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Dementia can trigger behaviours that are deeply depressing to loved ones. Aggression, agitation and even delusions and hallucinations. Antipsychotic medications are commonly prescribed. But they are now known to increase risk of mortality and stroke, with concerns that their use is excessive in under-resourced aged care settings.Management tool or good medical practice? Natasha Mitchell probes.

Mental health of truck drivers in Australia A report has been released in early September which reveals serious stress and health problems suffered by Australia's truck drivers. The findings of the Health Survey of the New South Wales Transport Industry have major implications for road safety throughout the country. The link between arsenic exposure and type 2 diabetes in U.S. adults Researchers from Spain and the U.S. have investigated the association of arsenic exposure with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Toxic metals in US- and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines sold via the internet Lead, mercury and arsenic have been detected in substantial proportions of Indian-manufactured traditional Ayurvedic medicines. Researchers in the U.S. have investigated this and compared the prevalence of toxic metals in the U.S. vs Indian-manufactured medicines. Calculating how breast cancers will respond to tamoxifen Australian scientists have made a discovery which could help doctors decide which women with breast cancer will benefit from anti-oestrogen therapies, and which will not.

Australasian Society for HIV Medicine (ASHM) 2008 conference An Australian study shows links between circumcision and reduced HIV acquisition among homosexual men and other research looks at the relationship between HIV viral load and infectiousness. Drug use and mental health problems A large number of drug users also experience mental health problems and many people who suffer from mental illness are drug users. Treatment services for these people have been quite inadequate and there is a need to improve these services substantially.

The role of magnesium sulfate in the prevention of cerebral palsy Some research suggests that foetal exposure to magnesium sulfate before preterm birth might reduce the risk of cerebral palsy. A recent study investigated this claim.

Living with Asperger´s What do Einstein, Beethoven, Andy Warhol, Bill Gates, Bob Dylan, Peter Sellers, Woody Allen, Van Gogh, Mozart and Thomas Jefferson have in common? They all have suffered from Asperger´s syndrome. How is it that so many brilliant people are successful while suffering from this form of autism? Filmmaker Stephen Ramsay applied the test to himself and with a positive result, went in search of others who live their lives with Asperger´s syndrome. Today's Science Show presents the soundtrack to Stephen Ramsay's film, Oops, wrong planet.  Green at work - Aunty Jack Aunty Jack is introduced to a few basic ideas about energy conservation.

Depression and heart attack Depression and heart disease are two leading disorders which add to the global burden of disease. Several large-scale studies have investigated whether treatment of depression improves prognosis after heart attack. Homicide by the mentally ill - a rare event A study recently published in the British Journal of Psychiatry showed that the rate of homicide due to mentall illness has fallen steadily after the late 1970s. According to this study the risk of lethal violence by a person with schizophrenia who has received adequate treatment is not much higher than the community as a whole and the period of greatest risk is before initial treatment. Getting psychiatrists to the people who need them According to general practitioners and other health professionals, it is often difficult to get expert psychiatric help needed for a patient. In the Canadian province of Ontario they've developed a program to overcome this problem.

Drug dependence - part one There's no doubt that dependence on any drug can devastate people's lives - and Australia has one of the highest rates of illicit drug use in the world, in fact we are leaders in both cannabis and amphetamine use. In part one of this feature Lynne Malcolm explores the effects and latest treatments of addiction to these drugs and some encouraging results from a study on the treatment of drug dependence and post traumatic stress disorder simultaneously. Download Camilla's story. Download Candice's story. Download Natasha's story. Download Paul's story.

While political problems in Fiji may top the agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum in Niue this week, another problem affecting the entire Pacific is how to halt the spread of HIV AIDS in the region. Mukesh Kapila is the Special Representative on HIV to the Secretary General of the International Red Cross. He's been in Canberra this week, asking the Rudd government to do more to tackle HIV AIDS in the Pacific, particularly in Papua New Guinea. He says that 90 per cent of worldwide funding for HIV AIDS goes towards projects that do little to halt the spread of the virus.

