logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2021
28 m

Human challenge trials, Chess & memory, ...

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

I have become hooked on playing online chess during this lockdown and after watching the Queen’s Gambit. So we’ll find out if it is actually doing my brain any good and whether it and similar games can ward off dementia.

Margaret McCartney takes us on a fascinating tour through the history of deliberately infecting people with diseases, as the first “challenge trials” with coronavirus are about to start.

Listeners David and Barbara tell us about a treatable condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus that is often mistaken for dementia.

PRESENTER: James Gallagher PRODUCER: Beth Eastwood

Clip from the Netflix series 'The Queen's Gambit', directed by Scott Frank. Music copyright: ‘Training with Mr Schaibel’ by Carolos Rafael Rivera from the official soundtrack of The Queens Gambit

Up next
Oct 27
How self-injecting culture is bringing new dangers
We investigate how self-injecting is leading to people being hospitalised and is creating new challenges for support services.Laura Foster meets NHS endocrinologist Dr Bonnie Grant, criminologist at the University of Lincoln Dr Luke Turnock and Jon Findlay, Harm Reduction Lead at ... Show More
27m 45s
Oct 20
Can full body MRI scans be good for our health?
We investigate the growing business of full-body MRI scans. The clinics argue they can spot diseases and problems early before people feel unwell - but critics say it’s a waste of thousands of pounds and creates unnecessary anxiety about things that may never become a problem. La ... Show More
28m 11s
Sep 22
Is inflammation behind all chronic disease?
Right now, research is gathering pace in revolutionising our understanding of inflammation, which could transform the treatment of so many chronic diseases - cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, depression, type 2 diabetes and many more. So, what is inflammation, how is it implica ... Show More
27m 55s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
Improving Cognitive Function
A look at some studies on the prevention and treatment of dementia. This episode features audio from: How Much Exercise Does It Take to Improve Aging Cognitive Function? Cognitive Stimulation, Music Therapy, and Cryostimulation to Improve Cognitive Function Visit the video pages ... Show More
10m 14s
Dec 2023
Chess Primer
Ah the checkered board of mental masterfulness... a place where your heart can lead you to a queen or was it a trap... a Queen's Gambit!!! That's right, this week your ever illustrious hosts, Tyler and Markiplier, dive pawn first into Chess! Was it invented by the Roman Empire? W ... Show More
41m 2s
Dec 2020
Beyond The Queen's Gambit with Chess.com's Danny Rensch
<p>The Queen's Gambit on Netflix has reinvigorated the world's interested in chess. Or has it? Chess.com has been slowly but surely developing online chess into a vibrant and exciting community. Their innovative Chess.com/tv has folks playing and analyzing chess games like EPSN. ... Show More
36m 41s
Feb 2024
Eating to improve memory, and a new play about mental health services
Does what we eat have an impact on our mood and memory? And should we be thinking about brain health when we make diet choices? Claudia Hammond speaks to Dr Ellen Smith from Northumbria University about the latest food supplement taking TikTok by storm; Lion's Mane mushrooms. We ... Show More
27m 59s
Feb 2024
Memory in Chess
tail spinning
48m 39s
Nov 2014
Protecting your aging brain (SOP17)
Research into effective ways to prevent or slow down the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease has come a long way, according to researcher and neuropsychologist Glenn E. Smith, PhD. In this episode, he discusses the causes of dementia as well as the effectiveness of activiti ... Show More
11m 16s
Feb 2024
The 2 Minute Medicine® Podcast- Episode 35
<p>We begin with a discussion about our article of the week which comes from The Lancet and is entitled “Efficacy and safety of the muscarinic receptor agonist KarXT (xanomeline–trospium) in schizophrenia (EMERGENT-2) in the USA: results from a randomised, double-blind, placebo-c ... Show More
11m 48s
Jun 2023
Focus - How We Age Well
Why are some of us more susceptible to dementia? What is a 'Super Ager'? And what might help us protect our brains in later life? In this focus episode of How We’re Wired join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she dives into the science of Super Agers, from the genes that increase ... Show More
19m 23s
Feb 2016
Mind and Body
<p>On Start the Week Andrew Marr talks to Jane McGonigal, a designer of alternate reality games, about her latest innovation SuperBetter. Designed to aid her recovery from a brain injury and subsequent depression, the game reportedly gives people a sense of control over their own ... Show More
41m 21s