| Topic: |
Sociology > Depression |
| User: |
"no body" |
| Date: |
02 May 2004 03:04:21 PM |
| Object: |
Amen Brain System ADD Checklis |
x-no-archive: yes
Amen Brain System ADD Checklist ©
http://www.amenclinic.com/ac/addtests/
Note 5-HPT Information
ADD Inattentive Type
The onset of these symptoms often become apparent later in child-hood or early
adolescence. The brighter the individual, the later symptoms seem to become a problem.
The symptoms must be present for at least six months and not be related to a
depressive episode or the onset of marijuana usage. Using marijuana can often make a
person seem as though they have ADD without hyperactivity. It is important to screen
for pot usage in teen-agers or adults.
Girls with ADD are frequently missed because they are more likely to have the
non-hyperactive form.
The severity of the disorder is rated as mild, moderate or severe. Even though these
children have many of the same symptoms of the people with AD/HD, they are not
hyperactive and may appear hypoactive. Additional symptoms for this subtype include:
excessive daydreaming, frequent complaints of being bored, appearing apathetic or
unmotivated, appearing frequently sluggish or slow moving or appearing spacey or
internally preoccupied -- the classic "couch potato."
Most people with this form of ADD are never diagnosed. They do not exhibit enough
symptoms that "grate" on the environment to cause others to seek help for them. Yet,
they often experience severe disability from the disorder. Instead of help, they get
labeled as willful, uninterested, or defiant.
As with the ADD combined type, brain studies in patients with ADD, inattentive subtype
reveal a decrease in brain activity in the frontal lobes of the brain in response to
an intellectual challenge. Again, it seems that the harder these people try to
concentrate, the worse it gets. ADD, inattentive subtype is often very responsive to
stimulant medications, such as Ritalin (methylphenidate), Dexedrine
(dextroamphetamine), Cylert (magnesium pemoline), Desoxyn (methamphetamine), and
Adderal (a combination of amphetamine salts). These medications "turn on" the frontal
lobes and prevent brain shutdown, allowing a person to have more access to this part
of their brain.
Prefrontal Cortex Intervention
Nutritional intervention can be especially helpful in this part of the brain. For
years I have recommended a high protein, low carbohydrate diet that is relatively low
in fat to my patients with ADD. This diet has a stabilizing effect on blood sugar
levels and helps both with energy level and concentration. Unfortunately, the great
American diet is filled with refined carbohydrates which has a negative impact on
dopamine levels in the brain and concentration. With both parents working outside of
the home there is less time to prepare healthy meals and fast foods have become more
the norm. The breakfast of today typically involves food that are high in simple
carbohydrates, such as frozen waffles or pancakes, Pop Tarts, muffins, pastry rolls,
cereal. Sausage and eggs have gone by the wayside in many homes because of the lack of
time and the perception that fat is bad for us. Even though it is important to be
careful with fat intake, the breakfast of old is not such a bad idea, especially where
ADD or other dopamine deficient states exists.
The major sources of protein I recommend include leans meats, eggs, low fat cheeses,
nuts and certain beans. These are best mixed with a healthy portion of vegetables. The
ideal breakfast is an omelet with low fat cheese and lean meat, such as chicken. The
ideal lunch is a tuna, chicken or fresh fish salad, with mixed vegetables. The ideal
dinner contains more carbohydrates, such as bread or potatoes, with lean meat and
vegetables. Eliminating simple sugars (such as cakes, candy, ice cream, pastries) and
simple carbohydrates that are readily broken down to sugar (such as bread, pasta,
rice, potatoes) will have a positive impact on energy level and cognition. This diet
is helpful in raising dopamine levels in the brain. It is important to note, however,
that this diet is not the ideal diet when there are cingulate or overfocus issues,
which usually stem from a relative deficiency of serotonin. Since serotonin and
dopamine levels tend to counterbalance each other: whenever serotonin is raised
dopamine tends to be lowered and when dopamine is raised serotonin is lowered.
