Brain Scans

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• ity to infection [just to name a few]... Garcia and Jasso have a term inal condition known as "toxic encephalopathy," involving brain damage to frontal and temporal lobes. This was confirmed by SPECT brain scans. Twelve others in the two - family group who also had the scans were diagnosed with the affliction. "All of us with this condition have been told that we’re dying," says Garcia. "Our mutated cells wi

• help explain how prairie voles bond so closely. Researchers have foundreceptors for both molecules in the pleasure/reward regions of the male andfemale prairie vole, the same regions that light up in brain scans of humans inlove. Though vasopressin and oxytocin may play a role in cementing relationshipsin both males and females, the studies have focused on vasopressin in maleprairie voles and oxytocin (more

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• y of Effexor in 1997, was just as "stunned" as Perez when she found out that she had been on a placebo. Notonly had the pills relieved her of the depression that had plagued her for thirty years, the brain scans she received throughout the study found that the activity of her prefrontal cortex was greatly enhanced. [Leuchter, et al, 2002] Her improvements were not" all in her head." When the mind changes, it

• hat the right brain produces that oddglowing sense of reality. When you are very tired, the left brain takes over.Constant mental fatigue can produce the state Sartre calls ‘nausea’, in whichthe left brain scans the world but lacks all insight into its meaning—the righthas gone off duty: reality seems crude and meaningless.But here is the most difficult part of the argument to grasp. It is the rightbrain whi

• tried to process what Katherine had said, he flashed unexpectedly onthe gnostic Gospel of Mary: Where the mind is, there is the treasure.“Perhaps you’ve heard,” Katherine said, softly now, “about the brain scans takenof yogis while they meditate? The human brain, in advanced states of focus, willphysically create a waxlike substance from the pineal gland. This brainsecretion is unlike anything else in the bo

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• ed to process what Katherine had said , he flashed unexpectedly on the gnostic Gospel of Mary: Where the mind is, there is the treasure. “Perhaps you’ve heard,” Katherine said, softly now, “about the brain scans taken of yogis while they meditate? The human brain, in advanced states of fo cus, will physically create a waxlike substance from the pineal gland. This brain secretion is unlike anythi ng else in t

6

• s from our clinic highlight how helpful this book has already been to many, many people, and how it might help you as well. In early February 1999, I was sitting at my imaging computer screen reading brain scans when Dr. George Lewis, one of the psychiatrists in my clinic, brought in a patient who had flown in from the Midwest to meet me. The man, in his late fifties, introduced himself to me with tears in h

• . He was lying in bed contemplating the best way to commit suicide when by coincidence his girlfriend turned on the Today show while I happened to be on, discussing my book. He watched me explain the brain scans of a person diagnosed with depression and anger. He heard me say that there was hope for people who suffered from these problems, that many “psychological problems” are in reality brain problems, and

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• gical piece to your marriage puzzle.” They agreed to get the set of brain studies. Betsy’s Overfocused Brain 3-D top-down active view Note markedly increased cingulate activity . As I looked at their brain scans with the experience of seeing them as a couple for nine months, the results made perfect clinical sense to me. In fact, I was irritated with myself that I hadn’t done it earlier. The cingulate part o

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• ence, and the brain. There is quite a bit of scientific literature on the physiological effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain. The most common finding among drug and alcohol abusers is that their brain scans display an overall toxic look. In general, their brains look less active, more shriveled, less healthy overall. A “scalloping effect” is commonly seen in the brains of drug abusers. Normal brain patt

• to be especially helpful for this type.BRAIN TYPE 2 IS “THE IMPULSIVE OVEREATER”People with this type have poor impulse control, get distracted easily, and justreach for food without thinking. Their brain scans show low activity in thefront part of the brain in an area called the prefrontal cortex. Think of theprefrontal cortex like the brain’s brake. It stops us from saying stupid thingsor making bad decis

• r feelings of sadness and to calmthe emotional storms in their brains. They often struggle with depression, lowenergy, low self-esteem, and pain symptoms, and they tend to gain weight inwinter. Their brain scans tend to show too much activity in the limbic oremotional part of the brain. For this type, exercise, fish oil, optimizing theirvitamin D level, and certain supplements, such as SAMe (S-adenosylmethio

• e with this type medicate their feelings of anxiety or nervousness withfood. They often complain of waiting for something bad to happen and frequentlysuffer from headaches and stomach problems. Their brain scans often show toomuch activity in an area called the basal ganglia. This part of the brain isinvolved in setting a person’s anxiety level. When there is too much activityhere, because of low levels of a

• to the fact that being overweight or obese is not only bad for your physicalhealth, but it is also bad for your brain! (See the section Being Fat Is Bad forYour Brain, which follows.) And I have the brain scans to show you just howdamaging the consequences of obesity can be. Brain imaging is very powerful andcan strike fear in even the most complacent or stubborn people. I have seen ithappen thousands of ti

• he consequences of obesity can be. Brain imaging is very powerful andcan strike fear in even the most complacent or stubborn people. I have seen ithappen thousands of times. I am hoping that the many brain scans in this bookwill induce some anxiety in you about your weight. A little anxiety can be agreat motivator! Anxiety mixed with frontal lobe help and limbic bonding is theperfect combination for people w

• the worst and often complain of waiting for something bad to happen.They may be excessively shy, easily startled, and freeze in emotionally chargedsituations.SPECT FINDINGS FOR ANXIOUS OVEREATERSThe brain scans of anxious overeaters often show increased activity in the basalganglia, which is commonly caused by low levels of the calming neurotransmitterGABA.WHAT MAKES ANXIOUS OVEREATERS WORSECertain behavior

• a, have teamed up todo a SPECT brain study on mindful eating. At this writing, the study is in itsearliest stages, and Andy is hesitant to report any specific findings. But hedid say that the initial brain scans show that “the brain is different wheneating mindfully.” That doesn’t surprise me at all.MEDITATION MAKES YOU SMARTER.Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., of the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundationa

• isorders, aggressiveness, marital conflict,cognitive decline, brain toxicity from drugs or alcohol, and obesity. BrainSPECT imaging is performed in the Clinics. ACI has the world’s largest databaseof brain scans for behavioral problems.ACI welcomes referrals from physicians, psychologists, social workers, marriageand family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, and individual clients.Amen Clinics, Inc., N

• nsory equipment of women allows them to pick up bodylanguage, thus dishonesty, much more than men.SHE IS THINKING, THINKING, THINKINGNeuropsychologist Ruben Gur of the University of Pennsylvania used brain scansto show that when a man’s brain is in a resting state, at least 70 percent ofhis brain is shut down. On the other hand, when women were resting, at least 90percent of their brain was active, confirmin

• of a national talk show on the differences between male and femalebrains that I did with gender expert Michael Gurian, author of the wonderfullyinsightful book What Could He Be Thinking?, I performed brain scans on Jenniferand Brad. They had the typical couple complaints. She wanted more time, talking,and attention. She wanted Brad to help around the house and be more present withthe children. He wanted more

• be more present withthe children. He wanted more peace, quiet, and sex. He wanted to be left alonefor a half hour when he got home from work. Their struggles were clearlyaffecting their marriage. The brain scans showed clear differences. Jennifer’sscan, as Ruben Gur’s research would suggest, showed much higher levels ofactivity. Brad’s scan had significantly lower levels of activity. Jennifer’sworries and ov

• questions women ask aboutmen):1. “Is there really a difference between a man’s and a woman’s brain?”Gathering my composure, I said, “Huge differences, and we can prove it.” Here Ipointed to a set of brain scans that we did of a couple at my clinic.“Typically, the woman’s brain is very active. Thinking, thinking, thinking,especially in the emotional part of the brain. The man’s brain, by comparison,is relati

• is or her brain and psyche work. Can you really do this without a scan?Yes. Through the questions we ask ahead of time at the Amen Clinics, ourhistorians are uncannily accurate in predicting what the brain scans of ourpatients are likely to look like. We assess brain function by asking the rightquestions. You can, too. I believe it is essential in dating to obtain extensiveinformation on a potential mate bef

• pulsivedisorders, aggressiveness, cognitive decline, and brain toxicity due to drugs oralcohol. Brain-SPECT imaging is performed in the Clinics. Amen Clinics, Inc.have the world’s largest database of brain scans for behavioral problems in theworld. The Clinics welcome referrals from physicians, psychologists, socialworkers, marriage and family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, andindividual clients.Am

• nsory equipment of women allows them to pick up bodylanguage, thus dishonesty, much more than men.SHE IS THINKING, THINKING, THINKINGNeuropsychologist Ruben Gur of the University of Pennsylvania used brain scansto show that when a man’s brain is in a resting state, at least 70 percent ofhis brain is shut down. On the other hand, when women were resting, at least 90percent of their brain was active, confirmin

• of a national talk show on the differences between male and femalebrains that I did with gender expert Michael Gurian, author of the wonderfullyinsightful book What Could He Be Thinking?, I performed brain scans on Jenniferand Brad. They had the typical couple complaints. She wanted more time, talking,and attention. She wanted Brad to help around the house and be more present withthe children. He wanted more

• be more present withthe children. He wanted more peace, quiet, and sex. He wanted to be left alonefor a half hour when he got home from work. Their struggles were clearlyaffecting their marriage. The brain scans showed clear differences. Jennifer’sscan, as Ruben Gur’s research would suggest, showed much higher levels ofactivity. Brad’s scan had significantly lower levels of activity. Jennifer’sworries and ov

• questions women ask aboutmen):1. “Is there really a difference between a man’s and a woman’s brain?”Gathering my composure, I said, “Huge differences, and we can prove it.” Here Ipointed to a set of brain scans that we did of a couple at my clinic.“Typically, the woman’s brain is very active. Thinking, thinking, thinking,especially in the emotional part of the brain. The man’s brain, by comparison,is relati

• is or her brain and psyche work. Can you really do this without a scan?Yes. Through the questions we ask ahead of time at the Amen Clinics, ourhistorians are uncannily accurate in predicting what the brain scans of ourpatients are likely to look like. We assess brain function by asking the rightquestions. You can, too. I believe it is essential in dating to obtain extensiveinformation on a potential mate bef

• pulsivedisorders, aggressiveness, cognitive decline, and brain toxicity due to drugs oralcohol. Brain-SPECT imaging is performed in the Clinics. Amen Clinics, Inc.have the world’s largest database of brain scans for behavioral problems in theworld. The Clinics welcome referrals from physicians, psychologists, socialworkers, marriage and family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, andindividual clients.Am

• ion about brain function that I could not ascertain just by talking tothe patient. The scans helped me and my colleagues be better healers.Since 1991, the Amen Clinics have performed more than 55,000 brain scans, morethan any organization in the world. Analyzing scans in the context of individualpatient histories has helped us better diagnose and treat our patients for awide variety of problems, such as ADD,

• 93_epub_004_r1.jpg]Severe decreased activity in the back half of the brainOne question people often ask me is whether the mind is separate from the brain.The answer, after looking at more than 55,000 brain scans over the past twentyyears, is no. The mind and the brain are completely dependent upon each other.Just think about Alzheimer’s disease, which is clearly a brain illness. Dopeople with Alzheimer’s dis

• hield of a car or falling off the roof onto your head, you are wrong. Itdoesn’t have to be a “serious” injury to have serious consequences for your bodyand your health. After viewing more than 55,000 brain scans, it has become veryclear to me that what many people think of as mild trauma can have asignificantly negative effect on people’s brains and can significantly changetheir lives and their ability to lo

• s the lossof a loved one, layoffs at work, or divorce can lead to depression, changes inweight, a lack of motivation to exercise, and bad daily habits in some peoplebut not in others.After looking at brain scans for nearly twenty years, I have come to believethat these differences have to do with a concept I call brain reserve. Brainreserve is the cushion of healthy brain function we have to deal with stress

• ing promoted. Italso makes her look tired, which lowers her self-esteem and causes her towithdraw from her romantic partner. Who is having more fun?I have great news for you! After years of analyzing brain scans and treatingpatients, I have discovered that there are many simple things you can do on adaily basis to boost your brain function. These daily prescriptions can also bethe key to a better body. The r

• rises as weightincreases above normal weights.People who are obese or overweight also have smaller brains than lean people,according to new research in the journal Human Brain Mapping. Scientists usedbrain scans to determine the amount of brain tissue in ninety-four people overthe age of seventy. They found that obese individuals had 8 percent less braintissue and their brains looked sixteen years older than

