All In The Mind - ABC Radio National

Maude Julien was imprisoned by her father in an isolated mansion in France and subjected her to endless horrifying endurance tests in a plan to create a superhuman.

Are the emotions we experience the same as everyone else's? New research shows that emotions are not 'hard-wired', and are developed by our brains and our bodies as we go through life.

Scientific studies have shown that your brain can be trained to be more compassionate; and together with altruism, it can generate a positive outlook for everyone.

Depression is the most disabling chronic condition worldwide and research is now underway to precisely identify the genes associated with it—the results may lead to dramatically improved and personalised treatment.

Emerging theories of child development suggest that a babies have agency over their movements even in the womb, and that their actions help them to make sense of the world.

Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n' roll. It’s a winning trifecta—no matter what the potential dangers are. Hear about the discovery of LSD, and the wide-ranging effects that music has on our brain.

The psychology of paedophilia. Are there differences in the brains of paedophiles or is attraction to children on a universal continuum, controlled only by socialisation?

At a specially designed palliative care unit at a leading Sydney hospital we hear from a patient about his needs and expectations for the final stages of his life—and the staff reflect on what they learn about their own priorities in life by caring for others.

We’re bombarded by blogs and social media with rules for healthy eating: quit sugar, go gluten-free, cut out carbs, eat paleo. But taking the rules too far could lead to an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.

In the emerging field of nutritional psychiatry, the evidence is now building that particular foods could have a significant influence on our mental health—particularly depression.