Eastern and Western Medicine Integration – A Conversation with Jin Shin Institute’s Alexis Brink

The following is a quote from Dr. Preter’s page on Clinical Approach:

What exactly is integrative psychiatry/ neurology /neuropsychiatry?

It is well known that effectively restoring (and/or promoting) health requires an integrated understanding of how mind, brain, body, personal history and current life circumstances interact with each other. All these factors contribute to a person’s illness experience; their interaction often represents an opportunity for a change for the better. Neuropsychiatry is the application of this integrative principle in clinical neurology and psychiatry. It has for the past decades guided my clinical work as Board-certified neurologist, Board-certified psychiatrist, neuropsychiatrist, psychopharmacologist, and practitioner of psychotherapy.

A stepwise approach to diagnosis pays off: First come fundamental, sometimes easily treated physiological disturbances that can affect a person’s immediate emotional, cognitive and general well-being, and threaten health later in life. A sleep disorder, a thyroid imbalance, vitamin D and other nutritional deficiencies, the unwanted effects of multiple, perhaps improperly dosed, sometimes entirely unnecessary medications all impair the day-to-day functioning of the mind and the brain, and can cause or exacerbate illness and distress. Why would anyone wait to treat them? However, just as important as these biological, pharmaceutical and nutritional “basics” is a longer-term, psychologically informed perspective that helps us to make sense of a person’s unique experience. This often forces us to look beyond simple diagnostic labels and requires a scientifically informed reassessment and integration of often isolated pieces of information: Biographic information, memories, but also imaging data, medication lists, blood tests, neuropsychological test reports etc.

A treatment approach that integrates standard biological, complementary-alternative and psychotherapeutic techniques (not necessarily replaces one to the exclusion of the others)

• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

• Special attention to long-term brain and mind health, preventative neurology, healthy aging and cognitive rejuvenation measures

• Neurological and psychopharmacological medications, based on a thorough, result-oriented assessment of the risks and benefits of these medications in a given situation.

• Promising old and novel compounds (e.g., polyunsaturated Omega-3 (“PUFAs”) for the treatment of mood disorders/bipolar depression; N-Acetyl Cysteine for Depressive Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder; Rhodiola Rosea, benfotiamine and others).

• Promising, novel non-drug modalities such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (currently done as out-referral after full diagnostic work-up). I am currently testing portable electrical devices such as the Fisher-Wallace device.

• Preventative Neuropsychiatry through control of biochemical and life-style risk factors

• The Preter Protocol – a program using the ketogenic diet developed at Johns Hopkins as part of an overall treatment plan for disabling illnesses such as chronic body pain, migraine headache and neurodegenerative diseases (mild cognitive impairment/MCI, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease).

In addition, our patients also benefit from an ultra-efficient network of world-class, private doctors who can provide other specialty consultations (and many of whom are located within walking distance). Our patients have priority access to any ancillary services such as MRI, MRA, PET imaging, EEG, private blood draws at their residence, neuropsychological testing, polysomnography/sleep study, as might be required by their unique, individual situation.