Breaking Addictions
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, talks about efforts to determine, "...whether or not there is a genetic basis for why some people find it easy to stop smok..
Causes of Mental Retardation
Dr. Ed McCabe, Chief of the Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, talks about prenatal tests that can be done to test for signs of mental retardation in the fetus. "Down's Syndrome is certainly one that we're very aware of..
Causes of Violence
Dr. Astrid Heger, Director of the Violence Intervention Program at L.A. County-USC Medical Center, talks about what she calls, "...the variety of forces (that) create the fertile ground..." on which individuals act out v..
Children and Violence
Dr. Ed McCabe, Chief of the Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, acknowledges that it's very difficult to predict which children are going to commit violent acts, but adds that, "...when there are signs ahead of time, we ..
Children and Violence (Part One)
Dr. Astrid Heger, Director of the Violence Intervention Program at L.A. County-USC Medical Center, talks about the types of cases her program deals with involving violence against children, and how the program seeks to p..
Children and Violence (Part Two)
Dr. Astrid Heger, Director of the Violence Intervention Program at L.A. County-USC Medical Center, continues her discussion of children who are the victims of violence. She focuses here on the emotional journey of a youn..
Counseling, Genetics, and Risk
Dr. Ed McCabe, Chief of the Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, talks about the different ways people react when they learn that their unborn child is at risk for severe malformation or mental retardation. Dr. McCabe add..
DNA Similarities
Dean Hamer, Director of the Gene Structure and Regulation Unit at the National Cancer Institute, explains that "...all of us humans have pretty much the same DNA. In fact, my DNA and your DNA and somebody else's DNA is 9..
Depression and Medication (Part One)
Dr. Andrew Leuchter, Director of Adult Psychiatry at UCLA, explains that it often takes time for a patient to realize he or she is doing better after beginning medication. "Commonly, the first things to improve are sympt..
Depression and Medication (Part Two)
Dr. Andrew Leuchter, Director of Adult Psychiatry at UCLA, talks about the link between the severity or frequency of depression episodes and the appropriate medication indicated. Dr. Leuchter notes that most of the avail..