• your brain young and active in order tolose ten pounds. The brain uses 20 to 30 percent of the calories you consumeeach day. It is the major energy consumer in your body. Based on tens ofthousands of brain scans that we have performed at the Amen Clinics, we haveseen that the brain becomes dramatically less active as we age. In Image 3.1,you can see that the activity of the PFC peaks around age ten and then

• fied fish oil. To track their progress, we didbefore-and-after SPECT scans. After five months of sticking with the dietaryregimen, all of the students performed better in school and lost weight. Theirbrain scans showed positive changes as well, enhancing the concentration centersof the brain and calming overactive areas involved in mood control. It was clearto me that a healthy diet and fish oil helped balan

• nts. If youabsolutely must ride a bike, wear a helmet that fits correctly. Helmets thatdon’t fit provide little to no protection. Skateboarding is another activitythat isn’t advised. One of the worst brain scans I have ever seen is of a youngskateboarder who wasn’t wearing a helmet. He lost nearly all function inapproximately one-fourth of his frontal lobe. His life will never be the same.NO EXCUSESI recomme

• s.On the flip side of the brain-skin connection, your skin can change your brain.In 2008, Wake Forest University’s Gil Yosipovitch and colleagues publishedfindings from a very interesting study using brain scans to see how scratchingaffects the brain. The researchers studied what happened when thirteen healthyadults had their lower right leg gently scratched although the area didn’t itch.Participants were sc

• king their ovaries, without hormone replacement have double the riskfor Alzheimer’s disease. This confirms that these hormones are critical forbrain health. In a new study from UCLA, researchers used brain scans to studythe health of a group of women’s brains on and off hormone replacement. Over twoyears, the women who did not take hormone replacement showed decreased activityin an area of the brain called t

• t to focus. Most cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiationtherapy, not only kill cancer cells but also kill normal cells. After someonegoes through chemotherapy, radiation, or both, their brain scans often show atoxic appearance, meaning their brains have been affected as well. Manypost-chemotherapy or-radiation patients complain of low energy, poorconcentration, memory problems, and a general lo

• than do nondrinkers.ACTION STEPIf you want better, sustainable energy and focus, the very first thing to do isto treat energy-robbing conditions and eliminate energy-robbing habits.New research using brain scans confirms that marijuana use harms the brain. In astudy appearing in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, researchers showed thatheavy marijuana use among young adults and adolescents may affect norma

• n B12 level * Blood glucose level * Syphilis screening * Erythrocyte sedimentation * Fasting lipid panel * For females after menopause, an estradiol level * Brain SPECT imagingAfter looking at 55,000 brain scans, there is no doubt in my mind that thelights in the attic dim with age unless we actively work to keep the brainhealthy. In looking at our database of scans spanning the life span from threeto a hund

• isorders,aggressiveness, marital conflict, cognitive decline, brain toxicity from drugsor alcohol, and obesity. Brain SPECT imaging is performed in the Clinics. ACIhas the world’s largest database of brain scans for behavioral problems.ACI welcome referrals from physicians, psychologists, social workers, marriageand family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, and individual clients.Amen Clinics, Inc., Ne

• to the organ that makes you who youare.”—Mark Hyman, MD, Director of the Cleveland Center for Functional Medicine andauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Blood Sugar Solution.“After 110,000 brain scans Dr. Daniel Amen is the ultimate expert on how tochange your brain so that you can change your life for the better. The discoveryof his wisdom and insights will make your life and brain health infinit

• you are, includinghow you think, feel, act, and interact with others. Your brain is the organ oflove, learning, personality, character, and every decision you make. Afterlooking at more than 150,000 brain scans over the last 30 years, I have learnedthat when your brain works right, you work right—whether we’re talking aboutschool, work, relationships, money, health, or anything else. Likewise, whenyour brai

• olutionary approach to diagnosing and treatingour patients. As part of a comprehensive assessment, we use a brain imagingstudy called SPECT that looks at blood flow and activity in the brain. In thesebrain scans, full, symmetrical activity is an indicator of a healthy brain,whereas holes show areas that are significantly low in blood flow and/oractivity. You don’t want holes in your brain! When our patients

• tended to bemore sensitive. • When activity was higher than average in the basal ganglia andamygdala, people tended to feel more anxious and to be more cautious.In those early years when I performed brain scans, I would often do a “blind”reading, without any information on the patient. With nothing but the scan, Irealized I could learn a lot about a person. Of course, with every new patientwe evaluate, we t

• with people to optimize brainfunction and decrease the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other age-relatedissues.Brain SPECT imaging is performed in the clinics. ACI has the world’s largestdatabase of brain scans for emotional, cognitive, and behavioral problems. ACIwelcomes referrals from physicians, psychologists, social workers, marriage andfamily therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, and individual pat

• ork, New York; and Chicago, Illinois. Amen Clinics have one of the highestpublished success rates in treating complex psychiatric issues, and they havebuilt the world’s largest database of functional brain scans, totaling nearly170,000 scans on patients from 120 countries.Dr. Amen is the lead researcher on the world’s largest brain imaging andrehabilitation study on professional football players. His researc

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• s from our clinic highlight how helpful this book has already been to many, many people, and how it might help you as well. In early February 1999, I was sitting at my imaging computer screen reading brain scans when Dr. George Lewis, one of the psychia- trists in my clinic, brought in a patient who had fl own in from the Midwest to meet me. The man, in his late fi fties, introduced him- self to me with tear

• was lying in bed contemplating the best way to commit sui- cide when by coincidence his girlfriend turned on the To d ay show while I happened to be on, discussing my book. He watched me explain the brain scans of a person diag- xii Introduction to the Paperback Edition

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• rselves and these kids some peace, or let me scan your brains and see if I’m not missing a biological piece to your marriage puzzle.” They agreed to get the set of brain studies. As I looked at their brain scans with the experience of seeing them as a couple for

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• nce, and the brain. There is quite a bit of scientifi c literature on the physiological effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain. The most common finding among drug and alcohol abusers is that their brain scans display an overall toxic look. In general, their brains look less active, more shriveled, less healthy overall. A “scalloping *Methamphetamines are in a class of drugs known as psycho- stimulants. Th

• e puzzle." They agreed to get the set of brainstudies.Betsy's Overfocused Brainpicture18 [images/picture18.jpg]3-D top-down active view Note markedly increased cingulate activity.As I looked at their brain scans with the experience of seeing them as a couplefor nine months, the results made perfect clinical sense to me. In fact, I wasirritated with myself that I hadn't done it earlier. The cingulate part ofB

• violence, andthe brain.There is quite a bit of scientific literature on the physiological effects ofdrugs and alcohol on the brain. The most common finding among drug and alcoholabusers is that their brain scans display an overall toxic look. In general,their brains look less active, more shriveled, less healthy overall. A"scalloping effect" is commonly seen in the brains of drug abusers. Normal brainpattern

• , Anxiety, Anger, Stress, and TraumaCopyright © 2018 by Daniel G. Amen, MD. All rights reserved.Author photograph by Lesley Bohm, copyright © 2013. All rights reserved.Interior photographs, including brain scans, and illustrations provided byauthor and used with permission. All rights reserved.Designed by Dean H. RenningerPublished in association with the literary agency of WordServe Literary Group,www.words

• Personalized, Targeted Approach to Getting the Nutrients You Need [chapter_10.xhtml] 12. Part 6: X Is for the X Factor [part_6.xhtml] 1. Chapter 11: Think Different: 10 Practical Lessons from 150,000 Brain Scans [chapter_11.xhtml] 13. Part 7: L Is for Love [part_7.xhtml] 1. Chapter 12: Love Is Your Secret Weapon: Doing the Right Thing Is the Ultimate Act of Love for Self and Others [chapter_12.xhtml] 14. App

• indicating rejection, theirbrains were more vulnerable to pain and depression.In 2005, anthropologist Helen Fisher from Rutgers University published agroundbreaking study using functional MRI (fMRI) brain scans of college studentswho viewed pictures of someone who was special to them along with those ofacquaintances. The pictures of their loved ones activated the pleasure centersin their brains, rich in the

• CHAPTER 11THINK DIFFERENT10 PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM 150,000 BRAIN SCANS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------No one really wants to see a psychiatrist. No one really wants to be labeled asdefective or abnormal. But everyone wants

• g any of this “new neurosciencenonsense” (his words), and he sentenced Jason to 11 years in prison. When Jasonarrived, the overworked prison psychiatrist was also uninterested in hearingabout Jason’s brain scans and improvement on medication. He diagnosed Jason withantisocial personality disorder and took him off his medication. Four monthslater, Jason hanged himself. I am still furious and cry when I think

• r, [when] I became a drug and alcohol prevention educator, I found Dr. Amen’s book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. I learned so much and now show his video, Which Brain Do You Want? —which shows brain scans of healthy teenagers versus drug-abusing teenagers —to both high school and middle school children. It totally changes the way the kids view drugs and their brains. 7. One of the things that I learne

• irginia; Atlanta; New York; and Chicago. Amen Clinics haveone of the highest published success rates treating complex psychiatric issues,and they have built the world’s largest database of functional brain scans,totaling more than 135,000 scans on patients from 111 countries.Dr. Amen is the lead researcher on the world’s largest brain imaging andrehabilitation study of professional football players. His rese

• brainfunction and decrease the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other age-relatedissues.One of the primary diagnostic tools used at ACI is brain SPECT imaging. ACI hasthe world’s largest database of brain scans for emotional, cognitive, andbehavioral problems. We welcome referrals from physicians, psychologists, socialworkers, marriage and family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, andindividual patien

• ours, asking her the same questions she hadalready answered.We did a brain SPECT study on both children. They showed the same overactivityin the cingulate gyrus as their mother did. In light of their brain scans, theoverfocusing tendency they all had was no surprise.In addition to the overfocus problems, Celina deactivated her frontal lobes whenshe tried to concentrate, as did Samuel. As a result, Celina had

• ional reputation for evaluating brain-behaviorproblems and in the diagnosis and treatment of attention deficit disorder (ADD)and related problems. The Amen Clinics have the world’s largest database ofbrain scans for behavioral problems in the world. Over the last ten years, theyhave performed over 10,000 brain SPECT studies.The Amen Clinics also specialize in difficult diagnoses from a variety ofsymptoms and

• icture. It was amazing. I thought that he must have been a trainedprofessional artist, yet it was not mentioned in the background information Ihad just read about him.Edward’s clinical evaluation and brain scans revealed he suffered fromdepression, anxiety, and ADHD. All of his adult life he had struggled to keepjobs and was a never-ending source of frustration to his romantic partners. Hewas sick of feeling

• t anxiety-filled, emotionally painfulyears of my life. But it was my passion for the work that helped me stay thecourse, even in times of turmoil. Soon, it will be grounds for malpractice notto order brain scans in complex psychiatric cases. If I did not have passion forthe imaging work, I would have given up the idea at the first sign of trouble orcriticism. That would have left me as a mediocre doctor, all

• rnet access at your workplace to look for another job are just a fewexamples. Impulsivity behind the wheel has caused drivers their lives.WORK/FINANCESAs an employer, I have often thought about doing brain scans on the people Ihire. I have never made a hiring decision based on a scan, but sometimes I wishI had. Eventually, most people who work at the Amen Clinics get scanned, eitherout of curiosity or becaus

• e said, “I like DisneyWorld and have no idea why I flipped out.”I diagnosed Philip with Asperger’s syndrome, a high functioning autisticspectrum disorder characterized by rigid thinking patterns. His brain scanshowed intense increased activity in his ACG. Autistic spectrum disorders arecharacterized by cognitive and emotional inflexibility. People with an autisticspectrum disorder get stuck on negative thoug

• hange. Amen Clinics, Inc. (ACI) has provided leadership andunderstanding on the clinical use of brain imaging in psychiatry. Over the pasteighteen years, ACI has built the world’s largest database of brain scansrelated to emotional, learning, and behavioral problems. The study we do iscalled brain SPECT imaging. SPECT stands for “single photon emission computedtomography.” It is a nuclear medicine procedure

• , aggressiveness, marital conflict,cognitive decline, and brain toxicity from drugs or alcohol. Brain SPECT imagingis performed in the clinics. Amen Clinics, Inc., have the world’s largestdatabase of brain scans for behavioral problems.The clinics welcome referrals from physicians, psychologists, social workers,marriage and family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, and individualclients. Amen Clinics,

• nce research with thousands of people who have come to theAmen Clinics, such as Bart, Angela, Marian, and John.Over the last fifteen years the Amen Clinics have amassed the world’s largestdatabase of brain scans related to behavior. We look at the brain on a dailybasis using a sophisticated study called brain SPECT imaging. We have looked athealthy brains and brains in trouble. We have looked at the brains o

• principle at a deep emotional level. We spend more time and money onbeautifying our hair, our skin, our clothes, and our homes than we do on caringfor our brain. After looking at over thirty thousand brain scans, I have come torealize that how your brain works influences every part of who you are and whatyou do: from athletic skills to parenting, from management skills to your freetime activities, from socia

• healthy brain shows good, full, even, symmetrical activity. A healthybrain has all of its major parts intact, and they work together in a relativelyharmonious fashion. Age variations are normal: the brain scans of children andteenagers reveal more activity than do those of adults. Yet even an elderlybrain, if properly cared for during life, looks healthy.Let’s look at several examples of healthy and unhealt

• rtalents, and of course, how we treated our mothers.As a child, I really had no opinion on the death penalty—I just didn’t give it alot of thought. But as an adult, shortly after looking at the first brain scansI ordered, I started to get a very uncomfortable feeling. The brain function ofmy patients who did bad things was much worse than that of people who wereliving productive, healthy lives. If the brain

• reatment rather than just punishment. The implications of thisprinciple for society are massive. Does it mean we should screen all people whodo bad things? Should we make psychiatric examinations and brain scans part ofthe intake process at juvenile hall? Should we rethink the death penalty?I was recently asked to be an expert witness in a criminal case that illustratesthis principle about brain function. Pe

• ut three-quarters ofthe brain develops outside the womb, in response to environment and experience.Nature and nurture always work together.Brain development is especially rapid during the first year. Brain scans showthat by twelve months a baby’s brain resembles that of a normal young adult. Byage three a baby’s brain has formed about one thousand trillionconnections—about twice as many as adult brains have.