Nutritional supplements can also have a positive effect on brain dopamine levels and
help with focus and energy. I often have my patients take a combination of tyrosine
(500-1,500 milligrams two to three a day), OPC grape seed or pine bark (1 milligram
per pound of body weight) and gingko biloba (60-120 milligrams twice a day). These
supplements help increase dopamine and blood flow in the brain and many of my patients
report that they help with energy, focus and impulse control.
====================================================================================
Amen Brain System ADD Checklist ©
Cingulate System Hyperactivity
Overfocus Issues
People with cingulate hyperactivity tend to get locked into things and they have
trouble shifting their attention from thought to thought. This brain pattern shows
increased blood flow in the top, middle portion of the frontal lobes (cingulate area
of the brain). This is the part of the brain that allows you to shift your attention
from thing to thing. When this part of the brain is working too hard, people have
trouble shifting their attention and end up "stuck" on thoughts or behaviors.
This brain pattern may present itself differently among family members. For example, a
mother or father with cingulate hyperactivity may experience trouble focusing, along
with obsessive thoughts (repetitive negative thoughts) or compulsive behaviors (hand
washing, checking, counting, etc.). The son or daughter may be oppositional (get stuck
on saying no, no way, never, you can't make me do it). Another family member may find
change very hard for him or her.
This pattern is often made worse by the stimulant medications. The problem is not
inattention, but over-attention. When you give them a stimulant medication they tend
to focus more on the thoughts they get stuck on. The best medications for this problem
tend to be the "anti-obsessive antidepressants," which increase the neurotransmitter
serotonin in the brain. I have nicknamed these medications "anti-stuck medications."
At the time of this writing there are 10 medications which are commonly used to
increase serotonin in the brain. These medications include Effexor (venlafaxine),
Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), Anafranil
(clomipramine), Desyrel (trazodone), Serzone (nefazodone)), Celexa (citalopram),
Remeron (mirtazapine) and Luvox (fluvoxamine).
Cingulate System Hyperactivity Interventions
Low serotonin levels and increased cingulate activity are often associated with
worrying, moodiness, emotional rigidity and irritability. There are two ways that food
can increase serotonin levels. Carbohydrate containing foods, such as pastas,
potatoes, bread, pastries, pretzels, candy and popcorn, increase l-tryptophan levels
(the natural amino acid building block for serotonin) in the blood, resulting in more
l-tryptophan available to enter the brain where it is converted to serotonin. The
calming effect of serotonin can often be felt in 30 minutes or less by eating these
foods. Cerebral serotonin levels can also be raised by eating foods rich in tryptophan
such as chicken, turkey, salmon, beef, peanut butter, eggs, green peas, potatoes and
milk. Many people unknowingly trigger cognitive inflexibility or mood problems by
eating diets that are low in l-tryptophan. For example, high protein, low carbohydrate
diets that I recommend for low dopamine states (related to prefrontal cortex
underactivity) often make cingulate problems worse. L-tryptophan is a relatively small
amino acid. When you eat a high protein diet the larger amino acids more successfully
compete to get into the brain, causing lower levels of brain serotonin and more
negative emotional reactiveness.
St. John's Wort, L-tryptophan, and 5-HTP are helpful for cingulate gyrus overactivity.
St John's Wort comes from the flowers of the St. John's Wort plant (wort is Old
English for plant). It got its name from the fact that it blooms around June 24, the
feast day of St. John the Baptist and the red ring round the flowers when crushed
looks like blood, the blood of the beheaded John the Baptist. St. John's Wort seems to
be best at increasing serotonin availability in the brain. The starting dosage of St.
John's Wort is 300mg a day for children, 300mg twice a day for teens, and 600mg in the
morning and 300mg at night for adults. Sometimes I'll go as high as 1800mg in adults.
The bottle should say that it contains 0.3% hypericin, which is believed to be the
active ingredient of St. John's Wort. I have done a number of before and after SPECT
studies with St. John's Wort. It clearly decreases cingulate gyrus hyperactivity for
many patients. It also helps with moodiness and trouble shifting attention.
