In this episode of Scan My Brain, The Great Cholesterol Myth author Jonny Bowden visits Dr. Daniel Amen at Amen Clinics to get his brain scanned and learn about the source of his recent issues with memory and attention. Jonny discusses has past substance abuse, marijuana, and his tennis game with Dr. Amen, who reveals through SPECT scans how each of these has affected his brain function. Dr. Amen then gives Jonny a plan for moving forward (and aging his brain backward!) Approximately 90 million Americans have had COVID-19, and that number keeps rising as variants of the virus produce even more cases. At this stage in the pandemic, you might assume that getting infected will only make you feel mildly ill for a short while. That’s what former tennis pro Tara Snyder thought.
In an episode of Scan My Brain, she told Daniel Amen, MD, that she was diagnosed with COVID and had relatively mild symptoms. About 2-3 weeks later, however, she developed brain fog and memory issues, and she suffered from insomnia and a disturbing loss of pleasure. Her depression became so severe, she began having suicidal thoughts. “It was like a snowball effect,” she says to Dr. Amen.
Snyder isn’t alone. According to a 2022 study in BMJ, people who have had COVID—whether serious or mild infections—are at significantly higher risk of experiencing mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, sleep disturbances, and cognitive decline. In this episode of Scan My Brain, bestselling author and host of the Dear Gabby podcast, Gabby Bernstein connects with Dr. Daniel Amen to review her brain SPECT scans and discuss her brain health. Gabby had a past history of substance use and was concerned about how that might influence the brain fog she had recently been experiencing. Dr. Amen reveals the levels of brain activity in the various regions of Gabby’s brain, and based on these results gives Gabby an action plan to get her brain healthier. Dr. Amen’s mission is to end the stigma of mental illness by defining it as what it really is: brain health. Navy SEALs are the best of the best—highly intelligent and courageous individuals who are committed to intense training that pushes them to their physical and mental limits. Self-assurance, strength, and the ability to perform under highly stressful situations are requirements of the job. With determination and teamwork, these are people who continuously strive for improvement.
Mark Divine is a prime example. At the age of 26, Divine graduated as “Honor Man” (the #1-ranked trainee) of his SEAL BUD/S class. After serving 9 years on active SEAL duty and an additional 11 years as a Reserve SEAL, he was tapped by the government to develop a nationwide mentorship program for SEAL trainees. Beyond the typical mental toughness techniques you might expect in such a leadership program, Divine includes brain healthy strategies such as meditation, yoga, and laughter. The program reduced SEAL trainee attrition by 5%.
Why would someone as accomplished and successful as Divine want to see a psychiatrist for a brain scan? “I’m seeking to go from good to great, or from great to optimized for the rest of my life,” he says to Daniel Amen, MD, in an episode of Scan My Brain. This is a common desire for high performers who are determined to be the very best version of themselves and stay at the top of their game.
In this episode of Scan My Brain, stunt performer/free runner Corbin Reinhardt visits Dr. Steven Storage at Amen Clinics Los Angeles Metro Area to get a SPECT scan and learn about his brain after suffering a horrific concussion that had lasting effects on his thoughts and speech. Dr. Storage reveals the results of Corbin’s scans, and how they correlate with Corbin’s recent experiences. Dr. Storage then gives Corbin a plan for the specific nutrients and supplements to help boost blood flow to the most affected areas of his brain. In this episode of Scan My Brain, Melissa Urban, founder of the famous ‘Whole 30’ diet visits Dr. Daniel Amen at Amen Clinics, Orange County to see what’s happening with her brain and get guidance on how to get her brain healthier. Dr. Amen reviews Melissa’s SPECT brain scans, which reveal the results of Melissa’s recent head injury, which had left her dazed and foggy. Dr. Amen uses the information gathered from the scans to formulate a plan for Melissa’s recovery in order to help her keep her brain much more healthy. In this episode of Scan My Brain, influencer/music producer Stephen Hilton visits Dr. Daniel Amen at Amen Clinics Orange County to get a follow-up SPECT scan to see how his brain is functioning after a couple of incredibly difficult years. Dr. Amen shows him through SPECT imaging how his brain is doing now, and also goes over some of the more practical advice for former addicts working on their brain health. After suffering two concussive hits to the head, high schooler Katherine Creswell began to notice significant changes to her thoughts, behavior, and ability to cope with difficult situations. Katherine’s mom Stacy had looked everywhere for help, but it wasn’t until she discovered Amen Clinics that she was able to get her daughter on the right track to healing. Katherine had her brain scanned using a technology called SPECT imaging, and this allowed Dr. Neha Kansara to put together a comprehensive treatment plan based on how Katherine’s brain was functioning. With a tailored approach, Katherine began to feel much better and get her life back.
In this episode of Scan My Brain, professional snowboarder Austin Smith visits Dr. Elissa Mendenhall at Amen Clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area to see the effect his multiple concussions have had on his brain. Dr. Mendenhall reveals the results of his SPECT scans, which reveal the reasons behind his recent struggles with memory. Dr. Mendenhall then gives Austin a plan for moving forward based on his maps of brain activity in order to get his brain health back on the right track.
Scott Hoke had experienced a tremendous amount of loss in a short time. After losing his parents, his marriage, and almost losing his brother, he found himself in a very dark place. As fate would have it, he came across information on Amen Clinics, and decided to give this approach a try. By scanning his brain for levels of activity in the different regions, he was able to get a path forward based on his unique brain. Eventually, after losing so much, Scott was finally able to start getting his life back.
