Jon Hamilton http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100615&ft=1&f=2100615 Jon Hamilton is a correspondent for NPR's Science Desk. Currently he focuses on neuroscience, health risks, and extreme weather. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Mon, 20 May 2013 20:12:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Jon Hamilton http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100615&ft=1&f=2100615 Forecasters Had Chance To Warn Moore, Okla., Before Tornado Melissa Block talks to Jon Hamilton about the science of tornadoes. Mon, 20 May 2013 20:12:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/185631833/forecasters-had-chance-to-warn-moore-okla-before-tornado?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/20/185631833/forecasters-had-chance-to-warn-moore-okla-before-tornado?ft=1&f=2100615 Melissa Block talks to Jon Hamilton about the science of tornadoes.

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]]> Experts Agree: 'Psychiatry's Bible' Is No Bible The new version of the <em>DSM,</em> the manual of psychiatric diagnoses, is already sparking criticism. But psychiatrists say it helps make sure they're all on the same page. Fri, 17 May 2013 17:07:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/17/184849282/experts-agree-psychiatrys-bible-is-no-bible?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/17/184849282/experts-agree-psychiatrys-bible-is-no-bible?ft=1&f=2100615 The new version of the DSM, the manual of psychiatric diagnoses, is already sparking criticism. But psychiatrists say it helps make sure they're all on the same page.

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]]> Why Is Psychiatry's New Manual So Much Like The Old One? Unlike cardiology and most other fields of medicine, psychiatry still hasn't developed discrete, biological tests for diagnosing illnesses of the mind. That's because the brain "hasn't yielded its secrets yet," one psychiatrist says. Thu, 16 May 2013 17:21:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/16/184454931/why-is-psychiatrys-new-manual-so-much-like-the-old-one?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/16/184454931/why-is-psychiatrys-new-manual-so-much-like-the-old-one?ft=1&f=2100615 Unlike cardiology and most other fields of medicine, psychiatry still hasn't developed discrete, biological tests for diagnosing illnesses of the mind. That's because the brain "hasn't yielded its secrets yet," one psychiatrist says.

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]]> How Can Identical Twins Turn Out So Different? Scientists used to think that identical twins turned out differently because they were treated differently by friends, teachers or their parents. A study of mice supports the idea that small changes in behavior can lead to larger ones and eventually even resculpt brains in different ways. Thu, 09 May 2013 16:19:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/14/182633402/how-can-identical-twins-turn-out-so-different?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/14/182633402/how-can-identical-twins-turn-out-so-different?ft=1&f=2100615 Scientists used to think that identical twins turned out differently because they were treated differently by friends, teachers or their parents. A study of mice supports the idea that small changes in behavior can lead to larger ones and eventually even resculpt brains in different ways.

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]]> Imagine A Flying Pig: How Words Take Shape In The Brain Linguists used to think the human brain had a specific region devoted to understanding language. But brain scans now indicate that regions controlling vision, movement, taste, smell and touch are all called into action when we think of a word, too. Thu, 02 May 2013 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/02/180036711/imagine-a-flying-pig-how-words-take-shape-in-the-brain?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/02/180036711/imagine-a-flying-pig-how-words-take-shape-in-the-brain?ft=1&f=2100615 Linguists used to think the human brain had a specific region devoted to understanding language. But brain scans now indicate that regions controlling vision, movement, taste, smell and touch are all called into action when we think of a word, too.

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]]> A Sleep Gene Has A Surprising Role In Migraines Disruptions of sleep are well known as migraine triggers, but now researchers have found a genetic link between the two. In studying families with lots of migraines, they also found a mutation on a gene that helps control circadian rhythms. Wed, 01 May 2013 16:37:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/01/180074502/a-sleep-gene-has-a-surprising-role-in-migraines?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/01/180074502/a-sleep-gene-has-a-surprising-role-in-migraines?ft=1&f=2100615 Disruptions of sleep are well known as migraine triggers, but now researchers have found a genetic link between the two. In studying families with lots of migraines, they also found a mutation on a gene that helps control circadian rhythms.

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]]> A Tale Of Mice And Medical Research, Wiped Out By A Superstorm When Superstorm Sandy flooded lower Manhattan last year, thousands of lab animals drowned and many scientists lost months or even years of work. The specialty animals can be very difficult to replace, but researchers say the loss of animal life is emotionally devastating and difficult to get over. Thu, 25 Apr 2013 03:31:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/04/26/178808079/a-tale-of-mice-and-medical-research-wiped-out-by-a-superstorm?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/04/26/178808079/a-tale-of-mice-and-medical-research-wiped-out-by-a-superstorm?ft=1&f=2100615 When Superstorm Sandy flooded lower Manhattan last year, thousands of lab animals drowned and many scientists lost months or even years of work. The specialty animals can be very difficult to replace, but researchers say the loss of animal life is emotionally devastating and difficult to get over.

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]]> Genetically Modified Rat Is Promising Model For Alzheimer's Drug companies have developed several Alzheimer's drugs that seemed to work in mice but did not help people with the disease. So scientists inserted human genes into rats in hopes of getting a better model for testing the drugs. Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:15:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/04/09/176696630/genetically-modified-rat-is-promising-model-for-alzheimers?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/04/09/176696630/genetically-modified-rat-is-promising-model-for-alzheimers?ft=1&f=2100615 Drug companies have developed several Alzheimer's drugs that seemed to work in mice but did not help people with the disease. So scientists inserted human genes into rats in hopes of getting a better model for testing the drugs.

