VITAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR THE BRAIN
Nuclear Imaging of Brains
Nuclear Imaging Intro What is SPECT?
Images of Alcohol & Drug Abuse
Images of Brain Trauma & Injury
Images "Ring of Fire" Inflammation
IMAGES OF TREATMENT The Before & After Treatment
HOPE FOR HEALING
Reproduced with permission from Amen Clinics. <<Brain Nutrition intro
This is perhaps the most important section of this Brain Atlas. It shows actual images of treatment, the before and after SPECT images of our patients who have experienced significant benefit from treatment. This section highlights that in many cases the brain can be healed or optimized to produce greater function and subsequently a healthier, happier life.
The opening case history is one that was listed in a previous section. It is such an important and instructive case study that it warrants repeating.
Paranoid Schizophrenia - Before and After Risperdal
underside no meds 
w/meds
top down no meds 
w/meds
A 35-year-old man who had been living on the street was brought for evaluation by his mother. He had previously been diagnosed on many occassions with paranoid schizophrenia, but refused medication. His SPECT study revealed marked overall decreased activity throughout the cerebral cortex. Being able to see his own brain activity, represented by the 3D surface SPECT study above, was helpful for him. He agreed to take his medication under his mother's supervision. One month later, after significant clinical improvement on 4 mg of risperidone a day a repeat SPECT study was performed which showed improved overall cerebral perfusion. Being able to see the before and after SPECT studies side by side on the imaging computer monitor again was very encouraging to the patient and helped significantly with compliance.
left side no meds
w/meds
left side no meds
w/meds
Suicidal, Rage - Before and After Anafranil
Bob, a 48 year old married system analyst, came to see me because he had a problems with holding grudges, "getting stuck" into loops of negative thinking patterns, obsessive thoughts, moodiness, irritability, periodic intense suicidal thoughts and problems with anger control. "I am the anger broker of the valley," he reported during the initial session. His wife also reported episodes where Bob would often become upset about something, be unable to shift away from the thoughts which were upsetting him, lose control and exhibit aggressive behavior such as breaking furniture or putting holes in the walls. Bob had a childhood history of oppositional behavior (by the report of his mother). As part of his evaluation a brain SPECT study done which showed marked increased uptake in his cingulate gyrus. I started him on Anafranil (clomipramine), which has been used in patients with obsessive thinking. Over two months of treatment the dose of Anafranil was increased to 225 mg. a day. Bob and his family noted a marked positive response. He was less irritable, markedly less aggressive, more flexible and happier. He reported that he was more effective in interpersonal relationships, especially with his children.
After three years of continued clinical improvement on the same dose of clomipramine (2 brief trials at lowering the dosage caused a resumption of symptoms) a follow up brain SPECT study was ordered to evaluate brain activity subsequent to treatment. The follow up SPECT study revealed a marked normalization of brain activity.
underside no meds
w/meds
active view no meds
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active veiw no meds
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Anger, ADD - Before and After Depakote and Adderall
Mark, a 52 year old married accountant, sought help for problems with concentration, focus, follow through and severe temper problems. He had become physically aggressive on several occassions with his wife. He tended to take things in a negative way and struggled with his memory. Often, for little reason he would explode and then feel very guilty about his behavior a short while later. He had longstanding school problems, despite getting an MBA degree. After his initial evaluation he was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and a SPECT was ordered to rule out temporal lobe dysfunction. The SPECT study showed marked overall decreased activity, especially in the prefrontal cortex and temporal lobes. He was placed on a combination of Adderall (for ADD) and Depakote (for temper). He had a very positive response to medication. He and his wife reported that he was more focused, better able to follow through on tasks, less irritable and in much better control of his temper. After three years of continued clinical improvement on the same dose of Depakote and Adderall a follow up brain SPECT study was ordered to evaluate brain activity subsequent to treatment. The follow up SPECT study revealed a marked normalization of brain activity.
underside no meds poor PFC
w/meds
front no meds overall shriveling
w/meds
PTSD, Depression and Anxiety - Before and After St. John's Wort and EMDR
Linda was 26 years old when she first came to see me. She had a history of 2 prior violent rapes (age 15 & 22), a physically abusive love relationship, along with experiencing the deaths of 8 friends (age 14-16). Her symptoms were depression, anxiety, worrying and drug use. Her baseline SPECT study showed marked overactivity in the cingulate (problems shifting attention), basal ganglia (anxiety) and limbic areas (depression and mood dyscontrol). After 4 psychotherapy sessions with EMDR (a specific treatment technique for traumatic events) and 1 month of St. John's Wort (900 milligrams a day) Linda felt significantly better. When we repeated her SPECT study there was marked normalization of activity in all 3 areas.
active view no meds
w/meds
active view no meds
w/meds
Attention Deficit Disorder - Before and After Adderall
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w/meds
underside w/out Adderall
with Adderall
Attention Deficit Disorder - Before and After Dexedrine
underside no meds 
with Dexedrine
Conduct Disorder - Before and After Tegretol/Clonidine
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with meds
Memory, Anger, ADD - Before and After Adderall and Depakote
Russ had serious problems with unresponsive ADD symptoms, anger outbursts and memory problems. Here is his SPECT study before and 1 year after treatment with Adderall and Depakote.
underside no meds
with meds
top down no meds
with meds
Asperger's Syndrome - Before and After Zyprexa
Tim, age 12, was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. He had problems with repetitive behaviors and very poor social skills. In addition, he was rigid in his thinking and had frequently temper outbursts. His baseline SPECT study revealed marked increased patchy uptake throughout his cerebral cortex. Zyprexa had an overall calming effect on his brain and significantly improved his temper and cognitive inflexibility.
top down no meds 
with Zyprexa overall calming
Severe Head Trauma - Before and Afer Adderall
Randy, age 17, sustained a severe blow to the left side of his head. He had a subdural bleed over his left parietal lobe and subsequently developed temper problems, school problems, speech and coordination problems. This scan series was performed on and off Adderall. Note the marked overall improvement from Adderall, giving him more access to brain function.
underside view with Adderall, marked overall improvement
no meds
w/Adderall overall enhanced activity
Anger/Severe ODD - Before and After Risperdal
Mark, a 14 y/o male, was evaluated for anger outbursts and constant defiant behavior. Psychotherapy and parent training were ineffective. Depakote, Ritalin, Dexedrine and Wellbutrin were also ineffective. Prozac made him much more aggressive. A SPECT study revealed marked hyperfrontality and he was placed on Risperdal. He had a dramatic response. He was more compliant, happier and less aggressive. Two follow up studies were performed a month and 6 months later, which revealed progressive calming of the hyperfrontality.
top down active view note marked hyperfrontality
mild decrease in hyperfrontality
marked decrease in hyperfrontality
Reproduced with permission from Amen Clinics.
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