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There is growing use of complementary and alternative medicine for late-life mood and cognitive symptoms because they may be seen as “safer” than traditional drugs. This review presents the existing limited evidence of the efficacy and safety of natural products and supplements that are being used for treatment of mental disorders.

There has been an expansion in initiatives and interventions to promote successful aging and to reduce disparities in attaining maximum healthy life expectancy, and there are a number of points of intersection between psychiatry and successful aging. This review highlights current literature on genetic, molecular, neurobiological, psychosocial, and social determinants of successful aging.

Patients with dementia frequently experience comorbid behavioral and psychiatric symptoms that are harmful to both patients and their caregivers and contribute to the high healthcare costs associated with Alzheimer’s dementia. Despite their frequent use in the past, there is limited evidence to support the efficacy of first-generation antipsychotics. Second-generation antipsychotics may be modestly helpful for reducing global neuropsychiatric symptoms, psychosis, and agitation/aggression but are associated with potentially serious adverse reactions. The decision to utilize an antipsychotic requires thoughtful consideration of the potential risks and benefits for the individual patient.