Lung transplant Australia has one of the highest success rates in organ and tissue transplantation, but it also has one of the world's lowest donation rates. About 3,000 Australians are on the official organ and tissue transplant waiting list and 20% of the people waiting for a heart, lung or liver transplant will die before they receive one. ABC journalist Phil Ashley Brown met a patient 20 minutes after she received the good news that she would get new lungs and he follows her progress through the transplant and recovery. This programme is a repeat. It was first broadcast on 25th February, 2008.

The curse of the black rats Black rats were responsible for the death of 75 million people in the 13th Century during the Black Plague and today cost the US grain industry $19 billion a year. But black rats also happen to be brilliant at adaptation and survival. Feeling squirmish? Well the south Vietnamese aren´t, with their rat meat industry that creates 10, 000 tonnes of rat meat every year. While origins of the black rats come from South East Asia they have spread throughout every continent and if you think there not in your back yard....think again! Plight of the Houting fish The draining of rivers and the conversion of marshes into farm land has had a dramatic effect on the Houting fish in Denmark. So too has the myriad of fish farms in their rivers. With the fish's natural habitat destroyed the Houting Project has been established to secure 90 hectares of wetland for the fish to spawn. The project has also had an unexpected gain for fish farmers. Now required to use ground water rather than water from the river and as a result the farmers have seen a doubling of their fish production in a year. Energy from excrements In tropical North Queensland scientists are using an innovative method to produce bio diesel by feeding marine micro algae with the fish excretions. The algae use fish farm slurry as nutrients to produce oil. In fact, no other crop produces as much bio diesel as micro algae. Beside their oil production the micro algae also produce carbohydrates and proteins that could be used as stock feed. Happy 20th Birthday Questacon Twenty years ago Questacon was born out of the ANU as an experiment to gauge how the public liked hands on science. It was so popular that it became Australia´s National Science Centre in Canberra. Fast forward to 2008 and Questacon is still buzzing and more importantly attracting children, teenagers and adults to science.

Post traumatic stress disorder A special feature about post traumatic stress disorder, which is very timely after the arrest of Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb leader. It's an extraordinary story of the lessons learned from the war in Bosnia, treating the psychological trauma in adolescence. Watch a film about post traumatic stress disorder. Download our film about post traumatic stress disorder.

Oral cancer According to Dr Michael Kahn from Tufts University in Boston, about two thirds of oral cancer cases go undiagnosed until they are in the advanced stages when the cancer has already travelled to other sites in the body. It is extremely important that dentists are aware of this problem and screen their patients accordingly. Breast cancer prevention in women at high risk A large number of cases of breast cancer in women at high risk of the disease could be prevented if anti-oestrogen medications were used. Research at the Peter MacCallum Cancer in Melbourne has looked at this issue.

Prostate cancer research Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death among men. In this programme we take a look at some recent research and talk to specialists about their latest investigations into new treatment options for the disease.

Wheezing in preschool children Wheezing is an increasingly common symptom in preschool children. Researchers in England followed a group of preschool children over a period of 6 to 11 years to determine long term prognosis for these kids. Predictor of asthma for people in their forties The Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study has been following a large group of people, beginning at the age of seven, to identify a predictor of asthma for these people when they reach middle age. Indigenous women and smoking during pregnancy A large number of indigenous women smoke during pregnancy. Researchers in Western Australia have looked at this issue. The fungal kingdom A report called The Fungal Kingdom has just been released by the American Academy of Microbiology and they warn us that fungi can be damaging to our health and there is still not enough knowledge around about these organisms.