• e. Immediately you get the idea that an injury that rattledthe soft butterlike brain could cause serious damage.One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from looking at more than thirtythousand brain scans is that brain injuries, even “mild” ones without a loss ofconsciousness, matter more than most people, including doctors, think. Millionsof people in our society have suffered significant brain injur

• get an in-depth education in using imagingfor mental health problems.• Imaging is not a part of psychiatric tradition. (We haven’t done it in thepast.)• Most psychiatrists do not know how to look at brain scans, even when they aredone, and do not know what they mean.• Most psychiatrists do not know what to do with the information from brainscans.• There is a perception among psychiatrists that in our age of

• elps the brain. Doing the things you havealways done is not helpful for the brain, even if those things are fairlycomplicated. For instance, I have spent many hours over the past fifteen yearsreading brain scans. When I first started reading them in 1991, it took me a lotof time and mental effort. My brain worked hard to read them correctly. Over theyears, as my brain has become more and more familiar with t

• shed in Nature, partsof their brains grow. Researchers in Germany split twenty-four students into twogroups, one of which was given three months to learn a classic three-ballcascade juggling routine. Brain scans were then carried out on both sets ofvolunteers. The brains of the jugglers and nonjugglers were scanned before andafter the three-month learning period. The jugglers had more gray matter in thetempo

• In medical literature there are twenty-two reported cases ofright-hemisphere seizures associated with the feeling of having an orgasm. In astudy from Finland, eight male volunteers were studied with brain scans whilethey were having orgasm (must have been a fun study). The results showed overalldecreased blood flow during orgasm in all brain areas except in the rightprefrontal cortex, where the cerebral blo

• one received anantidepressant, one received cognitive therapy, and a third did not receive anytreatment. Both the antidepressant and the cognitive therapy groups improved(also showing improvement on brain scans), while the group that did not get helpstayed the same. One of my favorite studies comes from Canada, where researchersexamined twelve patients who had paralyzing spider phobias. They performedimagin

• never I evaluate a new patient, I takea bio/psycho/social approach. That means I look at the biological,psychological, and social causes that may be underlying the problem. Inaddition, I also look at brain scans to subtype brain illnesses. For example, Ihave seen seven different types of anxiety and depression and six differenttypes of ADD. We work to target treatment to enhance the underlying brainsystems t

• essive-compulsive disorder,aggressiveness, cognitive decline, and brain toxicity from drugs or alcohol.Brain SPECT imaging is performed in the clinics. Amen Clinics has the world’slargest database of brain scans for behavioral problems in the world.The clinics welcome referrals from physicians, psychologists, social workers,marriage and family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, and individualclients.Am

• , orhow it can be your best medicine. If you are smart, you will only want to eatfood that serves you. 3. Andy’s story will show you the importance of getting strong to live long.His before-and-after brain scans will show you how you can look and feeldramatically younger by following the steps of the program, especially addingconsistent physical exercise. 4. Jose’s story directly demonstrates how the physica

• . Researchers believe that Alzheimer’s disease and other formsof dementia actually start decades before people have their first symptoms. Inone study from UCLA, brain imaging researchers suggest that brain scans actuallystart to change as much as fifty years in advance of the illness. The only waywe will ever be able to seriously make an impact in decreasing your risk forAlzheimer’s disease and other forms o

• ond-leading preventable cause ofdeath in the United States, after smoking. 6. If you smoke, quit. It prematurely ages the brain and body. 7. I am not a fan of alcohol intake, because of what I see on brain scans.Don’t overdo it. 8. Get a complete blood count. Low blood count can make you feel anxious andtired and can affect your memory. One of our patients got this as a screeningtest and found out he had leu

• ements on the piano for two hours a day, for five days.Another group of non–piano players was asked to mentally “practice” playing thepiano (without moving their fingers) for the same amount of time. Brain scansshowed that both groups showed the same pattern of new learning had taken placein the brain. Mental rehearsal, alone, changed the brain in the same way thatactual practicing with the body did. Spendin

• ght sexual addiction was a real biological phenomenon or just an excusefor bad behavior. The audience was of the opinion that it was just an excuse.I understand why people feel this way, but from the brain scans I have seen andmy years of experience in helping people unravel from addictions, I know thereare strong brain issues at play. I have seen sexual addictions ruin people’slives and bring many addicts t

• obsessiveness, memory problems,temper problems, and low energy are just a few symptoms that could be related toa past concussion or brain injury. 9. One surprise finding during our NFL study and the brain scans from it wasthat lower activity in the cerebellum was common. This is an area in the lowerback of the brain and is the brain’s coordination center. The best activitiesfor enhancing the cerebellum are

• He is the medical director of Amen Clinics,Inc., in Newport Beach and San Francisco, California; Bellevue, Washington; andReston, Virginia. Amen Clinics has the world’s largest database of functionalbrain scans related to behavior, totaling more than seventy thousand scans. Theclinics have seen patients from ninety countries.Dr. Amen is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry and human behavior atthe

• isorders, aggressiveness, marital conflict,cognitive decline, brain toxicity from drugs or alcohol, and obesity.Brain SPECT imaging is performed in the Clinics. ACI has the world’s largestdatabase of brain scans for emotional, cognitive, and behavioral problems. ACIwelcomes referrals from physicians, psychologists, social workers, marriage andfamily therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, and individual cli

• dn’t help her hormones, blood sugar,weight, sleep, or brain. Restoring and balancing Susan’s hormones was going tobe a key aspect of improving her brain’s biological health. I was eager to lookat her brain scans (I’ll tell you more about this soon) to see what was goingon.First, though, I wanted to see what was happening in the other three circles. Inthe second circle I wrote the word Psychology. Psychologic

• ause most people never look at or think about their brains.Since most people never get their brains scanned or tested, they have no ideawhen it starts to look troubled.When our patients see their own brain scans, they often develop brain envy andwant their brain to be better. I once treated a nineteen-year-old woman who wasa frequent cocaine abuser. But when she saw on the scan what the cocaine wasdoing to h

• ilored or personalized to your specificbrain and body.TARGETED HELP FOR KATIEThe Amen Clinics Method of integrated care was extremely helpful to Katie. Basedon what we found from Katie’s assessments, brain scans, questionnaires, keynumbers, and lab results, we created her individualized Four Circles treatmentplan.Biology—Here we focused on improving Katie’s sleep, diet, and exercise habits.Katie agreed to cu

• of women who have complete hysterectomies, in which their ovaries areremoved, show that without hormone replacement they have double the risk forAlzheimer’s disease. Recently, researchers studied the brain scans of a group ofwomen who were on and off hormone replacement. Over a period of two years, thewoman who did not take hormone replacement showed decreased activity in an areaof the brain called the poste

• n envy. Explain to her that there can be negative consequences to the thingsshe now sees as fun and help her see the bigger picture, including the kind offuture she really wants to have. Show her the brain scans in this book and onour website that clearly demonstrate the effect risky behaviors have on thebrain. And engage her cooperation in a mother-daughter pact whereby the two ofyou work together to both h

• f Amen Clinics,Inc., in Newport Beach and San Francisco, California; Bellevue, Washington;Reston, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia; and New York. Amen Clinics have the world’slargest database of functional brain scans, totaling nearly eighty thousandscans on patients from ninety countries.Dr. Amen is widely regarded as a gifted teacher, taking complex concepts inneuropsychiatry, neuroimaging, and brain health and

• sorders, aggressiveness, marital conflict,cognitive decline, brain toxicity from drugs or alcohol, and obesity.Brain SPECT imaging is performed at Amen Clinics. ACI has the world’s largestdatabase of brain scans for emotional, cognitive, and behavioral problems. ACIwelcomes referrals from physicians, psychologists, social workers, marriage andfamily therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, and individual pat

• nsory equipment of women allows them to pick up bodylanguage, thus dishonesty, much more than men.She Is Thinking, Thinking, ThinkingNeuropsychologist Ruben Gur of the University of Pennsylvania used brain scansto show that when a man’s brain is in a resting state, at least 70 percent ofhis brain is shut down. On the other hand, when women were resting, at least 90percent of their brain was active, confirmin

• of a national talk show on the differences between male and femalebrains that I did with gender expert Michael Gurian, author of the wonderfullyinsightful book What Could He Be Thinking?, I performed brain scans on Jenniferand Brad. They had the typical couple complaints. She wanted more time, talking,and attention. She wanted Brad to help around the house and be more present withthe children. He wanted more

• be more present withthe children. He wanted more peace, quiet, and sex. He wanted to be left alonefor a half hour when he got home from work. Their struggles were clearlyaffecting their marriage. The brain scans showed clear differences. Jennifer’sscan, as Ruben Gur’s research would suggest, showed much higher levels ofactivity. Brad’s scan had significantly lower levels of activity. Jennifer’sworries and ov

• questions women ask aboutmen):1. “Is there really a difference between a man’s and a woman’s brain?”Gathering my composure, I said, “Huge differences, and we can prove it.” Here Ipointed to a set of brain scans that we did of a couple at my clinic.“Typically, the woman’s brain is very active. Thinking, thinking, thinking,especially in the emotional part of the brain. The man’s brain, by comparison,is relati

• is or her brain and psyche work. Can you really do this without a scan?Yes. Through the questions we ask ahead of time at the Amen Clinics, ourhistorians are uncannily accurate in predicting what the brain scans of ourpatients are likely to look like. We assess brain function by asking the rightquestions. You can, too. I believe it is essential in dating to obtain extensiveinformation on a potential mate bef

• at?It is time to change. Amen Clinics, Inc. (ACI) has provided leadership andunderstanding on the clinical use of brain imaging in psychiatry. Since 1991,ACI has built the world’s largest database of brain scans related to emotional,learning, and behavioral problems. The study we do is called brain-SPECTimaging. SPECT stands for Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography. It is anuclear medicine procedure wi

• pulsivedisorders, aggressiveness, cognitive decline, and brain toxicity due to drugs oralcohol. Brain-SPECT imaging is performed in the Clinics. Amen Clinics, Inc.have the world’s largest database of brain scans for behavioral problems in theworld.The Clinics welcome referrals from physicians, psychologists, social workers,marriage and family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, and individualclients.Ame

• hen he was off video games, he was one of the sweetest, most polite young menwe had met; but when on them, it was a completely different story.Daniel did a Tinder experiment for the Dr. Oz Show using brain scans to see theeffect of the dating site on mood and focus. He demonstrated that, in someindividuals, the dating site can make people more vulnerable to anxiety anddepression.As video game and technology

• medical imaging and psychiatry, cametogether and, quite honestly, revolutionized my life. Over the next twenty-fiveyears my colleagues and I at Amen Clinics would build the world’s largestdatabase of brain scans related to behavior, totaling more than 125,000 scans ofpatients from 111 countries.SPECT basically tells us three things about brain function: good activity, toolittle activity, and too much activit