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]]> Listen Up To Smarter, Smaller Hearing Aids Today's devices are smaller and much more powerful than they were 20 years ago. New advances in technology can't solve all hearing problems, but they've improved many aspects of life for people with hearing loss. Mon, 08 Apr 2013 03:18:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/04/08/176225511/listen-up-to-smarter-smaller-hearing-aids?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/04/08/176225511/listen-up-to-smarter-smaller-hearing-aids?ft=1&f=2100615 Today's devices are smaller and much more powerful than they were 20 years ago. New advances in technology can't solve all hearing problems, but they've improved many aspects of life for people with hearing loss.

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]]> Obama's Plan To Explore The Brain: A 'Most Audacious' Project The White House is asking Congress for $100 million to develop new tools for "eavesdropping" on millions of cellular conversations, as individual neurons interact to form thoughts or create memories. The goal is more ambitious than the Human Genome Project, researchers say. Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:08:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/04/02/176060875/obama-s-brain-map-plan-a-most-audacious-project?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/04/02/176060875/obama-s-brain-map-plan-a-most-audacious-project?ft=1&f=2100615 The White House is asking Congress for $100 million to develop new tools for "eavesdropping" on millions of cellular conversations, as individual neurons interact to form thoughts or create memories. The goal is more ambitious than the Human Genome Project, researchers say.

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]]> Number Of Early Childhood Vaccines Not Linked To Autism A government study of the medical records of 1,000 kids found no correlation between the number of vaccines a child received and his or her risk of autism spectrum disorder. Experts hope the finding will allay some parents who worry that many vaccines on one day or in the first two years of life may lead to autism. Fri, 29 Mar 2013 03:08:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/29/175626824/the-number-of-early-childhood-vaccines-not-linked-to-autism?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/29/175626824/the-number-of-early-childhood-vaccines-not-linked-to-autism?ft=1&f=2100615 A government study of the medical records of 1,000 kids found no correlation between the number of vaccines a child received and his or her risk of autism spectrum disorder. Experts hope the finding will allay some parents who worry that many vaccines on one day or in the first two years of life may lead to autism.

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]]> Maybe Isolation, Not Loneliness, Shortens Life Loneliness and isolation often go hand in hand, so teasing out which factor is harder on health isn't easy. But a British study now suggests that, while loneliness may make you unhappy, it's social isolation that could take years off of your life. Discuss (with a friend). Tue, 26 Mar 2013 03:28:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/26/175283008/maybe-isolation-not-loneliness-shortens-life?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/26/175283008/maybe-isolation-not-loneliness-shortens-life?ft=1&f=2100615 Loneliness and isolation often go hand in hand, so teasing out which factor is harder on health isn't easy. But a British study now suggests that, while loneliness may make you unhappy, it's social isolation that could take years off of your life. Discuss (with a friend).

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]]> How An Unlikely Drug Helps Some Children Consumed By Fear When abiding fear takes over some kids' lives, they respond with anger and aggression that's not premeditated. One psychiatrist says he's finding profound relief for a particular subgroup of these children in experimental research with the anesthesia drug ketamine. Mon, 25 Mar 2013 03:13:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/25/174928768/how-an-unlikely-drug-helps-some-children-consumed-by-fear?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/25/174928768/how-an-unlikely-drug-helps-some-children-consumed-by-fear?ft=1&f=2100615 When abiding fear takes over some kids' lives, they respond with anger and aggression that's not premeditated. One psychiatrist says he's finding profound relief for a particular subgroup of these children in experimental research with the anesthesia drug ketamine.

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]]> Alzheimer's 'Epidemic' Now A Deadlier Threat To Elderly Deaths from the disease have increased by 68 percent between 2000 and 2010. One reason: We're living longer, and deaths from other causes, like heart disease and prostate cancer, are going down. Tue, 19 Mar 2013 03:15:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/19/174651566/alzheimers-epidemic-now-a-deadlier-threat-to-elderly?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/19/174651566/alzheimers-epidemic-now-a-deadlier-threat-to-elderly?ft=1&f=2100615 Deaths from the disease have increased by 68 percent between 2000 and 2010. One reason: We're living longer, and deaths from other causes, like heart disease and prostate cancer, are going down.

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]]> Hear That? In A Din Of Voices, Our Brains Can Tune In To One Scientists are beginning to understand how people focus on a single voice in a crowded, noisy room. This ability, known as the "cocktail party effect," appears to rely on areas of the brain that have completely filtered out unwanted sounds. Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:20:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/07/173613681/hear-that-in-a-din-of-voices-our-brains-can-tune-to-one?ft=1&f=2100615 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/07/173613681/hear-that-in-a-din-of-voices-our-brains-can-tune-to-one?ft=1&f=2100615 Scientists are beginning to understand how people focus on a single voice in a crowded, noisy room. This ability, known as the "cocktail party effect," appears to rely on areas of the brain that have completely filtered out unwanted sounds.

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