CT angiography - a test for heart disease This type of CT scan enables doctors to obtain quite detailed pictures of the coronary arteries. However, American experts are questioning its value and they're supported in this by the American Heart Association. Genetic screening test for Stickler syndrome Stickler syndrome is a genetic abnormality that can cause life-threatening spinal conditions, premature arthritis, blindness and deafness. A genetic screening test which was developed by researchers at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, will now be offered to Victorians for free. Huntington's disease Huntington's disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disease that causes certain nerve cells in the brain to waste away. People are born with the disease and there is no cure. Researchers in the U.S. are investigating new treatment methods for patients who suffer from the disease.

How to reverse ageing in muscles Lower muscle mass is one of the common consequences of growing older. Canadian researchers have studied ways of preventing the loss of muscle mass. Therapy for stroke patients Dr Lara Boyd is a physical therapist and neuroscientist in the Department of Pysical Therapy at the University of British Columbia in Canada. She is leading research which is trying to understand what therapies positively alter patterns of brain activity after stroke.

Unknown primary cancer sites In 2005 cancers of unknown primary site (CUP) represented around 4% of all new cases in New South Wales. However, these CUPs were the third most common cause of cancer death after lung and bowel cancer in NSW, which represented 8% of all cancer deaths in 2005. A report recently released by the Cancer Institute of New Wouth Wales shows that cancers of unknown primary differ from metastatic cancer for some key type of cancers. There is a suggestion that at least some CUPs could represent a new type of cancer or a distinct genetic make-up, possibly from stem cells or other cells as yet undefined. Sexual dysfunction in women with gynaecological cancer At least half of the women who are treated for gynaecological cancer often experience significant sexual difficulties. Researchers in Canada have developed a psychoeducational intervention for these women.

Antibiotic resistant golden staph infections in the general community Sometimes there are headlines in the media of outbreaks of MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureaus) in hospitals. But there is also plenty of MRSA in the general community in Australia, which may have been brought about by living conditions in socially disadvantaged groups, particularly remote Australian Aboriginal communities. The effect of antibiotics in the treatment of rhinosinusitis A group of researchers in Switzerland has looked at the effectiveness of antibiotics to treat sinusitis. Glucose lowering therapy in type 2 diabetes A large group of international researchers have investigated the effect of intensive therapy in lowering the glucose level in relation to cardiovascular events.

The federal government is looking at overturning a ban, put in place by the former government, that prevents Australian foreign aid from being spent on abortions, or abortion education in developing nations. Liberal backbencher Dr Mal Washer says the ban should go.

Health controversies surrounding milk A1 and A2 are names used to identify different proteins found in milk. the idea that A1 milk may be detrimental to health has been around for a while. Some suggest that there is a link between A1 milk consumption and Type 1 diabetes and some other illnesses. Professor Boyd Swinburn from the School of Health Sciences at Deakin University in Melbourne discusses his review into A1/A2 milk claims for the New Zealand Food Safety Authority. Alternative treatment for rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis can be a crippling disease and medications can be very expensive. Some health professionals have an increasing interest to treat the condition with an inexpensive antibiotic.

Genes and cancer This program is a feature on the controversial area of genes and cancer and we talk to scientists about their work in this area. Recent Australian research suggests an increased risk of prostate cancer in men who carry one of the two best known breast cancer genes, BRCA2. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes which, when they're normal, protect us against cancer, but some people inherit or develop an abnormality in one of the two copies they receive from their parents. If the second copy goes wrong, women are at very high risk of breast and ovarian cancer. And a scientist at Harvard School of Public Health has been looking for genes and signposts on chromosomes which are linked to increases in prostate cancer risks.

Risk factors for fatal heart attacks or strokes A paper published in this week's edition of the New England Journal of Medicine tried to improve the accuracy of predicting whether one's likely to suffer a fatal heart attack or stroke. Venous thromboembolism - deep vein thrombosis Deep vein thrombosis has been linked to long distance air travel, but it is far commoner in people who've never been on a plane. One of the big questions is how long people who've had a clot should stay on anti-clotting medication. Diet and the link to disease Professor David Jenkins from the University of Toronto, Canada, talks about his research into nutrition and conditions such as colon cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses.

