Mental Health

Having volunteers who are learning German answer questions about grammar and semantics of the language while inside an MRI machine might show particular patterns in brain changes, researchers say. They hope their study could offer clues to how the brain b

Learning German In The Name Of Science And Cross-Cultural Collaboration

5:21pm January 03, 2017

by Joe Palca

Ninety young Syrian refugees are teaming up with neuroscientists in Leipzig to figure out the quickest and best way to teach German as a second language. Vocabulary first, or grammar early on, too?

Emil Girardi, 83, and Shipra Narruhn, 67, chat in Girardi's San Francisco apartment. They were paired through a nonprofit called Little Brothers, Friends of the Elderly, which aims to relieve isolation and loneliness.

Easing Old People's Loneliness Can Help Keep Them Healthy

8:35pm January 01, 2017

by Anna Gorman

Little Brothers, which operates in San Francisco and several other cities, sends volunteers to brighten up the lives of isolated elderly people, helping them reduce the risk of serious illness.

U.S. Marines march in the annual Veterans Day Parade along Fifth Avenue in 2014 in New York City.

For Veterans, Trauma Of War Can Persist In Struggles With Sexual Intimacy

3:19pm January 01, 2017

by Ailsa Chang

What happens to sexual relationships after service members return from combat? Former Marine Chuck Rotenberry and his wife, Liz, open up about their struggles with sex and his PTSD.

Queue Listen Now

Halima Aden wore a navy blue, embroidered burkini -- a full-body bathing suit -- during the swimsuit competition.

7 Women Trailblazers Who Took A Stand In 2016

5:54am January 01, 2017

by Malaka Gharib

Maybe they didn't make headlines. But they inspired others to break stereotypes and take a stand.

From Psychedelics To Alzheimer's, 2016 Was A Good Year For Brain Science

5:00am December 31, 2016

by Bret Stetka

A woman with ALS was able to type just by thinking about the letters, and people with cancer found their anxiety and depression erased by a single encounter with magic mushrooms.

A diet high in saturated fats and sugars can affect the parts of the brain that are important to memory.

The Wrong Eating Habits Can Hurt Your Brain, Not Just Your Waistline

10:13am December 30, 2016

by Alan Yu

A diet high in saturated fats and sugars can affect the parts of the brain that are important to memory. Diet-linked brain changes can also make people more likely to crave unhealthful food.

Health & Safety

Carrie Fisher Inspires Others To Speak Openly Of Bipolar Disorder

6:36am December 30, 2016

In honor of Carrie Fisher, Ana Marie Cox, a culture critic and journalist, talks to Rachel Martin about "coming out" as bipolar. Until now, she had never disclosed her mental illness publicly.

A Colorado coroner says that former Heisman winner, Rashaan Salaam (pictured in 1994), died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Salaam's body was found at a Boulder park on Dec. 5 this year.

Former Football Star Rashaan Salaam's Death Ruled A Suicide

6:00pm December 29, 2016

by Ammad Omar

Rashaan Salaam won the 1994 Heisman Trophy as college football's most outstanding player.

Diseased brain tissue from an Alzheimer's patient showing amyloid plaques (in blue) located in the gray matter of the brain.

Where Does Alzheimer's Treatment Go From Here?

12:35pm December 29, 2016

by Bret Stetka

The failure of an experimental drug that targets clumps of protein inside the brains of Alzheimer's patients called into question one of the leading theories about the cause of the dementia.

Mothers of middle schoolers reported higher levels of depression compared to moms of children at other ages.

Being Mom To A Middle Schooler Can Be The Toughest Gig Of All

5:00am December 29, 2016

by Juli Fraga

Everyone knows about postpartum depression, but depression is actually most common among moms of middle schoolers, a study finds. Think surly kids, hormonal changes and skimpy support networks.