260,000 brains scanned
Dr. Daniel Amen has scanned over 260,000 brains from people in 155 countries, aged 9 months to 105 years, making it one of the largest brain imaging databases in the world.
Snapshot · The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
The No.1 Brain Doctor: "This Parenting Mistake Ruins Your Kids Brain!", "Alcohol or Marijuana Will Destroy Your Brain!", "A Stagnant Career Can Increase Your Chance Of Alzheimers!" - Dr Daniel Amen
Explore episode
Feb 10, 2025
Where this was said
Why This Conversation Is Important
At 3:51 · chapter starts 2:25
The episode opens with a rapid-fire montage of the most surprising claims to come — alcohol shrinks the brain, working with difficult people is literally bad for your brain, and the brain begins developing at day 21 of pregnancy. Steven Bartlett then introduces Dr. Daniel Amen as the psychiatrist who has scanned over 260,000 brains, including those of Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Mel Gibson, and Bartlett himself. Bartlett asks the foundational question: why should anyone, even someone who feels completely fine, care about this conversation? Amen's answer is both urgent and disarmingly simple — most people have no idea that their bad decisions, poor relationships, anxiety, and insomnia are symptoms of a physically malfunctioning brain. Optimise your brain, he argues, and you optimise your entire capacity to live. The chapter establishes the episode's core thesis: brain health is not a niche medical concern but the master lever for every aspect of human performance and wellbeing.
260,000 Brain Scans: What Dr. Amen Has Learned
Dr. Daniel Amen has scanned over 260,000 brains from 155 countries, ages 9 months to 105. The pattern is undeniable: your brain health determines your mood, your relationships, your decisions, and your potential.
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