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supplements , to boost serotonin to the brain, such 5-HTP, St. John’s wort, or Inositol
ACG medications (if appropriate), SSRIs (Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Prozac, Luvox, Lexapro), Effexor, atypical antipsychotics in refractory cases, such as Risperdal, Zyprexa, or Geodon
    W AYS TO B OOST L OW ACG A CTIVITY
S EE PRESCRIPTIONS OF THE PFC (page 30)
    Use Practical Neuroscience to Enhance Love
    A friend of mine recently approached me at a seminar and told me this story. “Daniel, I am so grateful for everything you have taught me, especially about the anterior cingulate gyrus. I am married to a woman who has the anterior cingulate from hell. No matter what I say, she says the opposite. It has been so frustrating. For years I justthought that she didn’t love me. Now I know it has to do with how her brain works. If I asked her to go to the store with me, she would always say, ‘I am too busy to go. It is so insensitive of you to ask me; don’t you see everything I am doing.’ Rebuffed, I stopped asking her to do things. Since I have listened to you talk about the anterior cingulate gyrus, I realize that her brain gets stuck and I need to ask the opposite of what I want. For example, if I want her to go to the store with me, I’ll say, ‘I am going to the store. You probably do not want to go with me.’ Incensed, she says, ‘Of course I want to go with you. What would ever give you that idea?’ We are doing much better now. But I still have one problem. It’s the sex thing. It doesn’t sound right to say, ‘I am going to have sex. You probably do not want to come with me?’ Do you have any ideas on how to solve that problem?”
    In response to my friend, I smiled and said, “I am very pleased you have learned practical neuroscience to improve your relationship with you wife. I have several ideas on how to get more sex with people like your wife who have anterior cingulate gyrus problems. First, take her out for a pasta dinner. Simple carbohydrates boost serotonin levels in the brain and help people feel more relaxed and more flexible. Next, take her for a long walk. Exercise boosts blood flow to the brain and also increases serotonin levels as well. Next, when you get home, give her a small piece of Godiva chocolate, which increases a chemical called phenylethylamine (PEA), which boosts the brain’s alerting system. Then rub her shoulders and never ask for anything directly. Odds are from day four to day twenty of her menstrual cycle you are likely to get lucky.” Several weeks later I opened my e-mail and found a note from my friend with a string of hundreds of “thank you” phrases.
    Understanding the different brain systems, such as the anterior cingulate gyrus, allows you to develop specific strategies to enhance your sex life. When someone has low PFC activity, for example, they will need to be excited or turned on in order to be more interested in sex. Taking them to a meditation session or a professional lecture is not likely to turn them on. They are morelikely to need a scary movie or a ride on a motorcycle in order to get excited.
    Deep Limbic System (DLS)—Passion Fires Burning
    The DLS lies near the center of the brain. About the size of a walnut, this part of the brain is involved in setting a person’s emotional tone. When the DLS is less active, there is generally a positive, more hopeful state of mind. When it is heated up, or overactive, negativity can take over. Due to this emotional shading, the DLS provides the filter through which you interpret the events of the day; it tags or colors events, depending on the emotional state of mind. The DLS, including structures called the hippocampus and amygdala, have also been reported to store highly charged emotional memories, both positive and negative. The total experience of our emotional memories is responsible, in part, for our emotional tone. Stable, positive experiences enhance how we feel. Trauma and negative experiences set our brain in a