• 13]The best mental exercise is acquiring new knowledge and doing things that youhave not done before. Even if your routine activities are fairly complicated,such as teaching a college course, reading brain scans, or fixing a crashedcomputer network, they won’t help your brain specifically because they aren’tnew to you. Whenever the brain does something over and over, it learns how to doit using less and less

• nder of Amen Clinics in Costa Mesaand Walnut Creek, California; Bellevue, Washington; Reston, Virginia; Atlanta,Georgia; and New York City. Amen Clinics have the world’s largest database offunctional brain scans relating to behavior, totaling more than 125,000 scans onpatients from 111 countries.Dr. Amen is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, thehighest award given to members, and

• with people to optimize brainfunction and decrease the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other age-relatedissues.Brain SPECT imaging is performed in the clinics. ACI has the world’s largestdatabase of brain scans for emotional, cognitive, and behavioral problems. ACIwelcomes referrals from physicians, psychologists, social workers, marriage andfamily therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, and individual pat

• r.xhtml#pageMap_152], 153[14_Interior.xhtml#pageMap_153]beta amyloid plaque formation and, 137 [14_Interior.xhtml#pageMap_137], 172[14_Interior.xhtml#pageMap_172], 189 [16_Chapter_2.xhtml#pageMap_189]brain scans and, 7 [08_INTRODUCTION_The_Brain_Warrior_s_Way.xhtml#pageMap_7], 8[08_INTRODUCTION_The_Brain_Warrior_s_Way.xhtml#pageMap_8], 64[12_Interior.xhtml#pageMap_64]depression and, 8 [08_INTRODUCTION_The_Br

• 08_INTRODUCTION_The_Brain_Warrior_s_Way.xhtml#pageMap_8]beta amyloid plaque formation and, 137 [14_Interior.xhtml#pageMap_137], 172[14_Interior.xhtml#pageMap_172], 189 [16_Chapter_2.xhtml#pageMap_189]brain scans and, 7 [08_INTRODUCTION_The_Brain_Warrior_s_Way.xhtml#pageMap_7], 8[08_INTRODUCTION_The_Brain_Warrior_s_Way.xhtml#pageMap_8], 64[12_Interior.xhtml#pageMap_64]defined, 86 [12_Interior.xhtml#pageMap_86

• to solve problems because it’sgoing off on too many wrong or unproductive paths. In fact, I began my ownexploration of busy brains when I noticed that individuals complaining ofextra-busy brains had brain scans that revealed excessive activity in oneparticular area of the brain—the limbic system.As the chief psychiatrist at Amen Clinics in Reston, Virginia, a board-certifiedpracticing psychiatrist for thirt

• strategies forbalancing an unbalanced brain. In essence, we can manage our minds. You may haveheard that meditation has a positive impact on the brain, a finding supported byresearch and verified by brain scans. Similarly, in learning to rewrite thenegative stories we tell ourselves, we can also have a positive impact on thebrain: we can strengthen the control of the PFC over the wayward limbic areas,bringi

• so change thebrain. How? Because the brain is plastic. In essence, we are talking aboutself-directed neuroplasticity. The mind, the self, you, can rewire your braincircuits by rewriting your stories. Brain scans show evidence of brainalterations that resemble the changes brought about by medication in people whoundertake cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is simply a structuredversion that teaches ret

• e brain and slows down certain kinds of brain deterioration. The Harvard experiment included twenty individuals with intensive Buddhist “insight meditation” training and fifteen who did not meditate. Brain scans revealed that those who meditated had an increased thickness of gray matter in parts of the brain that are responsible for attention. * Meditation helps to eliminate feelings of anxiety and anger. Us

• whether one of the problems illustratedin this chapter is interfering with your healing.I repeat what I’ve said several times, that not everyone needs a brain scan. ButI also want to underscore that brain scans and other appropriate medical studiescan help you and your health professional “think outside the box,” to identifyreasons why you may not have found healing thus far for your brain and yourhealth.

• er and medicaldirector of Amen Clinics in Newport Beach and San Francisco, CA; Bellevue, WA;Reston, VA; Atlanta, GA; and New York City, NY. Amen Clinics have the world’slargest database of functional brain scans relating to behavior, totaling morethan 80,000 scans on patients from 90 countries.DR. MARK HYMAN has dedicated his career to identifying and addressing the rootcauses of chronic illness through a gr

• ct Eyes in a Moving Crowd,” Terrence O’Brien onJune 1, 2010, Huff Post Tech46 “Project Hostile Intent plans ‘non-invasive’ DHS brain scan,” August 9, 200747 NSF 2001 report.48 Richard Alleyne, “Child brain scans to pick out future criminals,” LondonTelegraph, Feb 22, 2011.49 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu-1zO29IxE.50 http://brain.kaist.ac.kr/about_us.html.51 http://nanobrainimplant.wordpress.com/2013/02/1

• In April 2016, cutting-edge research on LSD was presentedto the Royal Society, the most respected institution for scientific discoverysince the seventeenth century, where Isaac Newton was president. Brain scans ofsubjects under the influence of LSD reveal usually dormant areas of the brainlighting up like a Christmas tree. Subjects ‘experienced images throughinformation drawn from many parts of their brains

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• u won’t see all the benefi ts. Do you see any correlations or analogies between addictive sexuality and other habits or behaviors in Western cultures? Dutch scientist Gert Holstege, who said that his brain scans of men ejaculating look like brain scans of people shooting heroin, once re - marked that we are all addicted to sex. Orgasm is the most powerful (le- gal) buzz available to us. I believe that when w

• any correlations or analogies between addictive sexuality and other habits or behaviors in Western cultures? Dutch scientist Gert Holstege, who said that his brain scans of men ejaculating look like brain scans of people shooting heroin, once re - marked that we are all addicted to sex. Orgasm is the most powerful (le- gal) buzz available to us. I believe that when we consciously move from compulsion to equ

• ons that spanmillions of neural networks, create sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts.These are assumptions with no explanation whatsoever. Chemicals are just nameswe have applied to a mystery. Brain scans are snapshots of activity, telling usnothing about actual experience, just as snapshots of piano keys tell us nothingabout the experience of enjoying music. Only consciousness makes experiencepossibl

• hat we can know it at all. With the sameattitude, some farsighted scientists today have begun to recognize thatconsciousness is a proper field of study and research (largely thanks tobreakthroughs in brain scans like the functional MRI). Some even go so far asseeing spirituality as inherently human—our brains, our genes, and therefore ourthoughts are set up to seek God. This is a startling claim against theb

• ricanadults is reported to be taking psychiatric drugs. Relieving symptoms, as wesaw, doesn’t get at the real cause of a disorder like depression. Research hasattacked the cause of depression through brain scans, to see if a specific areaof the brain is involved; through genetic profiling, to discover if there is aunique “depression gene” or group of genes; and through psychiatric evaluation,hoping that a pa

• why this is so.LOVE REACHES DEEP AND FARWe live in an age in which such an overwhelming experience, one that transformssomeone’s entire being, is explained as biochemistry. But even withsophisticated brain scans and measurements of hormone levels and the like,what’s missing is the meaning of falling in love. That meaning is all embracing.In the terms we’re using, love is a whole-system event. The studies tha

• own about how mindfulness affects thebrain activity associated with pain. As subjects they took a group of “expertmeditators” who had been doing their practice for more than 10,000 hours andused fMRI brain scans to look at brain activity associated with anticipatingpain, experiencing pain, and getting used to pain. When subjected to a painfulstimulus, the expert meditators felt the same intensity of pain as

• much anticipation of being hurt or the anxiety thatcomes with it. Then when pain was felt, they registered it quickly, and they gotused to it more quickly. This is the rather technical story told by brain scans.But it accords with subjective reports from meditators that they feel calm,centered, and at peace.Our view of these findings is simple: consciousness can intervene to reducesuffering, even when the l

• uxley,who was an early champion of guided psychedelic trips into expandedconsciousness; this was his ultimate goal. To become respectable, psychedelicshad to get past their hippie image, however, and brain scans proved to be thekey. But the respectability lent by brain scans also contains a flaw.To a neuroscientist, the DMN is like the adult in the room, a brain region thatkeeps our wilder, more primitive im

• expandedconsciousness; this was his ultimate goal. To become respectable, psychedelicshad to get past their hippie image, however, and brain scans proved to be thekey. But the respectability lent by brain scans also contains a flaw.To a neuroscientist, the DMN is like the adult in the room, a brain region thatkeeps our wilder, more primitive impulses at bay. Thus a specialized group ofcells has taken over t

• your body. In particular, we need brainconnections. As it stands, the brain is the great obstacle to the soul.Neurologists don’t feel the need for any invisible explanations for love. Theycan exhibit brain scans showing that various areas of the cortex and limbicsystem light up in lovers that don’t light up in the rest of us; being in lovecomes down to bursts of electricity and chemicals, just as, for the ge

• d through the oxytocin reward center, love can indeed become an addiction.But pleasure, in all its forms, can’t be equated with happiness. If you put foodin front of a hungry animal, it will eat, and brain scans will show that thepleasure center in the animal’s brain has been activated. In a human being,emotional responses complicate the issue. When cranky two-year-olds refuse toeat, they can be very obstina

• quantum foam.” In our view, the inner experience ofmeditation, yoga, Zen Buddhism, and the like are not inferior to the datacollected on subjective states like pain, feeling happy, or falling in love.Brain scans offer a correlate with these experiences, but it takes a person tohave them.It makes people woozy, sometimes even apprehensive, to discover that there is noboundary between “me” and the whole world.

• n called theprimary visual cortex. As a consequence, people afflicted with blindsight failto consciously see anything in all or part of their field of vision, a situationthat can be confirmed through brain scans. However, we know that in those withblindsight, images picked up by the eye are nevertheless transmitted to thebrain, where, without ever reaching the level of conscious experience, theyinfluence con

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• tributable to correlated genetic factors. 423 A 2013 study showed that people with higher IQs have quicker reflexes and make faster perceptual judgments. 424 Modern research is increasingly employing brain scans to reach similar conclusions. A 2009 study used Diffusion Tensor Imaging to compare neural integrity in 92 pairs of fraternal and identical twins. Results showed that faster processing speed is corre

• he myelin, the faster the brain transmits messages, and the faster the brain processes sensory input. This research showed myelin integrity to be an inheritable determinant of IQ. A 2012 study pooled brain scans and genetic data from 21,000 subjects scattered around the world, to find evidence of a g enetic link to brain function and IQ. 426 A 2015 study used fMRI analysis to find a correlation between cogni

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• 374 Delta soldiers were hooked up to machinery including brain scans attached to computer monitors which displayed images transformed from the subjects’ neural activity. A rudimentary version of Looking-Glass technology was replicated in an experiment conducted 20 yea

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• validation. Victims who have identical structures can be validating. Other SRA victims from the same coven or same team can be validating. Recent books showing how different alters have different PET brain scans, as well as changes in regional cerebral blood flow as switches occur, have helped programmed DIDs to trust that MPD (DID) even exists. Many churches are still denying its existence. At a certain poi

• ent’s alters, which were KarenJ, Karen Jo, Karen Ja, Baby Alpha, Middle Alpha, Adult Alpha. One of FrankPutnam’s clients, (who had PET scans done showing how different alters havevastly different PET brain scans, which are not exhibited by people who onlypretend to have MPD), had a Pam 1, and a Pam 2. These three methods here arecommon methods for nomenclature. In a 13x13x13 grid of alters, the top 2sections

• ly look at brain cellson functioning brains.Researchers such as Frank Putnam, at the National Institute of Mental Health,have taken PET scans of the brains of people with multiple personalities, whosebrain scans from one alter personality to another are very different. Thisdoesn’t occur in non-multiple people who pretend to have differentpersonalities. The brain scans have shown that brains with multiplepers

• people with multiple personalities, whosebrain scans from one alter personality to another are very different. Thisdoesn’t occur in non-multiple people who pretend to have differentpersonalities. The brain scans have shown that brains with multiplepersonalities are physically different than other people’s brains. The differentpersonalities are often in different neurophysiological states. Medical sciencehas

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• ’s alters, which were Karen J, Karen Jo, Karen Ja, Baby Alpha, Middle Alpha, Adult Alpha. One of Frank Putnam’s clients, (who had PET scans done showing how different alters have vastly different PET brain scans, which are not exhibited by people who only pretend to have MPD), had a Pam 1, and a Pam 2. These three methods here are common methods for nomenclature. In a 13x13x13 grid of alters, the top 2 secti

