Dr. John Kruse, PO Box 38, Papaaloa, HI (2026)

02/18/2026

In the US, lamotritgine (Lamictal) is the #1 mood stabilizer and the #2 anti-seizure medication, yet research doesn't indicate that it works better than the alternatives. Instead, lamotrigine's popularity is primarily driven by its relative absence of side effects, compared to the competitors. This may sound backwards, but it's actually a reasonable way to assess medication options.

Free link for Medium non-members:

A very popular anti-epileptic and mood stabilizer, Lamictal, is prescribed very often, mostly on account of its lack of side effects

02/16/2026

Weekly Q&A - 17 Feb 2026

Join me for my Weekly Q&A at:
https://youtube.com/live/p8HT6-NFd7Y

Livestream every Tuesday at 9:00am West Coast USA / 12:00pm East Coast USA / 7:00am Hawaii / 6:00pm Central European
www.youtube.com/

Videos released this week:
- Lamictal (Lamotrigine) for ADHD
https://youtu.be/kBppjXDJj4c

- Are Rates of ADHD Alarming?
https://youtu.be/6s4I_fJM-w4

After a short recap of each video, I’ll be available for questions on these topics or any other related to Mental Health.

- Lamictal (Lamotrigine) for ADHD:

Lamotrigine/Lamictal is an anti-seizure and mood stabilizing medication that blocks sodium channels -- but since it doesn't seem to act much like a sodium channel blocker in the body, that probably isn't primarily how it works. Lamictal is wildly popular ( #1 mood stabilizer, #2 anti-epileptic in the US) primarily because of its lack of side effects, rather than being more helpful than the alternative medications. Whether it can help or not with ADHD remains unclear.

- Are Rates of ADHD Alarming?:

Rates of ADHD diagnoses have been increasing, which makes some people claim that it is a fake diagnosis, or being confused for other conditions. While some of the increase is due to greater awareness, and to improved diagnosis in neglected groups (women, older adults), at least some of it is do to the ways we are changing our world (cell phone/computer/social media exposure; poorer sleep/exercise/diet; plastic and other contaminants). We should be alarmed that we are changing our world in ways that aren't healthy for human brains.

-----
You can also discuss and ask questions on my Reddit page:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Drjohnkruse

If you have ideas for additional talks, or other feedback, let me know:
drjohnkruse@gmail.com

My Medium page with hundreds of articles on Mental Health and other subjects:
https://dockruse.medium.com
Access to full articles requires paid membership.

Read writing from John Kruse MD, PhD on Medium. Psychiatrist, neuroscientist, gay father of twins, marathon runner, in Hawaii. 200+ free ADHD & mental health videos at: https://www.youtube.com/

02/09/2026

Weekly Q&A - 10 Feb 2026

Join me for my Weekly Q&A at:
https://youtube.com/live/Ehcbk1vNkOY

Livestream every Tuesday at 9:00am West Coast USA / 12:00pm East Coast USA / 7:00am Hawaii / 6:00pm Central European
www.youtube.com/

Videos released this week:
- Attention and ADHD

https://youtu.be/jbSILrjV9AY

- Generic Medications

https://youtu.be/eadP9fO9gAo

After a short recap of each video, I’ll be available for questions on these topics or any other related to Mental Health.

- Attention and ADHD

The conventional story is that stimulants help reduce ADHD symptoms by boosting dopamine and norepinephrine and enhancing attention circuits in the prefrontal cortex. But a recent, very large study using functional MRI data in 8-11 year olds found that stimulants strongly activated arousal networks, and reward networks but had no direct effect on attention. This implies that stimulants improve attention only indirectly, and is prompting researchers to identify agents that might more powerfully improve attention.

- Generic Medications

Genetic medications have made many agents affordable and in the US more than 80% of prescriptions are filled with generics. While the FDA mandates that the active substance must be the same, fillers are allowed to differ, as can the shape, size and color of the pill. Also, the FDA allows generics to perform within the range of 80% to 125% of the brand name regarding the time to peak action, and total amount absorbed. These variations in drug delivery to the body are particularly important for medications like stimulants for ADHD, and benzodiazepines for anxiety, where the behavioral effects are immediate and tied to the how much and how quickly the drug is binding to receptors.