Unfortunately, I have also seen it decrease prefrontal cortex activity. One of the
women in the study said, "I happier, but I'm dingier." When cingulate symptoms are
present with ADD symptoms it's important to use St. John's Wort with a stimulating
substance like L-tyrosine or a stimulant such as Adderall. It has been reported that
St. John's Wort increases sun sensitivity (you could get sunburned more easily and
need to be careful in the sun). Also don't use it if temporal lobe symptoms are
present, without first stabilizing the temporal lobes.
L-tryptophan (the amino acid building block for serotonin) and 5HTP (also a serotonin
building block) are other ways of increasing cerebral serotonin. L-tryptophan was
taken off the market a number of years ago because one contaminated batch, from one
manufacturer, caused a rare blood disease and a number of deaths. The L-tryptophan
actually had nothing to do with the deaths. L-tryptophan is a naturally occurring
amino acid found in milk, meat and eggs. I have found it very helpful for patients to
improve sleep, decrease aggressiveness, and improve mood control. In addition, it does
not have side effects, which is a real advantage over the antidepressants.
L-tryptophan was recently re-approved by the Food and Drug Administration and is now
available by prescription. I recommend L-tryptophan in doses of 1,000-3,000 milligrams
taken at bedtime. One of the problems with dietary L-tryptophan is that a significant
portion of it does not enter the brain. It is used to make proteins and vitamin B3.
This necessitates taking large amounts of tryptophan.
5-HTP is a step closer in the serotonin production pathway. It is also more widely
available than L-tryptophan and it is more easily taken up in the brain. Seventy
percent is taken up into the brain, as opposed to only three percent of L-tryptophan.
5-HTP is about five to ten times more powerful than L-tryptophan. A number of double
blind studies have shown that 5-HTP is as effective as antidepressant medication.
5-HTP boosts serotonin levels in the brain and helps to calm cingulate gyrus
hyperactivity (greasing the cingulate if you will to help with shifting of attention).
The dose of 5-HTP for adults is 50-300mg a day. Children should start at half dose.
Take 5-HTP and L-tryptophan on an empty stomach. The most common side effect of 5-HTP
is an upset stomach. It is usually very mild. Start slowly and work your way up
slowly.
There have also been some recent studies with Inositol, from the B vitamin family,
which you can get from a health food store. In doses of 12-20 milligrams a day it has
been shown to decrease moodiness, depression and overfocus issues.
Do not take St. John's Wort, L-tryptophan, or 5-HTP with prescribed antidepressants,
unless under the close supervision of your physician.
================================================================
Amen Brain System ADD Checklist ©
Limbic System Hyperactivity
The limbic system lies near the center of the brain. It is about the size of a walnut.
This is the part of the brain that sets a person's emotional tone or how positive or
negative you are. The limbic system also affects motivation and drive. It helps get
you going in the morning and encourages you to move throughout the day. It controls
the sleep and appetite cycles of the body. It affects the bonding mechanism that
enables you to connect with other people on a social level; your ability to do this
successfully in turn influences your moods.
Mood problems often occur when the limbic system of the brain is overactive. Clinical
depression, manic-depressive disorder and severe PMS are more severe problems than the
garden variety most people experience in the form of bad moods. For complete healing
to take place, the addition of antidepressant medication or appropriate herbal
treatment may be needed. A sure sign that the prescribed medications are really
treating the depression is that the deep limbic system activity normalizes. Whenever
limbic activity normalizes, there is a corresponding decrease in the patient's
symptoms.
Limbic Medications
In recent years, new antidepressants have entered the market that have a wider
application and often have fewer side effects than the original antidepressants. Some
of the new pharmaceuticals are important because they have the additional benefit of
affecting the subclinical patterns the rest of us are more likely to experience at
some time in our lives, such as moodiness and negativity. In treating clinical
depression, it is important to use enough medication for a long enough period of time.
Often, antidepressants take 2-4 weeks to become effective.