Alzheimer's disease research from France and Canada A recent study by French researchers suggests that the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease differs between the sexes, with stroke in men and depression in women being critical factors. And a group of researchers in Canada have come up with a set of tests which seem to be able to give a high degree of confidence that someone has Alzheimer's. Chronic cough in children Although antihistamines can alleviate cough in children, possible side effects outweigh their benefits, according to authors of a new review of studies from Australia. Evidence-based health care A large number of people, when they visit health care professionals, don't receive the health care that is known to work.

Canadian cancer research Professor McKeown-Eyssen from the University of Toronto talks about how a disappointing result from a trial using diet to prevent cancer turned up some other interesting findings. The heart will Many people, after they die, want to leave behind what's called a heart will, which means they want to pass on their emotional wealth as well, things like love, memories, experiences etc. Jill Margo, an Australian health journalist, and her daughter Emily Margo have written what's thought to be the first bok of its kind to suggest how this can be achieved.

High blood levels of urate linked to lower risk of Parkinson's disease Urate is a normal component of blood. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health have found that high levels of urate are strongly associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson's disease. Vaccines for the world's poorest nations International capital markets are being used to put large sums of money into immunisation programmes for the world's poorest nations. Tuberculosis vaccine There are nearly 10 million people newly diagnosed with tuberculosis each year and even more infected without knowing it. Researchers at the University of Sydney are making progress in developing a better vaccine for the disease.

Aspirin resistance It's been found that some people, if not many, are aspirin resistant. This can have potentially serious consequences for people who take low dose aspirin to prevent heart attacks or strokes. Bronchial thermoplasty for treatment of asthma Asthma is mainly treated with medications, but a non-drug treatment is being researched in Canada which involves heating up the airways one by one.

Allergic rhinitis An international collaboration of specialists has just published a review of the best evidence of causes, diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis. The artificial nose Researchers at Tufts University in Boston have developed an artificial nose that can maybe sniff an infection on your breath or an explosive in an airport security check, or the identity of a chemical in a toxic spill.

Cancer of the oesophagus An Australian study has investigated the relative risks of adenocarcinomas of the oesophagus. The incidence of cancer of the oesophagus has been rising more rapidly than other cancers and obesity has been found to be one of the major risks for this disease. Baby DVDs There seems to be a trend in parents playing DVDs and videos such as 'Baby Einstein' and 'Brainy Baby' to their babies in order to boost their language learning. Research suggests that this method is not successful. The study actually found that infants who watched these videos understood fewer words than those who did not watch them.

Calcium supplements Earlier this year research suggested that older women taking calcium supplements to protect their bones may be damaging their heart. This study has come under criticism and created a huge debate amongst medical experts. Treatment for stable angina There is a debate going on amongst heart specialists about the treatment of people with stable angina. That's chest pain on exertion.

Metal ions in proteins potential cause of disease Copper-containing proteins play important roles in organisms ranging from bacteria and yeast to plants and animals. The objective is to understand the properties and biological functions of wild type copper-zinc superoxide dismutases (CuZnSOD) and to understand why mutant human CuZnSOD proteins cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Gut microbes The average person has 1.5Kg of gut microbes. They affect biology and health. Abnormalities in gut microbes are linked to the development of disease. Over the coming years, molecular scientists will discover more of the secrets of each individual gut bug and the links between them and potential diseases. New approach to building design and transport The MIT Design Lab is interested in design problems that have social significance and which don´t fit in the usual boundaries of architecture or urban design or engineering. Low-cost robots for the production line and the home Rodney Brooks is looking ahead to the days of labour shortages in today´s developing countries and is creating robots for the ordinary person. Rodney Brooks points out that the PC empowered office workers. Productivity increased. His idea is to empower people with robots. Manufacturing may be brought back to western countries. Robots can also help around the home. The key is cheap computation.