Functional Medicine
and Brain Health:
How It Works With MeRT
How This Works
The treatment we provide at the Brain Treatment Center of Dallas is MeRT®. We do not perform functional medicine testing or treatment in our clinic.
If Dr. Miller believes a functional medicine evaluation could support your results, he will refer you to a trusted functional medicine provider he works with.
Functional Medicine and Brain Health
We treat people living with brain disorders such as depression, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress, autism, the after-effects of stroke, sleep disorders, and more. MeRT is our primary treatment, and it has a strong track record of helping with these kinds of conditions.
At the same time, brain health is rarely shaped by one thing alone. Underlying factors — such as nutritional deficiencies, poor sleep, genetic factors, environmental toxins, and hormonal imbalances — can all influence how well the brain functions. When Dr. Miller sees that one of these factors may be affecting your progress, he will connect you with a trusted functional medicine provider who can evaluate and address it. The goal is to support your long-term, whole-body health alongside the MeRT treatment you receive here.
functional medicine and brain health
What is the Difference Between Functional Medicine and Conventional Medicine?
Functional medicine differs somewhat from the conventional standard of practice. When people are unwell, they look to medical providers to help them feel better and address what is wrong. A person’s quality of life can be deeply affected when they experience physical or mental health issues.
In a conventional model of medicine, doctors are trained to treat illnesses and injuries through approaches such as prescribing medication or performing surgery. Conventional medicine is essential for managing disease, illness, and injury. MeRT is a conventional medicine approach used to treat brain dysregulation regardless of its cause. Because other factors can also shape how the brain functions, it can be worthwhile to evaluate those as well.
A functional medicine approach may also use medications when needed, but its philosophy centers on identifying the root causes of disease and chronic illness, and looking for underlying issues that may be contributing to a person’s condition. This kind of evaluation is performed by a functional medicine provider, not at our clinic — and Dr. Miller will refer you when he believes it could help.
functional medicine and brain health
MeRT and Whole Body/Whole Brain Health
The Brain Treatment Center in Dallas utilizes MeRT, a non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical treatment for several conditions, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Traumatic brain injury
- Post-traumatic stress
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- ADHD
- Autism
- After-effects of stroke
- Parkinson’s disease
- Dementia
Dr. Miller is a board-certified neurologist with years of experience helping people who have suffered acute injuries, as well as those living with chronic brain conditions. He understands that the body can affect the brain and the brain can affect the body — they are not two separate systems, but one interconnected whole.
Because of this, when Dr. Miller believes that addressing an underlying health issue could improve your results, he refers you to a trusted functional medicine provider he partners with. That way, your MeRT treatment here and any functional medicine care work together, with your overall health in view.
Think of your body as a symphony – if one section is out of tune, the whole concert is going to be thrown off.
Many Conditions Can Affect Brain Health
Brain health can be influenced by a wide range of factors, such as:
- An injury such as a blow to the head
- A concussion caused by other mechanisms of injury
- Traumatic events (Post-traumatic stress)
- Autism (unknown origin)
- Insult to the brain, which may be caused by a stroke, hemorrhage, or aneurism
- Mental illness with unknown ideology
- Depression and Anxiety
- Age-related cognitive decline/dementia
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Learning or developmental disabilities
- Down Syndrome, which is a chromosomal defect
- Other genetic conditions
The Gut-Brain Connection
Over the past several years, research has shown how much influence gut health has over the entire body, including the brain. In fact, a large share of the body’s immune system is regulated by the gut.
The gut is often called the body’s “second brain,” and studies have shown its effects on the central nervous system. It communicates directly with the brain through the vagus nerve, a link known as the gut–brain axis. The Standard American Diet, which is high in sugars, starches, and unhealthy fats, is a major contributor to dysbiosis (an imbalance of gut bacteria), which has been associated with conditions such as:
- Depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other mental health concerns
- Dementia
- Chronic inflammation throughout the body and brain
- A compromised immune system
- A decreased ability to cope with stress
- Sleep disorders
- Autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s, Crohn’s, celiac disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome
- Food allergies and sensitivities
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Premature aging
- Hormonal imbalances
- Compromised intestinal wall permeability, also known as “leaky gut”
These are the kinds of underlying factors a functional medicine provider can evaluate. Dr. Miller will make a referral when he believes it could support your brain health and your MeRT results.
Autism and Underlying Health Factors
Researchers continue to study the many factors involved in autism. Some studies have observed that gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, and celiac disease occur in some autistic children, and that some may experience increased intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”), where substances from the gut pass into the bloodstream. Where these underlying factors are present, a functional medicine provider can help evaluate and address them — and Dr. Miller can provide a referral.
How Dr. Miller Uses Functional Medicine in Your Care
MeRT treatment uses qEEG to pinpoint where dysregulation is occurring in the brain, regardless of the condition. Once that is identified, an individualized treatment plan is created, and therapy is delivered using TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation). This is the treatment we provide at our clinic, and it is effective for many brain-related conditions.
Nutrition is one of the most important influences on health, and factors such as genetics, sleep, exercise, and stress management also play significant roles. These are not services we perform in our office. Instead, if Dr. Miller believes that further testing could help optimize your brain health and the effectiveness of your MeRT treatment, he will refer you to a trusted functional medicine provider so that these aspects of your health can be addressed.
People with brain dysregulation can also experience challenges such as:
- Insomnia
- GI disturbances and gut dysbiosis
- Gut infections
- Food intolerances
- Hormonal imbalances
- Malabsorption of vital nutrients
- Genetic factors
- A compromised immune system
- Chronic fatigue
- Chronic pain
- Heavy metal toxicities
When any of these may be affecting your progress, a referral to a functional medicine provider helps ensure your care is coordinated and complete.
Wondering if MeRT could help you or your loved one?
Talk with our New Patient Coordinator to ask questions and find out if MeRT is right for you.