St. John's Wort is an herbal treatment that has also been shown to have a positive
impact on depression and a cooling influence on deep limbic structures. It has been
used in Europe for many years and it is the most commonly prescribed antidepressant
with the least amount of side effects. For adults I recommend 500mg. two times a day
of St. John's Wort, containing 0.3% hypericin. Even though St. John's Wort has fewer
side effects than traditional antidepressants it is not without side effects. Some peo
ple become sun sensitive and become more easily sunburned. I have noticed an increase
in acne. Also, I had one patient who developed a seriously slow heart rate after
taking it for a month. I believe if St. John's Wort is being taken for depression it
should be done under the supervision of a psychiatrist.
The medications used for limbic hyperactivity include standard antidepressants, such
as Tofranil (imipramine), Norpramin (desipramine), and Pamelor (nortryptiline), the
newer antidepressants such as Prozac (fluoxetine) and Wellbutrin (buprion), and the
stimulants.
Limbic Intervention
Over the past decade there has been significant research on food, nutrients and
depression. The results surprise many people. We have been inundated by nutritional
experts and news reporters who tell us we should eat low fat, high carbohydrate diets.
"Low fat" is everywhere. Unfortunately, low fat is not the complete answer. In two
studies in the American Journal of Psychiatry men who had the highest suicide rates
had the lowest cholesterol levels. Our deep limbic system needs fat in order to
operate properly. Certainly, some fats are better for us than others, such as omega-3
fatty acids found most prevalently in fish. Protein is also essential to a healthy
"deep limbic diet." Proteins are the building blocks for brain neurotransmitters. Low
levels of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine have all been implicated in
depression and mood disorders. It is essential to eat enough protein in balanced
amounts with fats and carbohydrates. Too much protein for some people may actually
restrict the amount of "brain proteins" to cross into the brain. Not enough protein
will leave you with a brain protein deficit. Here are some clues.
Low serotonin levels are often associated with worrying, moodiness, emotional rigidity
and irritability (a combination of deep limbic and cingulate problems). To enhance
serotonin levels, eat balanced meals with carbohydrate snacks (such as crackers or
bread). Exercise can be a tremendous help along with nutritional supplementation with
the amino acid L-tryptophan that was recently re-approved by the Food and Drug
Administration and is now available. I recommend L-tryptophan in doses of 1,000-3,000
milligrams taken at bedtime. L-tryptophan was taken off the market a number of years
ago because one contaminated batch, from one manufacturer caused a rare muscle disease
and a number of deaths. The L-tryptophan actually had nothing to do with the deaths.
L-tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid found in milk, meat and eggs. I have
found it very helpful for patients to improve sleep, decrease aggressiveness and
improve mood control. In addition, it does not have side effects, which is a real
advantage over the antidepressants. There have been some recent studies with Inositol,
from the B vitamin family, which you can get from a health food store. In doses of
12-20 milligrams a day it has been shown to decrease moodiness and depression.
Low norepinephrine and dopamine levels are often associated with depression, lethargy,
trouble focusing, negativity and mental fuzziness. To enhance norepinephrine and
dopamine levels it is better to have protein snacks (such as meat, eggs, or cheese)
and to avoid simple carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta, cakes and candy. Also, I
often have my patients take natural amino acids such as Tyrosine (1,000-1,500
milligrams a day) for energy, focus, impulsivity and DL-phenylalanine (400 mg three
times a day on an empty stomach) for moodiness and irritability.
I have also found SAMe helpful for limbic problems. SAMe is involved with the
production of many important brain compounds, such as neurotransmitters. It donates
"methyl" groups to these compounds so that they can function properly. Normally, the
brain manufactures all the SAMe it needs from the amino acid methionine. In
depression, however, this synthesis has been found to be impaired. Supplementing the
diet with SAMe has been found to increase the neurotransmitters involved with
depression and improve cell membrane fluidity. SAMe is one of the best natural
antidepressants, a number of recent studies have shown that it is as effective as
antidepressant medication. SAMe has also been found helpful for people who suffer from
fibromyalgia, a chronic muscle pain disorder. Fibromyalgia and ADD run commonly
together. I think the chronic stress associated with ADD is in part responsible for
the muscle pain. People who have bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness should
not take SAMe. There have been a number of reported cases of SAMe causing manic or
hypomanic episodes (excessively up or happy moods, extreme impulsivity in sexuality or
spending money, pressured speech, or decreased need for sleep). I think these reports
highlight that SAMe is an effective antidepressant, as all of the prescription
antidepressants have that capability as well.
