by Eric R. Braverman, M.D.
A Head Start On LONGEVITY
Despite ongoing medical breakthroughs and the growing
focus on healthier lifestyles, the overall health of the
general public is alarmingly poor, and a dementia crisis
looms for an aging population. This can be attributed to the
woefully inadequate attention being paid to the body’s most
important organ: the brain.
Cloned and manufactured body parts, gene therapies, nanotechnology,
and miracle drugs offer the promise of a 100-year
average lifespan. However, when these exciting approaches do
pay off, the victory will be bittersweet, for studies show that
40 percent of those reaching age 85 and nearly 100 percent
of those reaching 100 will be senile. So what benefit is living
longer if we can’t enjoy our restored bodies or even know that
we are alive?
Investment in potential medical breakthroughs must be
made, but it has little application to the medical illnesses that
plague us today. And the trillions of dollars that are spent annually
on medical treatments have had no marked improvement
in the numbers of patients who suffer from excess weight, poor
metabolism and psychiatric impairment.
Every brain has chemical imbalances that lead to mood
problems, anxiety and a host of ailments, and yet most doctors
are specialists who treat complaints without considering
the brain as the source of both the ailment and its cure. So a
patient with acid reflux, heart palpitations, and hyperventilation
visits a gastroenterologist, a cardiologist, and a pulmonologist
over months, endures costly and uncomfortable tests,
takes numerous medications, and likely experiences side
effects that require more drugs. Treatments often provide
only temporary relief, and the same symptoms or other ones
appear. It’s like pumping out the basement while there’s a
gaping hole in the roof.
Clearly, a paradigm shift must occur if wellness and longevity
is to be realized. That will result when more doctors deliver
health care the way most of us came into the world: head first.
But those who understand brain function and how it should
be included in every diagnosis, treatment plan, and prevention
program can benefit right now.
THE DECIPHERED BRAIN
Brain anatomy (lobes and hemispheres) has been studied
for centuries, and more recent research has increased our
knowledge of brain functional areas (sense and cognition),
chemicals (neurotransmitters), and electricity (brainwaves).
Brain electrical activity defines life itself, and brainwave
status defines health. Brainwaves can be measured
using electrodes similar to the ones used for an EKG, and
represented by their electrical properties (amplitude, frequency,
pulse, and symmetry) and/or their heat emission
(thermography).
I have spent thirty years in brain research and the clinical
application of proven brain-based therapies. I have classified
the brain into four unique Brain Codes™ that have individual
electrical properties and characteristics linked to four distinct
families of symptoms, complaints, and treatments. By directing
diagnosis and treatment not only to the brain but to a specific
brain chemical, the codes revolutionize health care. The
good news is that a large percentage of symptoms that result
in millions of doctor visits are the result of what I call “brain
sprains.” These can be addressed early on, before more serious
symptoms become present, by an informed patient with a
brain code-specific diet, supplements, and lifestyle modalities.
The best news is that brain monitoring has advanced to where
an early warning system for brain-based illness and disease
now exists.
Many breakdowns in health start with subtle changes in
brain chemistry, and these will alter brainwaves in very specific
ways. By using Brain Electrical Mapping (BEAM) technology,
a type of Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG), brainwaves
can be easily assessed with a laptop computer in a primary
care office. Similar to heart attacks and stroke that result
after decades of vascular system decline, Alzheimer’s is the
result of many years of neurological changes. Its first signs can
be seen in a young patient by assessing the P300 brainwave.
A recent NYU medical school study involving 40 patients
over ten years showed that the P300 predicted dementia in
over 90 percent of the cases. This confirmed the findings of
a study I conducted with 1500 patients. Prominent doctors
worldwide have attested that the P300 assessment is a better
cornerstone than anything available today for early detection of
cognitive decline. You can think of it as the cholesterol test of
brain health.
BRAIN CODES™ for DIAGNOSIS and TREATMENT
In cardiology, an established protocol exists for comprehensive
assessment: EKG, echocardiogram, stress test, and blood
tests for cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, and
homocysteine. For all complaints, in addition to a standard
physical examination, a comprehensive brain health assessment,
including BEAM and psychometric tests (Temperament,
Personality, Memory, Attention, IQ) should be administered
to confirm a diagnosis and direct treatment. The code-specific
treatment modalities are then able to address the specific neurotransmitter
that is at the source of the complaint.
