight and teach you the strategies to keep it off for a lifetime.

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In this book, Dr. Amen reveals his breakthrough approach that will allow you to harness your brai... more In this book, Dr. Amen reveals his breakthrough approach that will allow you to harness your brain’s power to improve your body’s overall appearance and function. As his studies show, a healthy brain is the key to a better body and a better life. Your brain is the command and control center for your body, and your brain function is directly related to how your body looks, feels, and functions. If you want to lose the love handles, you have to get better frontal lobes. You want to say goodbye to all those headaches? You have to calm your brain. Turn back the clock and get rid of those wrinkles? You have to start by rejuvenating your brain.

When your brain isn’t functioning properly, that dysfunction manifests itself in your physical body. Because you can’t see your brain, however, you don’t do anything to fix the problem at its source, leading you to adopt quick fixes and temporary solutions that ultimately fail. In CHANGE YOUR BRAIN, CHANGE YOUR BODY, however, Dr. Amen takes you inside the brain to show you the ways in which you can harness its power to create the body you have always wanted. Whether you want to tighten your tummy, have younger-looking skin, boost your energy level, stop getting so many colds, or lower your blood pressure without having to take medicine, Dr. Amen’s eighteen easy-to-follow solutions will have you well on your way to success. Sample chapters include:

The Craving Solution — Use Your Brain to Increase Your Willpower and Calm the Urges That Prevent You From Achieving Your Goals
The Weight Solution — Use Your Brain to Achieve Your Optimal Weight
The Nutrition Solution — Feed Your Brain to Look and Feel Younger
The Focus and Energy Solution — Boost Your Energy to Stay on Track toward Your Goals
The Stress Solution — Relax Your Brain to Reduce Your Wrinkles and Improve Your Immune System
The Heart Solution — Use Your Brain to Strengthen and Soothe Your Heart
One size does not fit all, however, and CHANGE YOUR BRAIN, CHANGE YOUR BODY helps each individual reader navigate their brain to identify areas in need of improvement. Dr. Amen provides a customized, tailored approach to making positive changes, through treatments such as vitamin therapy, relaxation exercises, and physical activities, that will improve the way you look and feel. The brain controls everything you do: how you think, how you feel, how you act, and how you look. In order to get the body you have always wanted, your brain must work right and Dr. Amen shows you how to improve your brain’s health so you can have a better body.

In order to realize your goals in any area of life, your brain must work right and Dr. Amen shows you how to improve your brain’s health so that change can transcend into every facet of your life.

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THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH IS BETWEEN YOUR EARS. A healthy brain is the key to staying vibrant and ... more THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH IS BETWEEN YOUR EARS.

A healthy brain is the key to staying vibrant and alive for a long time, and in Use Your Brain to Change Your Age, bestselling author and brain expert Dr. Daniel G. Amen shares ten simple steps to boost your brain to help you live longer, look younger, and dramatically decrease your risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

Over the last twenty years at Amen Clinics, Dr. Amen has performed more than 70,000 brain scans on patients from ninety different countries. His brain imaging work has taught him that our brains typically become less active with age and we become more vulnerable to memory problems and depression. Yet, one of the most exciting lessons he has learned is that with a little forethought and a brain-smart plan, you can slow, or even reverse, the aging process in the brain.

Based on the approach that has helped thousands of people at Amen Clinics along with the most cutting-edge research, Dr. Amen’s breakthrough, easy-to-follow antiaging program shows you how to:

• Boost your memory, mood, attention, and energy
• Decrease your risk for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia
• Eat to live longer
• Reduce the outward signs of aging and make your skin more beautiful
• Promote the healing of brain damage due to injury, strokes, substance abuse, and toxic exposure
• Dramatically increase your chances of living longer and looking younger
• And much more.

By adopting the brain healthy strategies detailed in Use Your Brain to Change Your Age, you can outsmart your genes, put the brakes on aging, and even reverse the aging process. If you change your brain, you can change your life—and your age.

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In this impassioned talk, Dr. Amen confidently states why he continues to put all criticism aside... more In this impassioned talk, Dr. Amen confidently states why he continues to put all criticism aside and value SPECT imaging for its ability to enhance diagnostic accuracy and thereby improve the treatment outcomes for his patients:

“Before imaging, I was throwing darts in the dark and had unintentionally hurt patients, which horrified me. There is a reason that most psychiatric medications have black box warnings. If you give them to the wrong person you can precipitate a disaster.

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Dr. Amen discusses ways to help with addiction, overeating, etc.

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The Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference is an opportunity for leaders in the field of psychothe... more The Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference is an opportunity for leaders in the field of psychotherapy to present and interact, by discussing the evolution of their approaches and the evolution of psychotherapy in general. Presenting at the Evolution of Psychotherapy are experts, each of whom has made seminal contributions to the field of psychotherapy.

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Dr. Daniel Amen Speaks at The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) December 2011. Dr Ame... more Dr. Daniel Amen Speaks at The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) December 2011. Dr Amen goes into detail on how SPECT imaging is changing the face of psychiatric care, and how you can gain exclusive access to innovative resources and clinically proven methodologies to provide optimal brain health care in your practice.

The Amen Clinics combines comprehensive evaluations, SPECT imaging, and brain-healthy habits in our methodology for treating a variety of conditions. Our patient historians are adept at conducting interviews with patients that lead to previously-undisclosed health information. Next, SPECT technology captures data on the patient's brain. And finally, once we have obtained a greater understanding of the patient's cerebral health a customized treatment can be prescribed.

At the Amen Clinics, our approach to treatment is based on the patient's biological, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. We have many modalities to support each of these approaches which vary at each of our clinics. Some treatment options include: psychotherapy, marital and family counselling, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and neurofeedback.

For more information on how to refer patients to the Amen Clinics, please visit http://www.amenclinics.com/aaec/about... . We currently have six clinics throughout the United States. Each facility is staffed with psychiatrists and teams of highly-educated professionals, such as licensed Marriage & Family Therapists, nuclear medicine technologists, neuropsychologists, and more. To refer a patient, please contact the clinic of your choice and speak to the Clinic Manager. We look forward to working with you in delivering optimal results to your clients and patients.

UPDATE: NEW STUDY REPORTS 79% OF DIAGNOSIS AND/OR TREATMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT AFTER THE CLINICIANS REVIEWED SPECT IMAGES.

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