The dosage of SAMe is between 200mg to 400mg two to four times a day, half that for
children. One of the problems with SAMe is that it is expensive, as expensive as many
of the newer antidepressants. Insurance companies do not, in general, cover herbal or
supplemental treatments, making SAMe even more expensive than prescription medication
for most people. Over time the cost is likely to come down.
===================================================================
Amen Brain System ADD Subtype Checklist ©
Basal Ganglia Hyperactivity
The basal ganglia are a set of large structures toward the center of the brain that
surround the deep limbic system. The basal ganglia are involved with integrating
feelings, thoughts and movement, along with helping to shift and smooth motor
behavior. In our clinic we have noticed that the basal ganglia are involved with
setting the body's idle or anxiety level. When they work too hard people have problems
with anxiety, nervousness, panic, fear, and physical tension.
Anti-anxiety medications are often very helpful for severe basal ganglia problems.
Nervousness, chronic stress, panic attacks, and muscle tension often respond to
medications when the other techniques are ineffective. There are five classes of
medication helpful in treating anxiety.
Benzodiazepines are common anti-anxiety medications that have been available for many
years. Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Serax, and Tranxene are examples of benzodiazepines. The
are several advantages to these medications. They work quickly; they generally have
few side effects, and they are very effective. On the negative side, long-term use can
cause addiction. In the panic attack plan I give my patients, I often prescribe Xanax
as a short-term anti-anxiety medication to use in conjunction with the other basal
ganglia prescriptions.
Buspar is often very effective in treating long-term anxiety. It also has the benefit
of not being addictive. On the negative side, it takes a few weeks to be effective and
it must be taken all of the time to be effective. It has shown to have a calming
effect on aggressive behavior.
Certain antidepressants, such as Tofranil (imipramine) and the MAO inhibitor Nardil,
are especially helpful for people who have panic disorders. I have found these
medications to be helpful in patients who have both limbic system and basal ganglia
problems.
Focal basal ganglia abnormalities, like focal limbic system changes, are often helped
with nerve stabilizing medications, such as Lithium, Tegretol, or Depakote. I have
seen these medications be very helpful for some patients.
The last class of medications I find helpful in severe cases of anxiety are
anti-psychotic medications, such as Risperdal, Mellaril or Haldol. Because of their
side effects, I usually save these medications until I have tried other options. When
psychotic symptoms are present, these medications are often lifesaving.
Basal Ganglia Intervention
What you eat has an important effect on how you feel. If your symptoms reflect
heightened basal ganglia activity and anxiety you'll do better with a balanced diet
that does not allow you to get too hungry during the day. Hypoglycemic episodes make
anxiety much worse. If you have low basal ganglia activity and low motivation you will
likely do better with a high protein, low carbohydrate diet to give yourself more
energy during the day. It is also often helpful to eliminate anxiety producing
chemicals such as caffeine, and to eliminate alcohol as the withdrawal symptoms often
induce anxiety.
Some herbal preparations such as kava extract and valerian root have also been
reported to help anxiety and likely have a calming effect on the basal ganglia. The B
vitamins, especially vitamin B6 in doses of 100-400 milligrams, are also helpful. If
you take B6 these doses it is important to also take a B complex as well. My patients
have also found the scents from essential oils chamomile and lavender to be helpful.
.
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| User: "Velvet Elvis" |
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| Title: Re: Amen Brain System ADD Checklis |
02 May 2004 04:28:33 PM |
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On Sun, 02 May 2004 20:04:21 +0000, no body wrote:
I'm a big fan of Dr. A's, but what is your point in posting this?
