Testosterone for Older Men

Peter ForsterPhysical Conditions and Health, Treatments of Depression

Does testosterone supplementation help older men with low testosterone improve their quality of life, mood and energy? Some of the “low T” advertisements on TV made it seem like the magic hormone that conquered aging. More recently the FDA has been expressing its concern about over-prescribing by, among other things, adding black box warnings on the labels of gel formulations of …

Benzodiazepines and Dementia

Peter ForsterInsomnia Treatment

High use of benzodiazepines is not associated with an increased risk for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease according to a large prospective study published in the British Medical Journal. Previous research had suggested that there might be a link and we all know that single doses of benzodiazepines impair cognition and memory so it made sense that there might be such …

Aripiprazole for Late Life Depression

Peter ForsterMajor Depression, Treatments of Depression

A study suggests that aripiprazole augmentation may be an effective strategy for treating major depression in older adults. The article has generated a lot of interest because of evidence suggesting that late life major depression may be different from major depression in early adulthood. Cognitive impairment, including memory troubles and trouble with planning and decision making (executive function), seems to …

Stimulants and Geriatric Depression

Peter ForsterMajor Depression, Treatments of Depression

Stimulants and Geriatric Depression May be Underused. A well designed study showed that adding methylphenidate (Ritalin and others) to citalopram (Celexa) improve the likelihood of complete remission from depression in older patients. In general older depressed patients are more likely to have some cognitive impairment and are less likely to respond to antidepressants. A number of reports suggests that adding stimulants to antidepressants can …