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• ook at brain cells on functioning brains. Researchers such as Frank Putnam, at the National Institute of Mental Health, have taken PET scans of the brains of people with multiple personalities, whose brain scans from one alter personality to another are very different. This doesn’t occur in non-multiple people who pretend to have different personalities. The brain scans have shown that brains with multiple p

• ple with multiple personalities, whose brain scans from one alter personality to another are very different. This doesn’t occur in non-multiple people who pretend to have different personalities. The brain scans have shown that brains with multiple personalities are physically different than other people’s brains. The different personalities are often in different neurophysiological states. Medical science h

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• ’s alters, which were Karen J, Karen Jo, Karen Ja, Baby Alpha, Middle Alpha, Adult Alpha. One of Frank Putnam’s clients, (who had PET scans done showing how different alters have vastly different PET brain scans, which are not exhibited by people who only pretend to have MPD), had a Pam 1, and a Pam 2. These three methods here are common methods for nomenclature. In a 13x13x13 grid of alters, the top 2 secti

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• ook at brain cells on functioning brains. Researchers such as Frank Putnam, at the National Institute of Mental Health, have taken PET scans of the brains of people with multiple personalities, whose brain scans from one alter personality to another are very different. This doesn’t occur in non-multiple people who pretend to have different personalities. The brain scans have shown that brains with multiple p

• ple with multiple personalities, whose brain scans from one alter personality to another are very different. This doesn’t occur in non-multiple people who pretend to have different personalities. The brain scans have shown that brains with multiple personalities are physically different than other people’s brains. The different personalities are often in different neurophysiological states. Medical science h

• ogens, and perhaps the reasonthey are often approached with trepidation, is that they dissolve the ego. In a2013 presentation, by Brazilian neuroscientist Dráulio Barros de Araújo, heargued that fMRI brain scans proved that the hallucinogenic brew Ayahuascareduces neural activity in what is called the Default Mode Network (DMN) regionsof the brain. (http://maps.org/conference/ayahuascafriday/[http://maps.org

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•  Rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis ). Stimulating essential oil used to treat muscular and rheumatic complaints, as well as low blood pressure, gastro- intestinal problems, and headaches. Recently. Brain scans have shown that fragrance of rosemary increases blood circulation in the brain.  Tea tree ( Melaleuca alternifolia ). Has bactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal, and anti-inflammatory proper- ties that

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• PTP, present as an impurity in some illegal drugs  epilepsy  Alzheimer’s disease  other neurodegenerative diseases that sometimes are referred to as Parkinson’s plus or parkinsonism plus syndromes Brain scans, blood tests, lumbar puncture, or x rays may be used to rule out causes of parkinsonism other than PD. Treatment There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease. In a study released in 2007, gene therapy sh

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• the affected side, as well as difficulty swallowing. The severity of these symptoms will depend upon the amount of brain tissue that has died, and its location in the brain. Computed tomography (CT) brain scans, angiog- raphy, lumbar puncture, and magnetic resonance imag- ing (MRI) are all used to rule out any other possible causes of the symptoms seen. Other possible causes of these symptoms could be brain

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• nsciousness. In February he had spasms in the right side, weakness. His right leg went numb and he had aphasia. He couldn’t talk properly. He couldn’t coordinate his speech and brain for talking. Two brain scans showed a brain tumor larger than a golf ball in the left rear center speech area. Inoperable. No biopsy possible. Six specialists confirmed the diagnosis. In March of ‘78 he tried the Kelly Therapy.

• opropagate—viruses that normally would remain latent, an elevated cancer risk,dementia, and more. As long ago as 1986, a top neurologist was unable todifferentiate the two diseases while studying MRI brain scans of ME patientspocked with multiple small lesions and reduced gray matter and those of patientswith AIDS-related dementia, or “ARD.” Patients suffer from a devastating cascadeof symptoms rendering the

• ctions” in these patients; multiple immunedeficiencies; a kind of sub-acute encephalopathy that lowered IQ and destroyedeven the brightest patients’ ability to think straight, complemented by abnormalbrain scans using several technologies. The doctor offered data for cytokine“storms,” an onslaught of inflammatory proteins like interferon that leveledvictims, generated in response to infections. He noted that

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• lly touching any piano keys) demonstrated almost the same brain changes as people who physically performed the identical finger movements on a piano keyboard for the same length of time. 2 Functional brain scans showed that all the participants activated and expanded clusters of neurons in the same specific area of the brain. In essence, the group who mentally rehearsed practicing scales and chords grew near

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• vity. After that, they were sent out onto the campus and into the town to do what they wished— visit museums, go to shops, or what have you. After they returned to the research center, they underwent brain scans again without first going back into meditation. Amazingly, despite not meditating throughout the day, and being subjected to the incoherent, chaotic signals that the external world exposes us all to,

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• lly touching any piano keys) demonstrated almost the same brain changes as people who physically performed the identical finger movements on a piano keyboard for the same length of time. 2 Functional brain scans showed that all the participants activated and expanded clusters of neurons in the same specific area of the brain. In essence, the group who mentally rehearsed practicing scales and chords grew near

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• vity. After that, they were sent out onto the campus and into the town to do what they wished— visit museums, go to shops, or what have you. After they returned to the research center, they underwent brain scans again without first going back into meditation. Amazingly, despite not meditating throughout the day, and being subjected to the incoherent, chaotic signals that the external world exposes us all to,

• y bond with the universe, and as their brains flood withanandamide, they enter bliss.DELTA WAVES AND CONNECTION WITH NONLOCAL CONSCIOUSNESSMy friend and colleague Dr. Joe Dispenza has been collecting brain scans atmeditation workshops for many years and now has a compendium of over 10,000scans. Studying the patterns that are common to this group of mind maps gives usfascinating insights into the experience o

• rstudents in these workshops because we witnessed significant changes in theirhealth, and I knew they were changing their biology during the meditations—inreal time.We have thousands and thousands of brain scans that prove those changes were notjust imagined in their minds but actually took place in their brains. Several ofthe students we measured accomplished those changes within four days (the lengthof our

• e eternal present moment, the only way you can create a newlife, heal your body, or change your predictable future is to get beyondyourself.This elegant moment—which we have witnessed in thousands of brain scans—arriveswhen a person finally surrenders the memory of themselves for something greater.So many people spend the majority of their lives unconsciously choosing to liveby the same routines on a regular

• urs a day over a periodof five days. The remaining half did the same thing, but just by imagining theywere sitting at the piano—without physically moving their fingers in any way.The before-and-after brain scans showed that both groups created a dramaticnumber of new neural circuits and new neurological programming in the region oftheir brains that controls finger movements, even though one group did so byth

• ast four years myresearch team and I have recorded several students who can move into very deepdelta brain waves during meditation. Their bodies are deeply asleep, and theyare not dreaming, but their brain scans show that their brains are processingvery high amplitudes of energy. As a result, they report having profoundmystical experiences of oneness, feeling connected to everyone and everything inthe univer

• r than your conscious mind does—steps in andfinally has an opportunity to clean house. That’s what creates brain coherence.If you look at Graphics 3A–3C in the color insert, you’ll see three differentbrain scans. Graphic 3A is a normal scan of someone in normal thinking betabrain waves. Graphic 3B was recorded while a student was performing an openfocus, showing coherent synchronized alpha brain waves. Graph

• y in a state of coherence (orderliness). Nowthey’re in an incoherent state, sending incoherent messages down the spinal cordto various parts of the body. We’ve seen this over and over again when we dobrain scans to measure brain waves.As I’ve said before, when your brain is incoherent, you are incoherent. And whenyour brain is not working right, you are not working right. It’s as thoughinstead of playing a b

• g around electronic equipment of any kind.Daniel saw several different doctors and specialists, but none of them couldfind anything wrong with him. He went through an extensive battery of bloodtests, brain scans, and physical examinations, but every one of the studies cameback negative. Some of the doctors didn’t believe him and even becamecondescending, rolling their eyes as if Daniel were making up his sym

• at moment she was experiencingabsolute truth and freedom for the very first time. For a few hours followingher meditation, she felt somewhat dazed but physically lighter than before.If you review the brain scans in Graphics 7A–7C, you can see Felicia’s brainshowing the classic changes that we witness when there is high energy in thebrain. She starts in normal beta brain waves and then transitions into high-b

• at’s coherence. On the right, you can see that the wavesof the brain are not in phase and the arrows do not line up with the peaks andvalleys. That’s incoherence.Since I will be showing you different brain scans in the pages ahead, I want tofamiliarize you with how we measure coherence and incoherence. Look at thesecond set of images. If there is a lot of blue in the brain, it means there islow coherence (hy

• spherewould be romantic, creative, and nonlinear, while the left hemisphere would bemethodical, logical, and structured. We’ve actually seen this dual processingoccurring while watching our students’ brain scans in real time.Because the kaleidoscope’s flow of geometric fractal patterns within patternsdoes not look like any one, any thing, any where, in any time, its patterns aredesigned to bypass the percept

• d the righthemisphere operates in the unknown, as activity increases in your righthemisphere, you are more open to creating something unknown and new.Graphics 9A(1) and 9A(2) in the color insert show brain scans of two studentswho are in coherent alpha and theta states. In Graphic 9A(3), you’ll see anotherstudent’s entire brain in theta while viewing the kaleidoscope. Graphic 9A(4)shows the brain scan of a s

• n of matter and the speed of light. Whenthis happens, the brain processes extremely high amplitudes of energy. Time andtime again, we’ve measured and observed this phenomenon in our advancedstudents’ brain scans. You’ve also learned that when there is an increase inenergy in the brain, there will always be an increase in consciousness andawareness—and vice versa. In fact, it’s very difficult to determine whe

• nes. Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs, from which Valium iscreated, that anesthetize the analytical mind, so all of a sudden the thinkingbrain relaxes and stops analyzing. According to functional brain scans,benzodiazepines suppress neural activity in the amygdala, the brain’s survivalcenter. This limits chemicals that cause you to feel fear, anger, agitation,aggression, sadness, or pain.4 [../Text/endno

• heart-to-heart biocommunications.”20[../Text/endnotes.xhtml#ch13_nt20]Key to the process of coherence is getting beyond the analytical mind. (We knowthis because we’ve measured it enough times in the brain scans of our students.Their participation has also demonstrated that with enough practice, coherencecan be achieved in a relatively short amount of time.) When the thinking brainis quieted, it moves into a

• h vital energy, your passion to make adifference in the world, and your open minds and hearts. I am blessed to knowall of you. I would also like to thank you for your contribution in providingall the brain scans, for providing state-of-the-art equipment, for your superbanalysis, for the accumulation of all the data, and for taking the time out ofyour busy lives to have long conversations with me about what i

76

• y touching any piano keys) demonstrated almost the same brain changes as peo - ple who physically performed the identical nger movements on a piano keyboard for the same length of time. 2 Functional brain scans showed that all the participants activated and expanded clusters of neurons in the same specic area of the brain. In es - sence, the group who mentally rehearsed practicing scales and chords grew ne

240

• BREAKING THE HABIT OF BEING YOURSELF 214 wished—visit museums, go to shops, or what have you. After they returned to the research center, they underwent brain scans again without rst going back into meditation. Amazingly, despite not medi - tating throughout the day, and being subjected to the incoherent, chaotic signals that the external world exposes us all t

61

• lls that fire together , wire together. Therefore, when gangs of neurons are repeatedly stimulated, they will build stronger, more enriched connections between each other. According to the functional brain scans in this particular experiment, the subjects that were mentally rehearsing were activating their brain in the same way as if they were actually performing the endeavor. The repetitive firing of the ne

69

• al nerve cells as well. Learning to juggle may actually cause specific areas of the brain to grow, according to a study published in the journal Nature in January 2004. 13 We've known from functional brain scans that learning can cause changes in brain activity, but this particular study demonstrated that anatomical changes can occur as a result of learning something new . German researchers at the Universit

70

• 58 EVOLVE your BRAIN Before and after the first group learned to juggle, the scientists conducted brain scans on all the volunteers using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition, rather than limiting their investigation to changes in brain activity, the researchers used a sophisticated analysis techniq

73

• ON THE BACK OF A GIANT 61 Now that we have the technology to observe a living brain, we know from functional brain scans that the mind is the brain in action. This is the latest definition of mind according to neuroscience. When a brain is alive and active, it can process thought, demonstrate intelligence, learn new in

76

• 64 EVOLVE your BRAIN more about the normal and abnormal activity of the mind . Functional brain scans have allowed us to examine and observe the brain in action or at work. By using functional brain technology, we are study- ing the mind more accurately than ever before in the history of neuro- scien

