Geriatric Psychiatry

Deptran Side Effects

Deptran is a dibenzoxepin tricyclic compound that is prescribed for the treatment of depression. It is called tricyclic because its chemical structure contains three rings. Deptran's mechanism of action is unknown. Deptran is available as a...

Vitamin Deficiencies & Mental Disorders

Proper nutrition is a critical aspect of normal brain development and function, and without it a broad range of disorders of the central nervous system can occur. Disorders like depression and schizophrenia are linked to chemical imbalances that...

What Is the Clock Test for Dementia?

The clock test, also called the clock draw test, is one of several tests used to determine if a patient suffers from dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. At least two common versions of the clock test exist, and the choice to use a particular...

Alzheimer's & Dopamine

Alzheimer's disease is a neuro-degenerative disorder characterized by progressive impairment of memory and cognitive functions. Impairment of short-term memory is usually the first symptom of the disease, while the retrieval of distant memories...

Vitamin D & Dementia

Dementia involves memory loss, personality changes and difficulty in learning new things. There are several forms of dementia, the most common of which is Alzheimer's disease. Although there is no cure, a number of oral medicines, including...

Folate for Alzheimer's Disease

Folate, also called folic acid or vitamin B9, plays a vital part in the proper functioning of the brain and in the synthesis of DNA and RNA. Adequate daily intake of folate is necessary for the maintenance of an individual's mental and emotional...

Symptoms of Low Vitamin D3

Vitamin D is a group of five fat-soluble organic compounds known as secosteroids. Of the five forms, vitamins D2 and D3 are the most physiologically essential. Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, is produced by the skin in response to the...

Ginkgo & Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. The most common type of dementia, Alzheimer's occurs when the level of brain chemicals responsible for carrying messages that control cognition start to decline, causing symptoms...

Alzheimer's Disease and Fish Oil

Fish oil contains the essential omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. These healthy fats have been associated with several benefits, including improving heart health and reducing inflammation....

Ginkgo to Treat Dementia

Dementia is characterized by loss of cognitive function. Symptoms may vary according to to the type of dementia you have. For example, Alzheimer's disease may cause disorientation, language problems and memory loss, while vascular dementia may...

Vitamin D Deficiency & Mental Confusion

Vitamin D's role in preventing several conditions such as rickets, osteomalacia and osteoarthritis is well accepted. It is evident that vitamin D plays significant roles in calcium balance, insulin secretion, immunity and the regulation of blood...

What Vitamins Are Good to Prevent Memory Loss?

Memory loss is defined by Medline Plus as unusual forgetfulness. It may be transient or permanent and it may occur suddenly or it could be progressive. Memory loss may also affect cognitive function depending on the cause and specific location...

High Dopamine Levels & Psychosis

The term psychosis is frequently applied to abnormal conditions of the mind in which people lose contact with reality, experiencing delusional beliefs or hallucinations, as is frequently observed in the behavior of schizophrenics. The brain...

Vitamins to Fight Depression

Depression is more than feeling "blue" for a day or two. Clinical depression is triggered by a variety of emotional triggers and can last many months, often years. According to PBS.org, major depression affects approximately 15 million American...

Cardiac Risk Factors in Seniors

Cardiovascular disease is defined by the Mayo Clinic as a term that refers to conditions involving narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to chest pain or a heart attack. The risk of developing coronary heart disease, or CHD, increases...

Passion Flower & Cortisol

When your body undergoes physical or psychological stress, the hypothalamus is activated within your brain, thus causing a release of hormones including cortisol. Cortisol is stored in the adrenal cortex of the kidneys and its primary purpose is...

What Are the Benefits of the Vitamins Inositol & Choline?

Inositol is a vitamin similar in structure to glucose. You are able to make this vitamin from glucose, and it is also available in whole grain foods. Choline is a water soluble nutritional substance that also can be synthesized in your body. No...

DHEA Supplements & Insomnia

Troublesome and frustrating, insomnia can have a variety of causes. But researchers have found a possible link between the hormone known as DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, and sleep quality.

How Does Depression Affect the Elderly?

Sadness is a frequent experience for elders. Aging brings many changes to our bodies and minds that create real losses. As we progress into our senior years, the accumulated losses create challenges to our self-concept, independence and sense of...

What are the Side Effects of Lack of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a collection of five fat-soluble substances that are essential for healthy bone growth and maintenance, strong immunity and mood regulation. Lack of necessary vitamin D is common among Americans, with estimates of up to 80 percent of...

Do Elderly Have Vitamin D Deficiency?

Vitamin D can be synthesized within the skin in response to sunlight, consumed in food and taken as a supplement. Despite these varied sources, estimates are that at least 70 percent of the American population is mildly deficient in vitamin D....

Facts About Ginkgo Leaves

Traditional healers used leaves from the ginkgo biloba plant to improve circulation and enhance memory. Modern scientific research supports these applications and has discovered many others. The mechanisms behind such effects remain unknown, but...

Can Ginkgo Biloba Cause Cranial Bleeding?

Ginkgo biloba is an ancient tree species whose leaves and seeds have been used for centuries to treat circulatory problems and to enhance memory. Most modern supplements contain standardized extracts of dried green ginkgo leaves. The University of...

What Foods Are Good for Treating Depression?

Most everyone feels depressed occasionally. However, if depression detracts from your ability to function normally, you may have a depressive disorder, such as major depression, which involves depressed episodes that last at least two weeks;...

About Early Onset Dementia & Vitamin B-12

Dementia is a descriptive term used for a collection of symptoms that affect the brain, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. While you may expect that loss of cognitive functioning is a normal part of aging,...

The Vitamin C Dosage for Depression

Depression can rob people of their energy, their sleep, their concentration and their happiness. Because psychiatric medications are expensive and can have unpredictable and uncomfortable side effects, some people opt for natural methods like...

Vitamins That Affect Your Mood

Vitamins play an important role in your mood. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, or NIMH, mood disorders are conditions in which disturbances in your mood are believed to be the principle underlying feature. Mood disorders fall...

Positive & Negative Foods for the Brain & Memory

Your brain, like the rest of your body, relies on food for energy and nutrients. Fortunately, many foods that boost your overall wellness support proper brain and memory function as well. Other important lifestyle factors include positive sleep...