-----
You can also discuss and ask questions on my Reddit page:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Drjohnkruse

If you have ideas for additional talks, or other feedback, let me know:
drjohnkruse@gmail.com

My Medium page with hundreds of articles on Mental Health and other subjects:
https://dockruse.medium.com
Access to full articles requires paid membership.

Read writing from John Kruse MD, PhD on Medium. Psychiatrist, neuroscientist, gay father of twins, marathon runner, in Hawaii. 200+ free ADHD & mental health videos at: https://www.youtube.com/

02/04/2026

TNS uses a forehead electrode patch to stimulate a branch of the trigeminal nerve. Based on two small studies, the FDA approved the Monarch TNS device to treat ADHD in 2019. But in the last month, a larger study failed to find a difference in ADHD symptoms after active treatment with Monarch compared to a sham treatment. The mainstream media reported this as showing that TNS doesn't help. But overlooked was the fact that both the active treatment and the sham/placebo groups had sizable decreases in ADHD symptoms scores -- so rather than shutting the door on TNS, the recent study just indicates we need more, and better studies to sort things out.

Free link for non-members of Medium: https://medium.com/wise-well/who-should-try-trigeminal-nerve-stimulation-d299c159275a?sk=6d9ea7f02d1d0099eff224fa83c9ad15

https://medium.com/wise-well/who-should-try-trigeminal-nerve-stimulation-d299c159275a

Electrical stimulation of the trigeminal nerve helps with migraine and epilepsy, but the research on benefits for ADHD and depression is…

02/02/2026

Weekly Q&A - 03 Feb 2026

Join me for my Weekly Q&A at:
https://youtube.com/live/mW6xXrwU0pc

Livestream every Tuesday at 9:00am West Coast USA / 12:00pm East Coast USA / 7:00am Hawaii / 6:00pm Central European
www.youtube.com/

Videos released this week:
- Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (TNS) for ADHD
https://youtu.be/kTCI1bUtnEQ

- Fidgeting and ADHD
https://youtu.be/Rcr5Y0BBXDI

After a short recap of each video, I’ll be available for questions on these topics or any other related to Mental Health.

- Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (TNS) for ADHD: The FDA approved the Monarch TNS device for treating ADHD in 2019. Two preliminary studies indicated that this large forehead electrode could reduce ADHD symptoms in children. But in December 2025 a much larger, independent study failed to find that Monarch did any better than sham treatment. Was it really because they had a more convincing placebo treatment? In the 2025 study both placebo/sham and active treatment groups showed considerable improvement in ADHD symptoms.

- Fidgeting and ADHD: Fidgeting was once considered a nuisance behavior. But some rodent and human research indicates it can actually help with focusing and sustained concentration, particularly in those with ADHD.
-----
You can also discuss and ask questions on my Reddit page:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Drjohnkruse

If you have ideas for additional talks, or other feedback, let me know:
drjohnkruse@gmail.com

My Medium page with hundreds of articles on Mental Health and other subjects:
https://dockruse.medium.com
Access to full articles requires paid membership.

Read writing from John Kruse MD, PhD on Medium. Psychiatrist, neuroscientist, gay father of twins, marathon runner, in Hawaii. 200+ free ADHD & mental health videos at: https://www.youtube.com/

01/28/2026

Taurine is one of the most widely used supplements worldwide, because of its inclusion in most energy/sports drinks. It's an abundant amino acid in humans, capable of binding to inhibitory GABA and glycine receptors in the brain, as well as having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. But the current evidence that taking more of it enhances physical or cognitive abilities is amazingly weak.....