• ork. By using functional brain technology, we are study- ing the mind more accurately than ever before in the history of neuro- science . Researchers have been able to detect repeated patterns in the brain scans of individuals with similar afflictions or injuries, thus helping doctors with the appropriate diagnosis and treatment. A Meditation on the Mind Let's look at a recent investigation into the relation

120

• ively large compared to other brain structures, it is a three-lobed structure attached to the brainstem at the very back of the skull, underneath the hindmost area of the neocortex. Recent functional brain scans reveal that the cerebellum is the brain's most active area.' Scientists believe the cerebellum is responsible for balance, coordi- nation, proprioception, and the execution of controlled movements. I

132

• th sense that allows him to recognize sad, angry, or happy faces. Patient X, age 52, cannot see after having two different strokes, which damaged the brain areas that process visual signals. However, brain scans reveal that when he looks at faces expressing emotion, another part of his brain besides the visual cortex is activated-the amygdala. This small struc- ture responds to nonverbal facial signs (or mem

134

• s circuit breaker, but higher than seen in most people. As a result, these people tend to be easily overwhelmed by minor stresses in their lives. On the other hand, according to the latest functional brain scans, so-called doers usually have basal ganglia that function at a slightly more active level than in most people. Their increased basal ganglia activity does what it is supposed to- it processes thought

181

• se the body parts that cor- relate with those assigned areas are more sensitive and carry greater responsibil- ity to detect sensory information from the environment. Researchers have used functional brain scans to compare experienced and inexperienced Braille readers in terms of how much of the brain's sensory cor- tex is turned on when using their index fingers to read. With experienced Braille readers, sc

189

• have all attempted to formulate theories of learning, behavior, and person- ality development. From Aristotle's tabula rasa to Skinner's behav- ioral modification to recent research using functional brain scans to study a living brain, our understanding of the brain and the underlying processes that help it develop has evolved a great deal. 179

230

• the right brain only holds true for those people who are unskilled in music. Most of us that are nonmusi- cians, because of its novelty, will process music on the right side of the brain. Functional brain scans show that skilled musicians listen to and process music in the left side of the brain because of the established neural nets in place from learning and experiencing. 12 Given the nature of our anatom

256

• e of neural firing based on individual wiring. And each lightning storm is different than the next. Everyone has their own neurological weather patterns. We know this to be true because on functional brain scans, most people produce the same signature of thought processes without much change in cerebral activity. If a person thinks every day about how little money they have, the neural networks that have to

259

• is precisely the wrong approach in today's world. -ROBERT K. COOPER, PH.D . t/ ; :~~~:~:::,::.n~:u:~::~:; :;:~ ::.a1 o~::~;;~ " different ways, scientists are now able to observe, through functional brain scans, how those states of mind are produced within the structures of the brain. That said, how, why, and to what extent we express, experience, or per- ceive these emotions creates our own distinct person

260

• to map the areas of the brain responsible for particular tasks. Processing New Information How the brain works and how humans process new information is another matter. Until the advent of functional brain scans a few years ago, scientists had no way of observing the brain at work, actually engaged in producing the mind. Now they can. Imaging technologies allow doctors and researchers to see how various part

• or anomalies. Nevertheless, just as the study of stroke vic- tims enabled researchers to learn a great deal about how adaptable the brain is and the degree to which its plasticity aids us, functional brain scans have begun to usher in new eras in psychology and neuroscience. Haven't you thought, at one time or another, "What is going on with my head today?" What you were really wondering was why you were hav

350

• sively overemotional behavior. s In fact, in recent research done by Richard Davidson, Ph.D ., at the University of Wisconsin, subjects who demonstrated heightened frontal lobe activity on functional brain scans had lower levels of the stress hor- mone cortiso1. 6 So, the greater the brain activity in the frontal lobe , the more ability we have to willfully control our reactions and impulsive behaviors. The

402

• nitive effort, we get a double bonus. Not only are we able to wire new cir- cuits, but also prune the previously hardwired connections. Do you recall the Braille readers we mentioned whose functional brain scans revealed a remarkable adaptability? These people had lost their sight and learned to read through touch. What is important to remember is that the cen- ters normally used for seeing in a sighted pers

61

• lls that fire together , wire together. Therefore, when gangs of neurons are repeatedly stimulated, they will build stronger, more enriched connections between each other. According to the functional brain scans in this particular experiment, the subjects that were mentally rehearsing were activating their brain in the same way as if they were actually performing the endeavor. The repetitive firing of the ne

69

• al nerve cells as well. Learning to juggle may actually cause specific areas of the brain to grow, according to a study published in the journal Nature in January 2004. 13 We've known from functional brain scans that learning can cause changes in brain activity, but this particular study demonstrated that anatomical changes can occur as a result of learning something new . German researchers at the Universit

70

• 58 EVOLVE your BRAIN Before and after the first group learned to juggle, the scientists conducted brain scans on all the volunteers using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition, rather than limiting their investigation to changes in brain activity, the researchers used a sophisticated analysis techniq

73

• ON THE BACK OF A GIANT 61 Now that we have the technology to observe a living brain, we know from functional brain scans that the mind is the brain in action. This is the latest definition of mind according to neuroscience. When a brain is alive and active, it can process thought, demonstrate intelligence, learn new in

76

• 64 EVOLVE your BRAIN more about the normal and abnormal activity of the mind . Functional brain scans have allowed us to examine and observe the brain in action or at work. By using functional brain technology, we are study- ing the mind more accurately than ever before in the history of neuro- scien

• ork. By using functional brain technology, we are study- ing the mind more accurately than ever before in the history of neuro- science . Researchers have been able to detect repeated patterns in the brain scans of individuals with similar afflictions or injuries, thus helping doctors with the appropriate diagnosis and treatment. A Meditation on the Mind Let's look at a recent investigation into the relation

120

• ively large compared to other brain structures, it is a three-lobed structure attached to the brainstem at the very back of the skull, underneath the hindmost area of the neocortex. Recent functional brain scans reveal that the cerebellum is the brain's most active area.' Scientists believe the cerebellum is responsible for balance, coordi- nation, proprioception, and the execution of controlled movements. I

132

• th sense that allows him to recognize sad, angry, or happy faces. Patient X, age 52, cannot see after having two different strokes, which damaged the brain areas that process visual signals. However, brain scans reveal that when he looks at faces expressing emotion, another part of his brain besides the visual cortex is activated-the amygdala. This small struc- ture responds to nonverbal facial signs (or mem

134

• s circuit breaker, but higher than seen in most people. As a result, these people tend to be easily overwhelmed by minor stresses in their lives. On the other hand, according to the latest functional brain scans, so-called doers usually have basal ganglia that function at a slightly more active level than in most people. Their increased basal ganglia activity does what it is supposed to- it processes thought

181

• se the body parts that cor- relate with those assigned areas are more sensitive and carry greater responsibil- ity to detect sensory information from the environment. Researchers have used functional brain scans to compare experienced and inexperienced Braille readers in terms of how much of the brain's sensory cor- tex is turned on when using their index fingers to read. With experienced Braille readers, sc

189

• have all attempted to formulate theories of learning, behavior, and person- ality development. From Aristotle's tabula rasa to Skinner's behav- ioral modification to recent research using functional brain scans to study a living brain, our understanding of the brain and the underlying processes that help it develop has evolved a great deal. 179

230

• the right brain only holds true for those people who are unskilled in music. Most of us that are nonmusi- cians, because of its novelty, will process music on the right side of the brain. Functional brain scans show that skilled musicians listen to and process music in the left side of the brain because of the established neural nets in place from learning and experiencing. 12 Given the nature of our anatom

256

• e of neural firing based on individual wiring. And each lightning storm is different than the next. Everyone has their own neurological weather patterns. We know this to be true because on functional brain scans, most people produce the same signature of thought processes without much change in cerebral activity. If a person thinks every day about how little money they have, the neural networks that have to

259

• is precisely the wrong approach in today's world. -ROBERT K. COOPER, PH.D . t/ ; :~~~:~:::,::.n~:u:~::~:; :;:~ ::.a1 o~::~;;~ " different ways, scientists are now able to observe, through functional brain scans, how those states of mind are produced within the structures of the brain. That said, how, why, and to what extent we express, experience, or per- ceive these emotions creates our own distinct person

260

• to map the areas of the brain responsible for particular tasks. Processing New Information How the brain works and how humans process new information is another matter. Until the advent of functional brain scans a few years ago, scientists had no way of observing the brain at work, actually engaged in producing the mind. Now they can. Imaging technologies allow doctors and researchers to see how various part

• or anomalies. Nevertheless, just as the study of stroke vic- tims enabled researchers to learn a great deal about how adaptable the brain is and the degree to which its plasticity aids us, functional brain scans have begun to usher in new eras in psychology and neuroscience. Haven't you thought, at one time or another, "What is going on with my head today?" What you were really wondering was why you were hav

350

• sively overemotional behavior. s In fact, in recent research done by Richard Davidson, Ph.D ., at the University of Wisconsin, subjects who demonstrated heightened frontal lobe activity on functional brain scans had lower levels of the stress hor- mone cortiso1. 6 So, the greater the brain activity in the frontal lobe , the more ability we have to willfully control our reactions and impulsive behaviors. The

402

• nitive effort, we get a double bonus. Not only are we able to wire new cir- cuits, but also prune the previously hardwired connections. Do you recall the Braille readers we mentioned whose functional brain scans revealed a remarkable adaptability? These people had lost their sight and learned to read through touch. What is important to remember is that the cen- ters normally used for seeing in a sighted pers

• o keys) demonstrated almost the same brainchanges as people who physically performed the identical finger movements on apiano keyboard for the same length of time.2 [endnotes.html#ch02_en2] Functionalbrain scans showed that all the participants activated and expanded clusters ofneurons in the same specific area of the brain. In essence, the group whomentally rehearsed practicing scales and chords grew nearly

• ctivity. After that, they were sent out onto the campus and into thetown to do what they wished—visit museums, go to shops, or what have you. Afterthey returned to the research center, they underwent brain scans again withoutfirst going back into meditation. Amazingly, despite not meditating throughoutthe day, and being subjected to the incoherent, chaotic signals that theexternal world exposes us all to, th

7

• a Homan Brain-mapping graphics: Jeffrey L. Fannin, Ph.D. The material in the color insert was made possible with the help of Jeffrey Fannin, Ph.D. Special thanks to Dr. Fannin for providing the color brain scans and for contributing to their interpretation. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic reco

23

• d heart coherence (a heart-rhythm measurement that reflects the communication between the heart and the brain), and gas discharge visualization (GDV) to measure changes in bioenergetic fields. We did brain scans on many of the participants both before and after the event so that we could see what was going on in the inner world of people’s brains, and we also randomly selected people to scan during the event

31

• hadn’t moved her legs in years walked around the room, completely unassisted, after just one hour-long meditation! Chapter 10 shares more remarkable stories from workshop participants, along with the brain scans that go with them. You’ll meet Michelle, who completely healed herself of Parkinson’s disease, and John, a paraplegic who stood up from his wheelchair after a meditation. You’ll read how Kathy (a CEO

• ion that tears of joy ran down her face, and Maria, whose experience can only be described as having an orgasm in her brain. I’ll show you the data my team of scientists collected from these people’s brain scans so that you can see the changes we witnessed in real time during the workshops. The best part of all this data is that it proves you don’t have to be a monk or nun, a scholar, a scientist, or a spiri

62

• nt drugs, which in turn makes the placebos more effective in these blind trials. 17 The Neurobiology of the Placebo It was only a matter of time before neuroscientists would start using sophisticated brain scans to take an intricate look at what happens neurochemically when a placebo is administered. An example is the 2001 study on Parkinson’s patients who regained motor skills after receiving only an inject

• dy subjects the drug sumatriptan to stimulate growth hormone and inhibit cortisol secretion, and then without the patients’ knowledge, he replaced the drug with a placebo. He found that the patients’ brain scans continued to light up in the same places as when they were getting the sumatriptan; this was proof that the brain was indeed producing the same substance—in this case, growth hormone—on its own. 20 T

121

• d focus on the outcome you want, the frontal lobe is your ally, because it also lowers the volume on the outside world so that you’re not as distracted by information coming in from your five senses. Brain scans show that in a highly focused state, such as mental rehearsal, the perception of time and space diminishes. 9 This happens because your frontal lobe dials down the input from your sensory centers (wh

