Geriatric Psychiatry - Articles

Research Update

Stimulating the Precuneus May Slow Alzheimer’s Decline

February 23, 2026

Research Update Edited by Carlat Staff

Can brain stimulation help preserve function in Alzheimer’s disease? A year-long randomized trial suggests that PC- rTMS modestly slows cognitive and functional decline, offering a potential nonpharmacologic adjunct as clinicians seek alternatives to long-term medication burden.

Clinical Update

Prescribing Antipsychotics for Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Dementia

January 1, 2026

Julia Cromwell, MD

Julia Cromwell, MD. Medical director and geriatric and adult inpatient psychiatrist, Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital, Salem, MA.

Dr. Cromwell has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Antipsychotics can reduce severe agitation or psychosis in dementia but at significant cost. Learn when to use them.

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Expert Q&A

Clinical Pearls for Hyperbolic Tapering of Psychiatric Medications in Older Adults

January 1, 2026

Mark Horowitz, MBBS, PhD

Clinical Research Fellow, North East London NHS Foundation Trust; Lecturer in Psychopharmacology (Visiting), King’s College, London, UK; Co-founder and consultant for Outro Health; Co-author of Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines: Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines, Gabapentinoids and Z-drugs.

Dr. Horowitz has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Stopping psychiatric medications can be harder than starting them. Dr. Mark Horowitz explains why withdrawal happens, how hyperbolic tapers work, and how to deprescribe safely while maintaining stability and trust.

Clinical Update

Behavioral Strategies for Apathy and Late-Life Depression

January 1, 2026

Jaime A.B. Wilson, PhD, ABN

Jaime A.B. Wilson, PhD, ABN, ABPP, MSCP. Prescribing medical psychologist and board-certified neuropsychologist in private practice, Tacoma, WA.

Dr. Wilson has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Not all late-life low mood requires medication. This article explores how apathy differs from depression and how behavioral activation, microgoals, and lifestyle interventions can restore motivation, improve cognition, and reduce unnecessary antidepressant exposure in older adults.

Expert Q&A

Using Lithium in Older Adults With Chronic Kidney Disease

January 1, 2026

Michael Gitlin, MD

Distinguished Professor of Clinical Psychiatry; Director, Mood Disorders Clinic, Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA.

Dr. Gitlin has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Lithium remains a powerful mood stabilizer in late life, but aging kidneys change the equation. Dr. Michael Gitlin reviews kidney-conscious dosing, monitoring by eGFR, and shared decision-making strategies to balance lithium’s benefits against renal risk in older adults.

Research Update