Free link for non members of Medium:

Brains and muscles contain a lot of taurine, but evidence that taurine adds much to sports/energy drinks is sparse

01/27/2026

Weekly Q&A - 27 Jan 2026

Join me for my Weekly Q&A at:
https://youtube.com/live/9BgX1IXZd2Y

Livestream every Tuesday at 9:00am West Coast USA / 12:00pm East Coast USA / 7:00am Hawaii / 6:00pm Central European
www.youtube.com/

Videos released this week:
- Taurine for ADHD?
https://youtu.be/rdRrmE2geo8

- Phthalates and ADHD
https://youtu.be/Ul9xFm4W4No

After a short recap of each video, I’ll be available for questions on these topics or any other related to Mental Health.

- Taurine for ADHD?:

Taurine is an abundant amino acid that isn't used to make proteins. But it does bind strongly to inhibitory glycine and GABA receptors, as well as having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Humans make plentiful amounts of taurine, but also obtain some from animal proteins. Sports/energy drinks contain massive amounts of taurine - a single serving is about ten times the normal dietary intake. But there is very little research that documents that taurine in these drinks provides any benefits beyond what caffeine offers.

- Phthalates and ADHD:

Phthalates are plastic additives that are abundant in our environment, and virtually everyone on Earth is contaminated with them. A growing body of research indicates that these chemicals not only contribute to reproductive endocrine problems but also affect the developing brain, and are associated with ADHD symptoms.

-----
You can also discuss and ask questions on my Reddit page:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Drjohnkruse

If you have ideas for additional talks, or other feedback, let me know:
drjohnkruse@gmail.com

My Medium page with hundreds of articles on Mental Health and other subjects:
https://dockruse.medium.com
Access to full articles requires paid membership.

Read writing from John Kruse MD, PhD on Medium. Psychiatrist, neuroscientist, gay father of twins, marathon runner, in Hawaii. 200+ free ADHD & mental health videos at: https://www.youtube.com/

01/21/2026

People respond to the PHQ-9, a depression screening and monitoring scale, millions of times each year, as part of what is promoted as "evidence based" mental health treatment. Yet a recent study indicates that huge majorities of those taking the PHQ-9 interpret the questions incorrectly, raising major questions about the validity of this tool. Problems with the PHQ-9 are just the tip of the iceberg - the bigger problem is thinking that just because we can assign a number we have measured something meaningful. Yet much of what is important in medicine and human life can't be readily quantified.

Free link for non-members of Medium:

A questionnaire purporting to measure depression reveals bigger problems with our mental health and medical systems, and our approach to…

01/19/2026

Weekly Q&A - 20 Jan 2026 - Continuing at new Tuesday time.

Join me for my Weekly Q&A at:
https://youtube.com/live/B1-aidlSoIY

Livestream every Tuesday at 9:00am West Coast USA / 12:00pm East Coast USA / 7:00am Hawaii / 6:00pm Central European
www.youtube.com/

Videos released this week:
- Problems With Mental Health Testing
https://youtu.be/X7NbC0okLLU

- Serotonin and Depression
https://youtu.be/BswTyWC7OGU

After a short recap of each video, I’ll be available for questions on these topics or any other related to Mental Health.

- Problems With Mental Health Testing:

A recent study demonstrated that a huge percentage of those who take the PHQ-9 a simple depression screening and monitoring tool - are completely misinterpreting the questions - yet many insurance companies demand such tests to demonstrate an individual's response to depression treatment. Furthermore, even when mental health tests are written well, they're often administered incorrectly, leading to uninterpretable results. Just because we can measure something doesn't mean that we've captured something meaningful.

- Serotonin and Depression:

Some critics of psychiatry believe that by refuting that serotonin deficits cause depression, that somehow discredits the value of SSRIs for treating depression. But it was clear from the beginning that serotonin deficits weren't the "cause" of depression - because SSRIs boost serotonin availability immediately, yet take weeks to help with depression. But none of this means that serotonin doesn't have an important role in modulating mood, or mediating the benefits of antidepressant medications.

-----
You can also discuss and ask questions on my Reddit page:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Drjohnkruse

If you have ideas for additional talks, or other feedback, let me know:
drjohnkruse@gmail.com

My Medium page with hundreds of articles on Mental Health and other subjects:
https://dockruse.medium.com
Access to full articles requires paid membership.