168

• ughly 50,000 Cambodian residents), were having severe vision problems, including blindness, in disproportionately high numbers. Physically, the women’s eyes were perfectly healthy. Dr. van Boemel did brain scans on the women to evaluate how well their visual systems were functioning and compared them to how well their eyes were seeing. She found that each of the women had perfectly normal visual acuity, ofte

230

• nt place beyond space and time—the place from where all things materially come—could they start to create. This was when the real changes during the workshops began to happen. A Quick Overview of the Brain Scans Used I want to introduce you to two types of brain-scan readings so that you can see and understand the changes I’m about to show you. Let’s make it simple. The first type of scan we used measures de

234

• significant strides. Michelle’s scans: Because Michelle lives close to Dr. Fannin’s clinic in Arizona, we were able to track her progress for more than five months, by taking a series of six periodic brain scans. I want to explain her evolution during that time. Take a look at the “before meditation” part of Figure 10.5 . This is her scan at the February 2013 event after she came home from Florida, stressed

• mela HomanBrain-mapping graphics: Jeffrey L. Fannin, Ph.D.The material in the color insert was made possible with the help of JeffreyFannin, Ph.D. Special thanks to Dr. Fannin for providing the color brain scansand for contributing to their interpretation.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical,photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recordi

• and heart coherence (a heart-rhythm measurement thatreflects the communication between the heart and the brain), and gas dischargevisualization (GDV) to measure changes in bioenergetic fields.We did brain scans on many of the participants both before and after the eventso that we could see what was going on in the inner world of people’s brains,and we also randomly selected people to scan during the event t

• ved her legs in years walked around the room, completely unassisted, afterjust one hour-long meditation!Chapter 10 [ch10.html] shares more remarkable stories from workshopparticipants, along with the brain scans that go with them. You’ll meetMichelle, who completely healed herself of Parkinson’s disease, and John, aparaplegic who stood up from his wheelchair after a meditation. You’ll read howKathy (a CEO li

• n turn makes the placebos more effective in these blind trials.17[endnote.html#fna-17]The Neurobiology of the PlaceboIt was only a matter of time before neuroscientists would start usingsophisticated brain scans to take an intricate look at what happensneurochemically when a placebo is administered. An example is the 2001 study onParkinson’s patients who regained motor skills after receiving only an injectio

• study subjects the drugsumatriptan to stimulate growth hormone and inhibit cortisol secretion, and thenwithout the patients’ knowledge, he replaced the drug with a placebo. He foundthat the patients’ brain scans continued to light up in the same places as whenthey were getting the sumatriptan; this was proof that the brain was indeedproducing the same substance—in this case, growth hormone—on its own.20[endn

• and focus on the outcomeyou want, the frontal lobe is your ally, because it also lowers the volume onthe outside world so that you’re not as distracted by information coming in fromyour five senses. Brain scans show that in a highly focused state, such asmental rehearsal, the perception of time and space diminishes.9[endnote.html#fnd-9] This happens because your frontal lobe dials down the inputfrom your se

• otent place beyond space and time—the place from whereall things materially come—could they start to create. This was when the realchanges during the workshops began to happen.A Quick Overview of the Brain Scans UsedI want to introduce you to two types of brain-scan readings so that you can seeand understand the changes I’m about to show you. Let’s make it simple. Thefirst type of scan we used measures degre

• de significant strides.Michelle’s scans: Because Michelle lives close to Dr. Fannin’s clinic inArizona, we were able to track her progress for more than five months, by takinga series of six periodic brain scans. I want to explain her evolution duringthat time.Take a look at the “before meditation” part of Figure 10.5. This is her scan atthe February 2013 event after she came home from Florida, stressed and

• mela HomanBrain-mapping graphics: Jeffrey L. Fannin, Ph.D.The material in the color insert was made possible with the help of JeffreyFannin, Ph.D. Special thanks to Dr. Fannin for providing the color brain scansand for contributing to their interpretation.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical,photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recordi

• and heart coherence (a heart-rhythm measurement thatreflects the communication between the heart and the brain), and gas dischargevisualization (GDV) to measure changes in bioenergetic fields.We did brain scans on many of the participants both before and after the eventso that we could see what was going on in the inner world of people’s brains,and we also randomly selected people to scan during the event t

• who hadn’tmoved her legs in years walked around the room, completely unassisted, afterjust one hour-long meditation!Chapter 10 shares more remarkable stories from workshop participants, along withthe brain scans that go with them. You’ll meet Michelle, who completely healedherself of Parkinson’s disease, and John, a paraplegic who stood up from hiswheelchair after a meditation. You’ll read how Kathy (a CEO l

• ressant drugs, whichin turn makes the placebos more effective in these blind trials.17The Neurobiology of the PlaceboIt was only a matter of time before neuroscientists would start usingsophisticated brain scans to take an intricate look at what happensneurochemically when a placebo is administered. An example is the 2001 study onParkinson’s patients who regained motor skills after receiving only an injectio

• study subjects the drugsumatriptan to stimulate growth hormone and inhibit cortisol secretion, and thenwithout the patients’ knowledge, he replaced the drug with a placebo. He foundthat the patients’ brain scans continued to light up in the same places as whenthey were getting the sumatriptan; this was proof that the brain was indeedproducing the same substance—in this case, growth hormone—on its own.20The s

• and focus on the outcomeyou want, the frontal lobe is your ally, because it also lowers the volume onthe outside world so that you’re not as distracted by information coming in fromyour five senses. Brain scans show that in a highly focused state, such asmental rehearsal, the perception of time and space diminishes.9 This happensbecause your frontal lobe dials down the input from your sensory centers (which

• otent place beyond space and time—the place from whereall things materially come—could they start to create. This was when the realchanges during the workshops began to happen.A Quick Overview of the Brain Scans UsedI want to introduce you to two types of brain-scan readings so that you can seeand understand the changes I’m about to show you. Let’s make it simple. Thefirst type of scan we used measures degre

• de significant strides.Michelle’s scans: Because Michelle lives close to Dr. Fannin’s clinic inArizona, we were able to track her progress for more than five months, by takinga series of six periodic brain scans. I want to explain her evolution duringthat time.Take a look at the “before meditation” part of Figure 10.5. This is her scan atthe February 2013 event after she came home from Florida, stressed and

455

• al experience, the content of the mind fades, sensory awareness drops out, and you are left on ly with pure consciousness which does not need an object. It is not a mere byproduct of s ensory action. Brain scans of a large sampling of people lost in prayer or deep meditation reve al certain common neurological underpinnings which correlate with religious st ates from transcendence, to visions, to enlightenme

596

• ce' there is no resting place for the atoms of the human body i n the universe. I. Miller recounts the brain centers which are responsive during pr ayer and meditation in "Neurotheology 101" (2001). "Brain scans of a large sampling of people lost in prayer or deep meditation r eveal certain common neurological underpinnings which correlate with religious st ates from transcendence, to visions, to enlightenme

12

• lack of concentration on normal externals, and depressive mood. Some research suggests a control dysfunction in the right hemisphere of the brain. 34 Well, we probably can't test our UFO abductees by brain scans yet, but we could test for the past personal characteristics mentioned above, and use certain common test regimens to make the results more objective. Some evidence of pathological thinking in DH vic

15

• FOs and Abductions in Brazil, is a legend in her own country, having performed research for about 50 years. Psychologist Gilda Moura has worked with approximately 50 ab- ductees and has been studying brain scans to correlate any findings possibly related to abduction trauma. Most of her important work is unknown to the world. I was fortunate to have witnessed a top level, national meeting of Brazilian re- se

100

• cy guide intelligence operations, so it canceled the project. (Rumors persisted that the CIA used remote viewers to locate Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War, although all efforts were unsuccessful.) BRAIN SCANS At the same time, scientists were beginning to understand some of the physics behind the workings of the brain. In the nineteenth century scientists suspected that electrical signals were being trans

101

• TELEPATHY 77 Leading this quantum revolution are the PET (positron-emission to­ mography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) brain scans. A PET scan is created by injecting radioactive sugar into the blood. This sugar concentrates in parts of the brain that are activated by the thinking process, which requires energy. The radioactive

104

• tom bomb, it is best reserved as a sort of ultimate weapon. If widely deployed outside the courtroom, it would make social life quite impossible." UNIVERSAL TRANSLATOR Some have rightfully criticized brain scans because, for all their spec­ tacular photographs of the thinking brain, they are simply too crude to measure isolated, individual thoughts. Millions of neurons probably fire at once when we perform t

• ed, individual thoughts. Millions of neurons probably fire at once when we perform the simplest mental task, and the fMRI detects this activity only as a blob on a screen. One psychologist com­ pared brain scans to attending a boisterous football game and trying to listen to the person sitting next to you. The sounds of that person are drowned out by the noise of thousands of spectators. For example, the

333

• heavily as if a person made these threats mentally? There will also be the question of governments and security agencies that do not care about any laws whatsoever and subject people involuntarily to brain scans. Would this constitute proper legal behavior? Would it be le­ gal to read the mind of a terrorist to find out his or her plans? Would it be le­ gal to implant false memories in order to deceive indiv

348

• resonance imaging (MRI), 101 functional (1MRI), 77, 79-82 handheld, 82-83 lie detectors and, 77, 79-80 telepathy and, 77-84, 86-87 magnetism, magnetic fields, xi, 67, 135, 260 antimatter and, 180-82 brain scans and, 77, 82-83 force fields and, 4-9, 11-15 fusion and, 45-47 space travel and, 158, 172-73, 176 UFOs and, 151-52 "Man Without a Body, The" (Mitchell), 54 many worlds theory, 226-27 parallel universe

175

• oma growing relentlessly inside her skull. Untreated, the tumor will expand without mercy until it slowly crushes her brain. She has been in and out of hospitals ever since. She is more familiar with brain scans, MRI, radiation treatments, and brain surgery than she is with the SAT. She has had open-brain surgery four times to remove the tumor, but each time it has grown back. Chemotherapy is out, since the

198

• and help them think. Perhaps as we come to understand genetics and neuroscience better, more selective and effective cognitive enhancers will be developed. Perhaps in the future insurers will demand brain scans to assess prefrontal function before issuing policies, while influence technicians will routinely use neuroscientific research when planning their campaigns (the term neuromarketing has already been

216

• s. 16 The scientists did this by hypnotizing healthy subjects and inducing them to attribute an arm movement they themselves had made to an external source (a pulley to which their arm was attached). Brain scans showed that areas of parietal cortex, cerebellum, and prefrontal cortex were more active when subjects mis- takenly thought the movement was due to the pulley, compared with when they thought they ha

108

• oing to corre­ spond to our psychological terms. The best we can do, then, is look to more or less strong associations between our everyda y concepts of thought and action that might be re­ vealed by brain scans and other studie s, though in practice these associa­ tions might be enough to guide interventions that could make a big dif­ ference in managing human behavior or even altering what brains can do. T

118

• tion researcher Paul Ekman is making a start at an alternate, low-tech approach . With NIH sponsorship and decades of experience, Ekman has reported that trained observers using behavior­ al clues-no brain scans- can identify lies about 80 percent of the time. With DARPA funding he is investigating whether highly motivated liars such as terrorists might be more effective at evading detection. Procedures like

121

• t-turn- only lanes or prohibiting left turns during rush hours are familiar examples. Similar ly, Roskies speculates that a company might decide to pitch advertising based on what it has learned from brain scans about responses in brain areas associa ted with pleasure, and perhaps even correlate that with activity that relates to the impulse to buy. (Spea king for all the world's authors, I wish I knew how t

125

• agic consequences. Besides the possibility of excesses in the legal system produced by judges who get too excited by a cool device, there are also the temptations for insurers or employers to require brain scans to assess risks and aptitud es, or educators and social workers to evaluate an adoles cent's propensity to violence or other antisocial behavior, not to mention commercial scanning services already o

95

• n Men [Associated Press, Copyright 2000]." Nov. 28, 2000 — Score one for exasperated women: New research suggests men really do listen with just half their brains. "In a study of 20 men and 20 women, brain scans showed that men when listening mostly used the left sides of their brains, the region long associated with understanding language. Women in the study, however, used both sides. Other studies have sug

486

• ower jaw, and ears, and b. for the brain stem anomalies (see below, Neuro-note ) of autism (Rodier 2000:59). Facial recognition . According to UCSD neuroscientist Eric Courchesne and colleagues, deep-brain scans show that the fusiform gyrus, which mediates facial recognition in non-autistic children, fails to activate when autistic children view pictures of faces (LaFee 2002). Genetics . Regions of four chro