BRAIN CODE SYMPTOMS and COMPLAINTS
Voltage (Amplitude)
Deficiency Symptoms:
Physical: sugar/caffeine cravings, fatigue, pallor, diarrhea, light-headedness, decreased strength, routine-task difficulty
Psychological: procrastination, decreased libido, diminished self-image, carelessness, hedonism, isolation
Memory: inability to follow instructions or process information, forgetfulness, poor abstract reasoning
Attention: diminished alertness, failure to complete tasks, poor concentration, diminished libido/physical activity,
routine-task difficulty
Major Conditions: obesity, chronic fatigue, thyroid disorders, sex disorders, addictions, narcolepsy, Parkinson’s Disease.
Speed (Frequency)
Deficiency Symptoms:
Physical: fat cravings, dry mouth, slowed reflexes, sexual dysfunction, speech/ vision/urination problems, involuntary movements
Psychological: confused thinking, indecisiveness, personality changes, mood swings, rebelliousness
Memory: lapses, impaired visual or verbal memory, memory disturbance
Attention: difficulty concentrating, diminished comprehension, impaired creativity, reading/writing difficulties
Major Conditions: dyslexia, learning disorders, arthritis, osteoporosis, glaucoma, diabetes, hypo-arousal, stroke, senility, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis.
Rhythm (Pulse)
Deficiency Symptoms:
Physical: Carbohydrate cravings, flushing, stomach butterflies, lump in throat, ringing in ear, muscle tension, trembling, twitching, parasthesia, hyperventilation, blurred vision, abnormal odors or sense of smell, unusual allergies, night sweats, tachycardia, chest pain/discomfort
Psychological: restlessness, feelings of dread, emotional immaturity, short temper, phobias
Memory: impaired verbal memory
Attention: impulsivity, disorganization
Major Conditions: tinnitus, anxiety, hypertension, chronic pain, cystitis, irritable bowel and other GI disorders, PMS, seizures, stroke, bi-polar disorder.
Synchrony (Symmetry)
Deficiency Symptoms:
Physical: Salt cravings, backache, headache, cold or clammy hands, shortness of breath, drug reactions, premature ejaculation, yawning, sleep disturbances
Psychological: impulsiveness, hypervigilance, high pain/pleasure threshold, depersonalization, lack of common sense, rage
Memory: impaired visual recall Attention: slow reactions, restlessness, lack of concentration
Major Conditions: PMS, phobias, insomnia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
It all starts with brain chemistry. When you first lose your edge,
you can associate your symptoms with a specific neurotransmitter
and use proven multi-modal treatments to restore it.
For example, obesity is a metabolic disorder, so anyone who
just can’t keep the weight off should look to the dopamine
recommendations under the Voltage brain code.
MULTI-MODAL BRAIN TREATMENTS
Voltage (Dopamine)
Diet: wheat germ, granola, oat flakes, cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, pork, wild game, beans, black-eyed peas, soy, pumpkin seeds
Supplements: chromium, rhodiola, thiamine, dl-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, L-methionine
Lifestyle: power naps, scheduled breaks, deep-breathing and anaerobic exercises, meditation, relationship self-help books
Electrical Therapy: Cranial Electrical Stimulation (CES) Hormones: testosterone, estrogen, DHEA, thyroid, cortisol
Medications:
Allergies: Sudafed, Claritin
ADD: Ritalin, Clonidine, Adderal
Tobacco Abuse: Wellbutrin, Effexor
Drug Abuse: Parlodel, Desipramine, Clonidine
Fatigue: Effexor, Provigil
Narcolepsy: Dexedrine
Parkinson’s: Eldepryl, Tasmar, Sinemet.
Speed (Acetylcholine)
Diet: grape juice, eggs, blueberries, wheat germ, peanut butter, fish, chicken, leafy vegetables, celery, caviar, cod roe, soy beans, tofu, oranges, almonds, hazelnuts
Supplements: choline, GPC, phosphatidylserine, lipoic acid, huperzine-A, N-acetyl L-carnitine, CLA, fish oil
Lifestyle: scheduled quiet time, reading, meditation, aerobic exercise
Electrical Therapy: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TCMS)
Hormones: HGH, insulin, vasopressin, DHEA, calcitonin, parathyroid, erythropoietin
Medications:
Memory Dysfunction: Exelon, Vinpocetine, Galantamine, Piracetam
Memory Enhancement: Vinpocetine, Piracetam
Muscle Weakness: Mestinon
Senility/Alzheimer’s: Aricept, Prostigmin, Tacrine, Reminyl
Urinary Disorders: Bethanechol
Visual Disorders: Pilocarpine.