Read writing from John Kruse MD, PhD on Medium. Psychiatrist, neuroscientist, gay father of twins, marathon runner, in Hawaii. 200+ free ADHD & mental health videos at: https://www.youtube.com/

01/14/2026

The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that a healthy body supported a healthy mind. Now increasing evidence shows that anhedonia - the inability to enjoy previously pleasurable activities, can be triggered by inflammation -- and treated with anti-inflammatories.

Free link for non-members of Medium: https://medium.com/wise-well/a-surprising-buzzkill-how-inflammation-cancels-joy-0cf24149dcdf?sk=b22fdf332dd3b7987592cd9bf9d9c49b

https://medium.com/wise-well/a-surprising-buzzkill-how-inflammation-cancels-joy-0cf24149dcdf

Anhedonia, the inability to enjoy, is increasingly linked to inflammation in the body. Exactly why remains a bit mysterious.

01/12/2026

****ONE HOUR EARLIER THAN PREVIOUSLY*****

Weekly Q&A - 13 Jan 2026

Join me for my Weekly Q&A at:
https://youtube.com/live/QPUx9wgjkus

Livestream every Tuesday at 9:00am West Coast USA / 12:00pm East Coast USA / 6:00am Hawaii / 6:00pm Central European
www.youtube.com/

Videos released this week:
- Anhedonia and Mental Health
https://youtu.be/z0nrZnggHpY

- Problematic Internet Gaming and ADHD
https://youtu.be/qS4ZtdappEg

After a short recap of each video, I’ll be available for questions on these topics or any other related to Mental Health.

- Anhedonia and Mental Health:

The immune and nervous systems influence each other. Anhedonia, or the inability to feel joy, has increasingly been linked with inflammation in the brain. And a growing line of evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory treatments can restore the capacity to feel joy. Anhedonia is a prominent symptom of depression, ADHD, schizophrenia, and substance abuse problems, among others.

- Problematic Internet Gaming and ADHD:

Research indicates that many of the behavioral aspects as well as the brain changes seen in substance use addictions also occur in gaming "addictions". Those with ADHD are more likely to develop gaming addictions, and those with gaming addictions are more likely to have ADHD. Gaming addictions may even worsen ADHD symptoms. That does not mean that all internet gaming is bad, or even that spending many hours gaming will be harmful.

-----
You can also discuss and ask questions on my Reddit page:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Drjohnkruse

If you have ideas for additional talks, or other feedback, let me know:
drjohnkruse@gmail.com

My Medium page with hundreds of articles on Mental Health and other subjects:
https://dockruse.medium.com
Access to full articles requires paid membership.

Read writing from John Kruse MD, PhD on Medium. Psychiatrist, neuroscientist, gay father of twins, marathon runner, in Hawaii. 200+ free ADHD & mental health videos at: https://www.youtube.com/

01/08/2026

You're already consuming tyrosine in any protein you eat. Unlike many other widely hyped products, tyrosine supplements really do have the potential to boost neurotransmitters - specifically dopamine and norepinephrine. Very limited evidence suggests that this can help cognitive functioning for peopele with depression, ADHD, or who are feeling stressed out. But some research indicates that too much tyrosine can actually impair performance.

Free link for non-members of Medium: https://medium.com/wise-well/are-tyrosine-supplements-helpful-hurtful-or-just-cheesy-2ec1e3ab1aef?sk=b4960ccffb69ddb9476a51f862657a9b

https://medium.com/wise-well/are-tyrosine-supplements-helpful-hurtful-or-just-cheesy-2ec1e3ab1aef

This amino acid supplement can boost brain functioning — but too much or too little causes problems.

Dr. John Kruse

02/18/2026

02/16/2026

02/09/2026

02/04/2026

02/02/2026

01/28/2026

01/27/2026

01/21/2026

01/19/2026

01/14/2026

01/12/2026

01/08/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category