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Mental Health

Diagnosing Self-Destruction

Suicide kills twice as many people as murder each year in the United States, and rates in the military recently surpassed those among civilians. But while scientists have identified some risk factors for suicide being white, being male, substance abuse, mental illness — they still have little idea what spurs people to take their own lives.

Diagnosing Self-Destruction

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Mental Health

New Clues to Memory Glitch Behind 'Senior Moments'

Reporting in Science Translational Medicine, Nobel Prize-winning neurobiologist Eric Kandel and colleagues write of a memory gene that appears to retire as the brain ages — leading to those "Where'd I put my keys?" moments. Kandel says such memory glitches may be reversible with the right intervention.

New Clues to Memory Glitch Behind 'Senior Moments'

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Money May Be Motivating Doctors To Do More C-Sections

Pregnant doctors are less likely than other women to deliver their babies via C-section, recent research suggests. Economists say that may be because the physician patients feel more empowered to question the obstetrician. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

Shots - Health News

Money May Be Motivating Doctors To Do More C-Sections

Many obstetricians make more money for C-sections than for vaginal deliveries. In a recent study, these doctors were more likely to perform the costly procedure than doctors paid a flat salary. But when the pregnant women were also physicians, doctors seemed less swayed by financial incentives.

Money May Be Motivating Doctors To Do More C-Sections

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Thursday

A Single Protein May Help Explain Memory Loss In Old Age

The underlying biology of age-related memory glitches — in old mice and old people — is different from what happens with Alzheimer's, recent research suggests. Anthony Bradshaw/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Anthony Bradshaw/iStockphoto.com

Shots - Health News

A Single Protein May Help Explain Memory Loss In Old Age

Age-related fumbles of memory are often feared as early signs of Alzheimer's dementia, but recent research confirms an important difference. The underlying biology of the two sorts of memory loss aren't the same. And the age-related form may be reversible someday.

A Single Protein May Help Explain Memory Loss In Old Age

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NFL, Retirees Reach $765M Settlement On Concussions Suits

Junior Seau sustained many concussions during his career and was suffering from a degenerative brain disease when he killed himself in May 2012. Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images hide caption

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Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images

The Two-Way

NFL, Retirees Reach $765M Settlement On Concussions Suits

More than 4,500 retired players had been part of the lawsuits. They claimed the league hadn't properly protected them over the years. In the settlement, the NFL does not admit any liability.

Politician And Health Quality Guru Berwick Consults For U.K.

Gubernatorial hopeful Dr. Donald Berwick speaks at the Massachusetts Democratic Party Platform Convention in July. Aram Boghosian/Boston Globe via Getty Images hide caption

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Aram Boghosian/Boston Globe via Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Politician And Health Quality Guru Berwick Consults For U.K.

Dr. Donald Berwick ran Medicare and Medicaid right after the Affordable Care Act became law. Now he's running for governor of Massachusetts. But he hasn't left behind his work as a health quality oracle.

Wednesday

The Latest Frontier In Gourmet Salt, From The Lowest Point On Earth

An Israeli man bathes in the Dead Sea. Spas have long touted the health benefits of the Dead Sea. So does Naked Sea Salt. Sebastian Scheiner/AP hide caption

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Sebastian Scheiner/AP

The Salt

The Latest Frontier In Gourmet Salt, From The Lowest Point On Earth

Spas and beauty products have long touted the health benefits of floating in the buoyant Dead Sea waters and slathering its thick black mud on your skin. Now an Israeli company is promoting Dead Sea salt as a healthful gourmet product, in part because of its high mineral content.