"Change Your Brain, Change Your Life": Change the Channel

The Public Broadcasting System is known for its high-quality cultural and investigative programming, like "Masterpiece," "Nova," and "Frontline." However, the station has also developed a disconcerting record for airing self-improvement claptrap (eg, Gary Null's "Mind Power"; Wayne Dyer's "Power of Intention"). The latest example comes in the form of psychiatrist Daniel Amen, whose infomercial, "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life," promotes the routine use of SPECT imaging to identify behavioral problems. The program aired on my local PBS channel last evening.

I lasted about 20 minutes: in part, because of Amen's simplistic nonsense about "prefrontal," "cingulate," and "limbic" personalities; in part, because of his promotion of diet, exercise, and his dubious proprietary supplements to alter these personalities; and in part, because of his annoying habit of constantly referring to some backroom prompter, a la Orson Welles in a Paul Masson wine ad.

In May, neurologist Robert Burton lasted a whole lot longer than I did while watching another installment of Amen's program, which promoted the prevention (yes, the prevention) of Alzheimer's disease. He provides a thoughtful critique at Slate.

HT: Carlat Psychiatry Blog.