.
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| User: "tom" |
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| Title: Re: Amen Brain System ADD Checklis |
02 May 2004 08:31:10 PM |
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I agree. I like Amen's work too, but the fact that he has not opened up his
findings to peer review is disconcerting. The SPECT scan seems to offer a
useful view for folks to view the brain activity, but I feel that if he
would share the data for peer review it would take it past the level of
marketing and into the area of science.
The method is a two-step process, one is the SPECT scan and one is the
computer imaging. There is always the possibility of manipulating the
imaging to create a "favorable" image. Please understand that I feel Amen is
sincere. It's just that there are a lot of "respectable" folks in the
academic world who will not take his work seriously until it is able to be
replicated by others.
"Velvet Elvis" <gambolt@REMOVEsofthome.THISnet> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.05.02.22.22.54.358175@REMOVEsofthome.THISnet...
On Sun, 02 May 2004 20:04:21 +0000, no body wrote:
I'm a big fan of Dr. A's, but what is your point in posting this?
.
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| User: "Brunibus" |
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| Title: Re: Amen Brain System ADD Checklis |
03 May 2004 04:25:27 AM |
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I can certainly understand Amen's refusal to allow peer review.
Most of the time, it's far from impartial and merely a stone on which his
detractors can grind their axes.
Sometimes better to allow an idea to gain some popularity before subjecting
it to malicious trashing under review.
"tom" <tommy@scatman.net> wrote in message
news:yhhlc.4786$yP5.3000@newssvr27.news.prodigy.com...
I agree. I like Amen's work too, but the fact that he has not opened up
his
findings to peer review is disconcerting. The SPECT scan seems to offer a
useful view for folks to view the brain activity, but I feel that if he
would share the data for peer review it would take it past the level of
marketing and into the area of science.
The method is a two-step process, one is the SPECT scan and one is the
computer imaging. There is always the possibility of manipulating the
imaging to create a "favorable" image. Please understand that I feel Amen
is
sincere. It's just that there are a lot of "respectable" folks in the
academic world who will not take his work seriously until it is able to be
replicated by others.
"Velvet Elvis" <gambolt@REMOVEsofthome.THISnet> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.05.02.22.22.54.358175@REMOVEsofthome.THISnet...
On Sun, 02 May 2004 20:04:21 +0000, no body wrote:
I'm a big fan of Dr. A's, but what is your point in posting this?
.
|
|
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| User: "Brunibus" |
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| Title: Re: Amen Brain System ADD Checklis |
03 May 2004 05:18:36 AM |
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"Brunibus" <brunibusy@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:c75367$rjt$1@hercules.btinternet.com...
I can certainly understand Amen's refusal to allow peer review.
Most of the time, it's far from impartial
By which, I mean impartially-motivated.
and merely a stone on which his
detractors can grind their axes.
Sometimes better to allow an idea to gain some popularity before
subjecting
it to malicious trashing under review.
"tom" <tommy@scatman.net> wrote in message
news:yhhlc.4786$yP5.3000@newssvr27.news.prodigy.com...
I agree. I like Amen's work too, but the fact that he has not opened up
his
findings to peer review is disconcerting. The SPECT scan seems to offer
a
useful view for folks to view the brain activity, but I feel that if he
would share the data for peer review it would take it past the level of
marketing and into the area of science.
The method is a two-step process, one is the SPECT scan and one is the
computer imaging. There is always the possibility of manipulating the
imaging to create a "favorable" image. Please understand that I feel
Amen
is
sincere. It's just that there are a lot of "respectable" folks in the
academic world who will not take his work seriously until it is able to
be
replicated by others.
"Velvet Elvis" <gambolt@REMOVEsofthome.THISnet> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.05.02.22.22.54.358175@REMOVEsofthome.THISnet...
On Sun, 02 May 2004 20:04:21 +0000, no body wrote:
I'm a big fan of Dr. A's, but what is your point in posting this?
