Claudia Hammond explores intriguing early evidence that a ketogenic diet - high fat, low carbs - might help treat bipolar depression.We already know this diet can help with some kinds of epilepsy. But now, after a promising pilot study, the Wellcome trust is funding a £7.9 million trial to look at whether it could also help reduce depression in people living with bipolar disorder. Professor Daniel Smith and research fellow Dr Iain Campbell from the University of Edinburgh, take us into the emerging field of ‘metabolic psychiatry’. Also in the programme, Professor Nilli Lavie of UCL reveals what happens to our brain’s grey matter as we try to stay focused in an age of constant distraction. As information and entertainment are always within reach, her research asks how these shifting habits may be reshaping our attention - and our brains.And Professor Daryl O’Connor discusses emerging research into the hormone oxytocin and its surprising role in wound healing, as well as new insights into how cultural experiences might help slow the ageing process.Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Pamela Rutherford
Studio Manager: Tim Heffer
Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
Content Editor: Ilan Goodman
Wissenschaft & TechnikGesundheit, Wellness & Beauty
All in the Mind Folgen
The show on how we think, feel and behave. Claudia Hammond delves into the evidence on mental health, psychology and neuroscience.
Folgen von All in the Mind
303 Folgen
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Folge vom 09.06.2026Could a keto diet help treat bipolar depression?
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Folge vom 02.06.2026How does reading fiction impact our imagination and mental health?How does reading shape our mind and spirit? Why do novels make us feel more human? In front of a live audience at the Hay Festival of Literature & Arts, Claudia Hammond looks at the science of what reading does to the mind and explores the profound impact it can have on our lives and well-being. She is joined on stage by award-winning novelist and travel writer Joanna Kavenna; Dr Paula Byrne, Jane Austen biographer, writer and co-founder of ReLit: The Bibliotherapy Foundation and Ben Alderson-Day, Professor in Psychology at Durham University and lead researcher on ReaderBank, an ongoing research project studying reading, imagination and wellbeing. With these leading experts in psychology and the literary world, she examines the range of imaginative experiences that fiction readers have, whether novels can deepen our capacity for empathy and the therapeutic effect of reading on our minds.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Helena Selby Editor: Ilan Goodman Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
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Folge vom 26.05.2026What do out-of-body experiences tell us about consciousness?What would you say is the difference between the mind and the brain? Claudia delves into this complex question after listener Paul got in touch to ask about Near Death Experiences. What can they tell us about the mind, the brain and who we are? Anil Seth, Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex and author of Being You tackles this profound topic. Studio guest Catherine Loveday discusses brand new research on how exactly the brain brings old memories from our pasts into our minds. And Anita got in touch after hearing our discussion of knowledge theft, asking what motivates idea-stealing and whether it’s always intentional. Lillian Ellis, Assistant Professor at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia shares the evidence on 'cryptomnesia' - the common act of plagiarising ideas unconsciously.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Erika Wright Editor: Ilan Goodman Production coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth Studio engineers: Mary Stone and Sue Maillot
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Folge vom 19.05.2026Overcoming OCDEveryone experiences unwanted thoughts from time to time. But how does it feel to be trapped in a constant cycle of intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviours?This is the reality of life for many people with obsessive compulsive disorder, a common - but commonly misunderstood - mental health condition. So today we’re dedicating the programme to understanding OCD and how it’s treated.We’ll visit Britain’s only inpatient unit, Seacole Ward at Springfield Hospital in London, where we’ll meet Albert and Emily who explain what it’s like when life is governed by OCD, and consultant psychiatrist Dr Ilenia Pampaloni who likens intensive treatment to "bootcamp" where patients must face their worst fears 24 hours a day.We're also joined in the studio by Dr Bruce Clark, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital in London, to tackle some ingrained OCD stereotypes and dissect the common phrase, "I'm a bit OCD". Bruce offers advice on how to spot early signs of OCD and what we should do if we’re worried - and explains how he stays hopeful because the condition is so treatable.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Gerry Holt Editor: Ilan Goodman Production coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth Sound engineers: Giles Aspen & Tim Heffer Details of organisations offering information and support with obsessive-compulsive disorder are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline