Integrative Psychiatry & Longevity Blog in St. Louis, MO & Washington DC 

TL;DR: A recent study from Keck Medicine of USC found that omega-3 fish oil supplements did not significantly slow Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline. That finding isn’t particularly surprising—and it doesn’t mean fish oil is ineffective. Alzheimer’s disease is increasingly understood as a disorder of impaired brain energy metabolism, insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and vascular disease. Fish oil supports healthy brain cell membranes, neurotran

TL;DR Emerging research in metabolic psychiatry is challenging the traditional view that mental health conditions are solely disorders of neurotransmitters. New studies suggest that conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and potentially ADHD may also involve dysfunction in how the brain produces and uses energy. While ketogenic diets are not a cure-all, they have shown promising early results in several psychiatric conditions, highlighting the importa

TL;DR: ADHD May Be a Brain Energy Disorder A major 2026 review published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews proposes a new way of thinking about ADHD. Rather than viewing ADHD solely as a disorder of attention, the authors suggest ADHD may involve difficulties regulating and allocating the brain’s energy resources. While this model is still evolving, it helps explain why people with ADHD often experience inconsistent performance, fluctuating focus, executive dysfunction,

By Ryan Sheridan, DNP, PMHNP-BC | Proactive Psychiatry TL;DR A new 2026 systematic review suggests that GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 medications) may have significant neuroprotective effects that extend far beyond weight loss and diabetes treatment. In animal models, these medications consistently reduced two of Alzheimer’s disease’s hallmark pathologies: amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles. Human studies remain limited, but early evidence suggests GLP-1 medications may im

Most people have heard omega-3s are “good for your heart.” Fewer people understand why they matter for the brain. That is unfortunate, because the brain is not just a bag of neurotransmitters floating around waiting for a medication to fix everything. The brain is tissue. It is made of cells, membranes, fats, mitochondria, inflammatory signaling molecules, and electrical networks. When we talk about mental health from an integrative psychiatry perspective, we have to talk abo

Sleep isn’t just “something we do at night.” It’s a biologically essential process that repairs the brain, consolidates memory, balances mood, regulates appetite, and clears the brain’s metabolic waste. When sleep goes sideways, everything else goes sideways: mood, focus, resilience, and yes, health. It's fairly common to rely on substances to “hack” sleep, and while these may feel helpful in the short term, they throw your brain’s natural sleep architecture out of whack. L

A New Wave of Mental Health Research: Exercise as a First-Line Treatment For decades, mental health treatment has followed a predictable...

ADHD isn’t a disorder. Not really - so screw what the DSM says. It’s a mismatch between how your brain works and what society expects...

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has become one of the most talked-about mental health conditions in the last few decades,...

TL;DR: Key Takeaways • My practice, Proactive Psychiatry, offers a personalized, holistic approach. • I spend more time with each...

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a complex condition often linked to dopamine dysregulation. (Yeah, for those who have...

High-quality sleep has the power to transform your life. I will try to keep this post brief. (Also, not exactly sure why I chose all cats...

ADHD in adulthood often feels like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Society expects us to stay still, focus, and follow...

As an integrative psychiatric nurse practitioner in Washington, DC , I often encounter folks diagnosed with ADHD who feel limited by the...

As an integrative psychiatric nurse practitioner based in Washington, D.C., I am uniquely positioned to observe the challenges and...