Mental Health

HHS Eases Rules Regarding The Mentally Ill And Gun Background Checks

2:13pm January 11, 2016

It's easier for states to report some severely mentally ill to the FBI and ban them from owning guns. David Greene talks to Jocelyn Samuels of the the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Hillary Clinton Outlines Plan To Address Autism

6:42pm January 07, 2016

This week in Iowa, Hillary Clinton announced a detailed plan to address autism, including additional resources and research. NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks with Ron Fournier, a columnist for National Journal and father of a child with Asperger's syndrome, about the plan and the significance of a presidential campaign taking on the issue.

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Foundation In Austin, Texas, Subsidizes Mental Health Care For Musicians

5:05pm January 05, 2016

by Wade Goodwyn

Musicians who are dealing with mental health and substance abuse problems in Austin, Texas, can get help from an organization there that provides reduced cost care --basically whatever the musicians can afford to pay-- from cooperating doctors and therapists.

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Cheryl Woolnough, director of training at Patriot PAWS in Rockwall, Texas, works with Papi, a Labrador retriever.

Veterans Say Trained Dogs Help With PTSD, But The VA Won't Pay

6:05pm January 04, 2016

by Lauren Silverman

Service dogs help veterans with physical disabilities, and there's increased interest in using dogs for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, too. A study is underway to see whether that helps.

Todd Davidson/Getty Images/Illustration Works

Forgot Something Again? It's Probably Just Normal Aging

12:52pm January 04, 2016

by Patti Neighmond

Around age 50, people may begin to forget things. This can be scary. But there are clear differences between the onset of dementia and totally normal, age-related lapses in memory.

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Jeffrey Iliff (left), a brain scientist at Oregon Health & Science University, has been studying toxin removal in the brains of mice. He'll work with Bill Rooney, director of the university's Advanced Imaging Research Center, to enroll people in a similar

Lack Of Deep Sleep May Set The Stage For Alzheimer's

8:29am January 04, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

A mouse's brain clears out toxins during periods of deep sleep — including toxins that form the sticky plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease. Could the same hold true for people?

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Brain Scans And Big Screens: Dangers Of Concussions, On And Off The Field

8:14am January 03, 2016

by NPR Staff

With the film Concussion playing in multiplexes, NPR's Rachel Martin revisits several perspectives on the injury and the role it's played in football. Is the game worth the risk of brain injury?

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Health & Safety

At This Dinner Party, Talking About Death With Strangers Isn't Taboo

7:00am January 02, 2016

by Deborah Becker

Grieving can be isolating for young adults. A fledgling nonprofit invites 20- and 30-somethings to share their grief, with strangers, over a meal.

Keep Things Simple For A Healthy, Long Life

5:15am January 02, 2016

by John Schumann

Most of prevention is fairly straightforward and, unfortunately, there are no shortcuts. But then again, the most important steps you can take to safeguard your health are well within your reach.

'Concussion' Forces Football Players To Contemplate Safety Risks

4:28pm January 01, 2016

by Tom Goldman

The new film Concussion has many football players thinking about the possible long-term health risks of the game. But that hasn't stopped two brothers from taking the field.