819

• d attempts even though they recalled other details from the same session quite accurately. For example, during one testing session patient LR remarked that I had been wearing a ‘‘tie with pictures of brain scans on it’’ during the previous session; a fact that many of my students failed to remem- ber. Even on the one occasion when she finally acknowledged her paralysis, she reverted to full denial when quest

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• indeed, structural MRI images, are essentially matrixes of data elements known as voxels. There are as many as 100,000 per scanned brain volume. In imaging experiments based on BOLD, many sequential brain scans may be recorded in a sin- gle session. Each scan will be collected under particular conditions or in a particular physiological or behav- ioral context. Scans may be collected in health and in diseas

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• ain relief experiment conducted by the Neurophysiology Research Group in Stock- holm, Sweden, also demonstrated that both placebos and powerful painkilling drugs activate the same areas of the brain. Brain scans indicated that both the true painkilling drug and a salt water placebo activat- ed the same two areas of the brain—the rostral ante- rior cingular cortex and the brain stem. Ingvar said that perhaps

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• l civilian law enforcement officers, 81 secret library record turnovers to the FBI and Homeland Security, digitized biometric thumb-printing & computerized face scanning for non-criminals, electronic brain scans to check for criminal predisposition, 82 massive government DNA Echelon electronic sp y s y stem Show us y our papers please

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• r in Mishap.” NewsMax.com 26 Feb. 2002. 16 Sept. 2005. < http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/2/25/182539.shtml > 82 Vendantum, Shankar. “The Polygraph Test Meets Its Match: Researchers Find Brain Scans Can Be Powerful Tool in Detecting Lies.” The Washington Post . 21 Nov. 2001; p.A02 83 Barr, Bob. “Open Season on DNA may not be far away.” Atlantic Journal Constitution . 19 Oct. 2005 < http://www.aj

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• considerations are highly relevant to his qualifications for the presidency: ‘Long-term heavy use of marijuana may cause two important brain structures to shrink, Australian researchers [have found]. Brain scans showed the hippocampus and amygdala were smaller in men who were heavy marijuana users compared to nonusers, the researchers said. The men had smoked at least five marijuana cigarettes daily for on a

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• n common with all animals that have a limbic system. W hat makes humans different is the large cerebrum on top of the small limbic system. When you experience love, compassion, happiness and courage, brain scans reveal a wide area in the cerebral cortex lights up. In other words, a larger network of cells in the higher brain centers are used to experience these higher emotions. Most people have great difficu

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• s from our clinic highlight how helpful this book has already been to many, many people, and how it might help you as well. In early February 1999, I was sitting at my imaging computer screen reading brain scans when Dr. George Lewis, one of the psychiatrists in my clinic, brought in a patient who had flown in from the Midwest to meet me. The man, in his late fifties, introduced himself to me with tears in h

• . He was lying in bed contemplating the best way to commit suicide when by coincidence his girlfriend turned on the Today show while I happened to be on, discussing my book. He watched me explain the brain scans of a person diagnosed with depression and anger. He heard me say that there was hope for people who suffered from these problems, that many “psychological problems” are in reality brain problems, and

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• gical piece to your marriage puzzle.” They agreed to get the set of brain studies. Betsy’s Overfocused Brain 3-D top-down active view Note markedly increased cingulate activity . As I looked at their brain scans with the experience of seeing them as a couple for nine months, the results made perfect clinical sense to me. In fact, I was irritated with myself that I hadn’t done it earlier. The cingulate part o

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• ence, and the brain. There is quite a bit of scientific literature on the physiological effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain. The most common finding among drug and alcohol abusers is that their brain scans display an overall toxic look. In general, their brains look less active, more shriveled, less healthy overall. A “scalloping effect” is commonly seen in the brains of drug abusers. Normal brain patt

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• y visual cortex, the area of the brain that interprets vision, was activated when creating the imagined images. See also Daydreaming; Dreams; Fantasy P aula Ford-Martin Further Reading Bower, Bruce. “Brain Scans Set Sights on Mind’s Eye.” Sci- ence News (December 2, 1995): 372. Mental retardation Below-average intellectual abilities that are present before the age of 18 and interfere with develop- mental pro

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• s dopamine, which controls movement. Re- search has shown that two other neurotransmitters, norep- inephrine and serotonin, also play a role in the condition. In addition, imaging techniques, such as brain scans, have shown abnormalities in the size and functioning of cer- tain parts of the brain in persons affected by TS. Symptoms of Tourette syndrome usually appear be- fore the age of 18. Children with TS

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• fter another, until the cigarettes are found and "recognised". This is an example of the second type of servo-mechanism. Recalling a name temporarily forgotten is another example. A "Scanner" in your brain scans back through your stored memories until the correct name is "recognised". An electronic brain solves problems in much the same way. First of all, a great deal of data must be fed into the machine. Th

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• a new idea, or an answer to a problem, is in fact, very similar to searching memory for a name you have forgotten. You know that the name is "there", or else you would not search. The scanner in your brain scans back over stored memories until the desired name is "recognised" or "discovered". The Answer Exists Now In much the same way, when we set out to find a new idea, or the answer to a problem, we must a

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• roductivity John Breeding 219 Note Because ECT is a high-risk experimental procedure and because of the possibility of permanent brain damage, you may want to consider magnetic resonant imagery (MRI) brain scans before and after this procedure. Pre- and post- MRIs are one way to measure the possible physical effects of ECT on your brain. Emotional Effects 1/ Terror 2/ Shame 3/ Helplessness 4/ Hopelessness Ma

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• n hippocampus ‘J Biol Chem’ 1996; 271:24794-24799. C. Edward Coffey, MD, a leading proponent of ECT, conducted a study at Duke University Medical Center and the Durham VA Hospital which looked at the brain scans (by MRI) of patients before and after ECT. Out of 35 patients studied, eight had changes on MRI after shock. That’s 22 percent, or greater than one in five, with anatomic brain effects. Among those w

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• Jack was trying to speak and followed the movement of people around the room with his eyes, which gave me hope that my friend may be able to make a comeback after his ordeal. He had gone through two brain scans that showed no activity, but now he was awake and improving. To me, it looked like another hemp oil miracle was in progress. The Emperor was still with us and I could not have been more pleased. When

• tml#filepos795498] Thus particular stimuli and combinations of stimuli have characteristicspatio-temporal effects that have been revealed in ever-increasing detail byelectroencephalographs (EEGs) and brain scans, for example by functionalmagnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). These dynamic patterns of activity bring thenervous system into morphic resonance with similar past nervous systems insimilar states, and

• ms of physics and chemistry alone.)Crick and Brenner failed. The problems of development and consciousness remainunsolved. Many details have been discovered, dozens of genomes have beensequenced, and brain scans are ever more precise. But there is still no proofthat life and minds can be explained by physics and chemistry alone (seeChapters 1, 4 and 8).The fundamental proposition of materialism is that matte

• pains,excitements, intentions, joys and sorrows, is reduced to charts of readings fromelectrodes, as in electroencephalograms (EEGs), or changes in the levels of thechemicals at nerve endings, or 2-D brain scans on computer screens. By thesemeans a mind becomes an ‘it’, an object.But instead of trying to reduce minds to objects, what if all self-organisingsystems are subjects? As discussed in Chapter 4, some

• ms of physics and chemistry alone.)Crick and Brenner failed. The problems of development and consciousness remainunsolved. Many details have been discovered, dozens of genomes have beensequenced, and brain scans are ever more precise. But there is still no proofthat life and minds can be explained by physics and chemistry alone (seeChapters 1 [Shel_9780770436711_epub_c01_r1.htm], 4[Shel_9780770436711_epub_c0

• pains,excitements, intentions, joys and sorrows, is reduced to charts of readings fromelectrodes, as in electroencephalograms (EEGs), or changes in the levels of thechemicals at nerve endings, or 2-D brain scans on computer screens. By thesemeans a mind becomes an “it,” an object.But instead of trying to reduce minds to objects, what if all self-organizingsystems are subjects? As discussed in Chapter 4[Shel_

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• shape of a war on words. Words are chemicals ~ as you read this my words are changing the shape of your brain. You may wish to stop here, since who knows what the results might be. My research using brain scans and micro-photography indicates that children who are taught to hate themselves — feel guilty and frightened — repress their sexual drive have peculiar micro-brain patterns. The density of structure

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• sts, hematologists, biophysicists, and electrical engineers, and after several days of discussions and demonstrations , I agreed to give it a try. I was subjected to an enormous array of blood tests, brain scans, experiments, interviews, and the like. They took down my autobiography at great length, recorded tedious lists of my beliefs, hopes, fears, and tastes. They even listed my favorite stereo recordings

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• shape of a war on words. Words are chemicals ~ as you read this my words are changing the shape of your brain. You may wish to stop here, since who knows what the results might be. My research using brain scans and micro-photography indicates that children who are taught to hate themselves — feel guilty and frightened — repress their sexual drive have peculiar micro-brain patterns. The density of structure

• g there is no expiration date on your abilityto learn new skills or grow your cognitive abilities.In 2018, researchers at Columbia University and the New York State PsychiatricInstitute looked at the brain scans of healthy people ranging from 14 to 79years old, the latter well past the age that most of us consider our primelearning years. They found that the oldest participants in the study had thesame amoun

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• in the UK say they have found proof that acu - puncture works, and suc - cessful results are not due to the placebo effect. Researchers at University Col - lege London and Southampton University used brain scans and experiments to separate the place - bo effect from any actual positive results. They employed positron emission tomography (PET) scans to monitor the brains of patients Acupuncture Support Ancien

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• vided the nu - tritious conditions for explosive brain growth, paving the way for human evolution. R e searchers have found evidence that meditation can alter the physical struc - ture of our brains. Brain scans of study participants revealed that experienced meditators had an increased thickness in parts of the brain dealing with at - tention and processing sensory input. Surpris - ingly, the brain increase

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• fetime has a bodily correlate and that altering or damaging certain physi­cal processes may change or terminate their correlated mental states. So the many recent neuroscientific discoveries based on brain scans showing the correlations between brain and mind states simply reaffirm in sophisticated THEORY: WORLDS OF SKEPTICISM [131]

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• e Oliveira-souza, r. “Moral judgments, emotions and the utilitarian brain.” Trends Cogn Sci. 2007;11:319-321; Gazzaniga, M.S. The Ethical Brain. New York, NY: Dana Press, 2005; talbot, M. “Duped: can brain scans uncover lies?” New Yorker. July 2, 2007:52-61; Fisher, H.E., Aron, A., Mashek, D., Li, H., and Brown, L.L. “Defining the brain systems of lust, romantic attraction, and attachment.” Arch Sex Behav. 2

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• nd revelations. Could, for example, seeing a ghost,having an out-of-body experience, or being visited by an angel be examples of brain-created real-ities? The answer is yes.Figure 1.2 shows a pair of brain scans that compare brains at rest with brains of individualsin deep meditation. The bright areas are regions that are active during particular mental activities.In the meditating brain, we see an increase

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• Chapter 1 • The Anthropological Study of Religion23FIGURE 1.2Brain Scans. Single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT)images of brain of a Tibetan Buddhist showing baseline image of brain atrest and image of brain in deep meditation. Images show increased activity i

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• them at first, the seeds have been planted. Just sit back, relax, and ponder the universal meaning of these laws and the occult significance of having holes in one’s socks. PLEASE STAND STILL DURING BRAIN SCANS: Although it may contain nicotine. IF THE ABOVE MAKES NO SENSE TO YOU, WE HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN YOU THINK. Tequilarian House of Erisian Apostles a most radically orgasmic branch of the Purple Monk

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• nally arousing film clips, mem-ory of the content of the film clips correlated very highlywith activation of the amygdala when viewing the film clips,as indicated by POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY (PET)brain scans (Cahill et al. 1996).The formation of new long-term memory must, ofcourse, involve the formation of lasting neural changes.Additionally, the strength of the induced neural changes, assubsequently ref

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• re becoming available on theWorld Wide Web. Examples are membrane receptors andchannels (www.le.ac.uk/csn), canonical neurons and theircompartmental models (http://senselab.med.yale.edu/neu-ron), and brain scans (human brain project).Experimental approaches to the study of the neuron arebeing greatly aided by the development of computer models

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• MATRIX I11 - VOLUME TWO systems have limited our ability to adequately validate some of these theories. It is relevant to note that in none of the neuroimaging studies have the brain scans appeared to be clinically abnormal; the brains of children with ADHD look normal. As suggested by the imaging and postmortem studies of dyslexics, these differences may be related to prenatal deviati