A Look Inside The Brain Of A Drug User
JJ has been using drugs for 10 years. He is currently unemployed, lives at home and spends most of his days lying around drinking. His parents say he has been violent toward them in the past and has stolen thousands of dollars from them. Fearing that they are going to get a call one day that their son has died, they turn to Dr. Phil for help.
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Dr. Phil asked Dr. Bradley Jabour, neuroradiologist, and expert on the impact of drugs on the brain, to do a functional MRI on JJ’s brain to see if it has been damaged by his drug use.
Pointing to the scan of JJ’s brain, Dr. Phil says, “You see that his brain is actually shrinking inside the cavity, correct?”
Dr. Jabour agrees. “When you abuse your brain over a long period of time, the brain, just like a grape, will shrink back and you will see more space between the skull and the brain itself,” he says. “The thing about JJ’s brain is it is very prominent in the frontal temporal area, the very important area for executive function where you think and plan your life.”
WATCH: Woman Says Son Is ‘Ruining’ Her And Her Husband’s Life
Watch the video above to learn more about how the drugs are affecting JJ’s brain.
Is it too late for JJ to reverse the damage to his brain? Find out on Monday’s episode. Check here to see where you can watch.
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