Mental Health

Women make up nearly two-thirds of the people in the U.S. diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Gene Linked To Alzheimer's Poses A Special Threat To Women

7:35pm April 14, 2014

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists have figured out one reason women might be more vulnerable to Alzheimer's: A risk gene doubles women's chances of getting the disease but has minimal effect on men.

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Rick Blaine, the sentimental tough guy in Casablanca, pined for "As Time Goes By."

Play It Again And Again, Sam

8:57am April 09, 2014

by Alix Spiegel

We're all seduced by repetition, music research suggests — 90 percent of the music we listen to, we've heard before. Beyond music, this bias toward familiarity holds up in every culture. What gives?

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Researchers say intervention in early childhood may help the developing brain compensate by rewiring to work around the trouble spots.

Brain Changes Suggest Autism Starts In The Womb

11:03am March 27, 2014

by Jon Hamilton

The organization of certain brain cells in children with autism seems already different from that of typical children by the sixth or seventh month of fetal development, a study hints.

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For Sandy Hook Killer's Father, Tragedy Outweighs Love For His Son

5:46pm March 13, 2014

Peter Lanza opened up to writer Andrew Solomon about Adam's life and how he tried to help him. Solomon says, "[Peter] would've liked to save the world and himself from the horror of what happened."

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A barista makes coffee using the pour-over method at Artifact Coffee in Baltimore.

Health & Safety

Coffee Myth-Busting: Cup Of Joe May Help Hydration And Memory

3:51pm January 16, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

A new study adds to the evidence that among everyday coffee drinkers, the old wives' tale that coffee will lead to dehydration is really just that: a tale. Another study found that caffeine may help to consolidate memories in the short term, but may not help retrieve old memories.

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A young man looking sad while sitting on the ground with his head on his hands

Fear Of Fainting, Flight And Cheese: One Man's 'Age Of Anxiety'

8:09pm January 06, 2014

Since about age 2, Atlantic editor Scott Stossel has been "a twitchy bundle of phobias, fears and neuroses." Today, his phobias include asthenophobia, a fear of fainting; aerophobia, a fear of flying; and turophobia, a fear of cheese. He wrote his latest book to help understand and find relief from his anxious suffering.

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Alarm Clock Sets Off A Real Wake-Up Call

11:42am January 01, 2014

by Alix Spiegel

Later this month, a Chicago based company called Fig will ship out a new product that it believes will help keep people motivated to meet their life goals. It's an alarm clock, but an unusual one.

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Rheanna Kathleen Morris hugs her mom, Peggy Sinclair-Morris.

Promises To Fix Mental Health System Still Unfulfilled

10:23am December 16, 2013

by Jenny Gold

Even for those with the will and drive to pursue treatment, the process remains difficult, frightening and full of holes. Mental health advocates say little has come, on the federal level, from the task forces and promises that followed the Newtown shootings.

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Colleen Frainey, 16, of Tualatin, Ore., cut back on advanced placement classes in her junior year because the stress was making her physically ill.

School Stress Takes A Toll On Health, Teens And Parents Say

5:35pm December 03, 2013

by Patti Neighmond

Teenagers say their parents often don't realize how overwhelmed they feel about school. Psychologists say parents can help children manage their expectations and live a more balanced life, even if it means not racking up as high a GPA as their friends.

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*PROMO IMAGE *Cristina Sevin attempts to wake up her 16-year-old daughter Lily. It usually takes three rounds of this before she is up and out of bed.

Parents Of Sleep-Deprived Teens Push For Later School Start Times

5:32pm December 03, 2013

by Allison Aubrey

Scientists agree that teenagers naturally go to bed late and sleep late, too. But high school start times are traditionally very early. Proponents of later start times say they're finally getting traction. The result, they say, will be happier kids who do better in school.

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