Energetic Therapies in Mental Health Care: A Short Introduction This blog post is intended as a short introduction to diverse ‘energetic’ therapies and their uses in mental health care. Future posts will review the evidence for individual energetic therapies in … Continue reading
How cranioelectrotherapy stimulation works Cranioelectrotherapy stimulation (CES) also called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) or microcurrent electrical stimulation, is based on the application of extremely weak electrical current to the head and neck to treat anxiety, depressed mood, insomnia, and … 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
Regular exposure to high density negative ions may be as effective as bright light therapy for seasonal depressed mood I recently posted a blog on the health benefits of light. In addition to bright full-spectrum light and (to a lesser … 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
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
Insomnia: overview Sleep and wakefulness are regulated by many neurotransmitters including the brain’s principle inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA). Changing brain levels of GABA and other neurotransmitters are believed to be related to normal changes in sleep with healthy aging. … Continue reading
Anxiety: overview Generalized anxiety is a chronic condition characterized by both psychological or physical symptoms such as feelings of tension, excessive worrying, and heightened arousal that significantly interfere with work, going to school, being in a relationship or functioning in … Continue reading
