Move With Heart Ep 139: Getting Diagnosed in Your 40’s with ADHD with Dr. Daniel Amen
Mar 18, 2026
Dr. Daniel Amen, psychiatrist and brain health expert known for SPECT imaging, joins to unpack brain-focused diagnosis. They discuss how brain scans reveal effects of trauma and ADHD, why the right stimulant matters, and multi-pronged treatments like hyperbaric oxygen, saffron, hormone balancing and EMDR. Personal reactions to a late-life diagnosis and the path to healing and better focus are also explored.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Brain Imaging Gives Psychiatry A Map
- Psychiatry often diagnoses without looking at the brain, which leaves clinicians without a map to guide treatment.
- Daniel G Amen says Brain SPECT imaging reveals functional patterns (e.g., ADD, concussion) that change diagnosis and enable targeted interventions.
Diagnosis Gave Permission To Accept Support
- Melissa describes lifelong struggle and relief after diagnosis and targeted treatment.
- She says leaning into support and following Amen's recommendations produced a night-and-day change in daily functioning and overwhelm.
SPECT Reveals Functional Patterns Behind Symptoms
- Brain SPECT shows regions of low or high activity and specific patterns like cerebellar underactivity or temporal lobe trauma that explain symptoms.
- Amen points out Melissa's sleepy cerebellum and low right prefrontal activity linked to processing speed and ADD plus temporal lobe head-trauma signs.