Rhythm (GABA)
Diet: decaffeinated herb teas, banana, rice bran, citrus fruit, whole grains, brewer’s yeast, brown rice, broccoli, molasses, liver/organ meats, halibut, lentils, potatoes, tree nuts
Supplements: inositol, thiamine, riboflavin, BCAA, GABA, glycine, kava, valerian, passionflower
Lifestyle: relaxation, non-scheduled activities, task delegation, aerobics
Electrical Therapy: CES, Transcutaneous Electro-nerve
Stimulation (TENS), Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
Hormones: progesterone, cortisol, pregnenolone
Medications:
Anxiety: Xanax, Ativan
Hypertension: Verapimil, Calan
Muscle Pain: Oxycontin
Spasm/Twitching: Klonipin
Neuropathic Pain: Neurontin, Dilantin, Tegretol
Seizures: Gabitril, Lamotrigine, Mysoline.
Synchrony (Serotonin)
Diet: decaffeinated herb teas, cottage cheese, granola, oat
flakes, Swiss cheese, lox, banana, salmon, turkey, wild game,
blue fish, mackerel, pork, beets, brown rice, avocado,
potatoes, sunflower seeds
Supplements: St. John’s Wort, fish oil, thiamine, niacinamide,
folic acid, B-12, panthothenic acid, 5-hydroxy tryptophan,
melatonin, SAMe, B-6
Lifestyle: scheduled activities, increased planning,
introspection, deeper relationships, aerobics
Electrical Therapy: CES, TENS
Hormones: progesterone, pregnenelone
Medications:
Depression: Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Prozac
Insomnia: Trazodone, Serzone
Memory Loss: Hydergine
Migraine: Triptans
OCD: Anafranil, Fluvoxamine
Sleep Disorders: Antihistamines.
The modality selected depends upon the severity of the condition
and the time of intervention. The above directed treatments
allow you to “wrap” your sprained brain yourself with
the least invasive and costly alternatives, or lead doctors to
effective reversals instead of just easing symptoms. So instead
of taking multiple medications for various anxiety symptoms, a
special diet combined with Inositol and B vitamins and lifestyle
changes could be tried first, because they restore the GABA
that is responsible for them. Instead of doctors immediately
prescribing Ritalin for all children who present with symptoms
of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), which is only effective for
those children who have dopamine-based ADD (Variability),
targeted assessment would reveal a different attention disorder
(Omissions, Commissions, Reaction Time) that would
indicate another approach. With code-specific treatments, the
over medication and ineffective treatment of both children and
adults would be greatly reduced.
After a course of treatment, the P300, combined with
other tests, can quantify progress, assess effectiveness of the
approach, and provide the necessary information to modify a
treatment plan.
THE PROMISE OF TOMORROW TODAY
The brain should be the foundation of 21st-century medicine.
Breaking the code of how it is structured and how it functions
enables enlightened physicians to truly heal. In my practice, we
combine brain-based diagnostics with a total body assessment
that includes primary and peripheral vascular flow, bone density,
body fat and muscle composition, pulmonary function, EKG,
and ultrasound to identify all of the body’s “pauses” related
to hormonal and organ decline. Then our directed treatments
not only help those with the widespread complaints of obesity,
fatigue, anxiety, hypertension, depression, attention deficit, and
insomnia, they often reverse or stabilize devastating conditions
such as Parkinson’s, diabetes, and Multiple Sclerosis.
And we deliver on that promise of wellness for an extended
lifespan.
 Dr. Braverman is the founder and medical
director of PATH Medical and the PATH
Foundation (www.pathmed.com) based in
New York City. His latest best-selling book,
The Edge Effect (www.dgeffect.org) puts
the secret of a long and healthy life in your
hands. He will be administering 15-minute
P300 brain age tests in Las Vegas at the
annual A4M conference.
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