Following a brief review of the consequences of untreated depressed mood and risks associated with antidepressant use during pregnancy, I comment on the evidence for complementary and alternative (CAM) modalities widely used to treat this serious problem. Consequences of depressed mood … Continue reading
Non-pharmacologic treatments of ADHD This is the 10th post in a series on complementary and alternative therapies for ADHD. This post comments on research highlights from studies on meditation and mind-body practices as treatments of ADHD. Previous posts briefly reviewed … Continue reading
Many individuals diagnosed with ADHD use CAM therapies Many individuals diagnosed with ADHD use alternative therapies alone or together with stimulants or other prescription medications. Growing concerns about inappropriate prescribing or over-prescribing by physicians of stimulant medications and incomplete understanding … Continue reading
How exercise works to improve depressed mood Many studies show that infrequent physical activity increases the risk of developing depressed mood. Physical exercise increases the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and may enhance neural plasticity and new synapse formation. … Continue reading
What it is and how it works in the brain Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a precursor of testosterone and other hormones. The sulfated form of DHEA—DHEA-S—is the most abundant steroid in the body. DHEA is an important neuroactive steroid and modulates … Continue reading
Existing models of care and conventional therapies are limited Existing models of care and available conventional treatment approaches fail to adequately address the global crisis of mental health care. Mental illness accounts for about one-third of the world’s disability caused … Continue reading
L-theanine increases brain levels of several neurotransmitters The amino acid l-theanine found in green tea is widely used in China, Japan, and other Asian countries to treat anxiety and depressed mood. Animal studies confirm that l-theanine increases brain levels of … Continue reading
Meditation practices are widely employed to reduce anxiety and to maintain optimal psychological and spiritual health. Meditation has been extensively studied as a treatment of anxiety. Beneficial physiological effects of meditation include decreased oxygen consumption, respiratory rate and blood pressure, … Continue reading
Dementia and mild cognitive impairment: overview Dementia is a chronic condition characterized by severe persisting impairments of short-term and long-term memory and severe deficits in other areas of cognitive functioning such as abstract reasoning, language, impaired capacity to perform routine … Continue reading
Depression: overview Depressed mood has many psychological and biological causes. Some people are born with genetic factors that significantly increase their risk of developing severe depressed mood. Known medical causes of depression include thyroid disease, heart problems and anemia. When … Continue reading