.
|
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| User: "sam ende" |
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| Title: Re: Amen Brain System ADD Checklis |
03 May 2004 05:52:52 AM |
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Brunibus wrote:
"Brunibus" <brunibusy@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:c75367$rjt$1@hercules.btinternet.com...
I can certainly understand Amen's refusal to allow peer review.
Most of the time, it's far from impartial
By which, I mean impartially-motivated.
amen clinic is nothing more than a $$$$$ generating machine from what i
can see and the refusal to allow peer review seems to support the idea.
sammi
.
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| User: "mcs" |
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| Title: all Bull |
03 May 2004 08:01:07 AM |
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|
eom
"Brunibus" <brunibusy@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:c7569s$3rv$1@hercules.btinternet.com...
"Brunibus" <brunibusy@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:c75367$rjt$1@hercules.btinternet.com...
I can certainly understand Amen's refusal to allow peer review.
Most of the time, it's far from impartial
By which, I mean impartially-motivated.
and merely a stone on which his
detractors can grind their axes.
Sometimes better to allow an idea to gain some popularity before
subjecting
it to malicious trashing under review.
"tom" <tommy@scatman.net> wrote in message
news:yhhlc.4786$yP5.3000@newssvr27.news.prodigy.com...
I agree. I like Amen's work too, but the fact that he has not opened
up
his
findings to peer review is disconcerting. The SPECT scan seems to
offer
a
useful view for folks to view the brain activity, but I feel that if
he
would share the data for peer review it would take it past the level
of
marketing and into the area of science.
The method is a two-step process, one is the SPECT scan and one is the
computer imaging. There is always the possibility of manipulating the
imaging to create a "favorable" image. Please understand that I feel
Amen
is
sincere. It's just that there are a lot of "respectable" folks in the
academic world who will not take his work seriously until it is able
to
be
replicated by others.
"Velvet Elvis" <gambolt@REMOVEsofthome.THISnet> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.05.02.22.22.54.358175@REMOVEsofthome.THISnet...
On Sun, 02 May 2004 20:04:21 +0000, no body wrote:
I'm a big fan of Dr. A's, but what is your point in posting this?
.
|
|
|
|
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| User: "Velvet Elvis" |
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| Title: Re: Amen Brain System ADD Checklis |
02 May 2004 11:31:51 PM |
|
|
On Mon, 03 May 2004 01:31:10 +0000, tom wrote:
I agree. I like Amen's work too, but the fact that he has not opened up
his findings to peer review is disconcerting. The SPECT scan seems to
offer a useful view for folks to view the brain activity, but I feel that
if he would share the data for peer review it would take it past the level
of marketing and into the area of science.
The research is ongoing. I'm currently seeing a neuro-psychiatrist who is
doing research with SPECT scans, based on Amen's work. I can't afford to
have the scans done personally, but I've found the approach of treating
symptoms as they relate to brain systems to be much more effective than
treating DSM criteria.
The method is a two-step process, one is the SPECT scan and one is the
computer imaging. There is always the possibility of manipulating the
imaging to create a "favorable" image. Please understand that I feel Amen
is sincere. It's just that there are a lot of "respectable" folks in the
academic world who will not take his work seriously until it is able to be
replicated by others.
If you look in the back of his book "Healing ADD," you'll find a list of
nearly one hundred MD's throughout the US who are using SPECT technology
in the diagnosis and treatment of ADD and other disorders.
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| User: "mcs" |
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| Title: Re: Amen Brain System ADD Checklis |
03 May 2004 08:00:45 AM |
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What is all this nonsense? I got news for people, that in order to decipher
what this person has attempted to do and then make recommendations like he
has, often contradicting himself , would have taken many many years or
experimentation. This research is probably well intended promotion for drugs
and supplements. Until there are proven studies to verify what he has said,
its pure hogwash. Wait, when a person is obssessive first stimulants are
good, but not stimulants when person is obsessive with same thoughts lolo
what bullsh/////
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