CYBCYL Chapter 2 – Carving Knifes and Tooth Fairies: A Prelude to the Brain and Behavior

Here is where the author, Dr. Daniel Amen, begins to outline the basis for this book. Essentially, the brain is connected to our lives; everything we perceive and everything we think about originates and ends in the brain. Additionally, as mentioned in Chapter 1, SPECT scanning (like fMRI and other scans) is a way to glimpse the brain in all its glory. In fact, Amen states that he felt “naked” the first time he saw his own scan due to how it could act as a potential “mind-reader”.

More into the chapter, some personal cases are mentioned, each of which involve a particular disorder in a specific part of the brain. Amen makes these cases to show the reader an instance of the disorder, where it would likely be located, and how the problem was treated. For instance, in the title of this chapter, “tooth fairies” refers to a young child who unfortunately had a disorder which involved him constantly attempting to pull out his teeth just to get money from the “tooth fairy”. The “carving knives” portion involves a patient whose life went downhill after a car accident left him with a minor concussion. He became so paranoid that he waited behind the door to attempt to kill his roommate with a butcher’s knife. Thankfully, due to Amen’s treatment, both problems (each involving certain parts of the brain) were fully resolved within weeks.

As a reader, I am definitely curious about the techniques that Amen discusses in this chapter. Of course, he is not referring to taking medication for every problem listed, but rather these everyday “prescriptions” (which at first glance may seem trivial but are actually more important than one may think). He will be discussing 5 systems of the brain and how they can help us “understand ourselves and others.” After each descriptive chapter, the chapter following it will describe Amen’s techniques/prescriptions to help deal with these problems practically and effectively.

Yes, SPECT scans will likely be important in upcoming chapters. Honestly, I am still curious (perhaps skeptical?) about their efficacy, but nonetheless, learning about them may eventually answer my question on whether or not I want to see inside my own brain. Amen’s approach is one that is, in my opinion, very much overlooked by society. How often do we consider someone’s behavior a complete product of his or her own environmental conditioning? Many people I know well seem to fit (at least partially) Amen’s patient descriptions, so could it potentially mean that they have a problem with their brains? Of course, it is silly to completely base everything off of this “brain-centric” idea, but it is still a thought. Nevertheless, I begin my journey of the human brain in Chapter 3.