Tegan Taylor

Smart people are getting caught out on private health insurance — so do they need to be more savvy, or does the system need to change?

Much has been said about the single glass of red wine. It’s good for you, it’s bad for you, it’s good for you again. It can be confusing to follow. Norman and Tegan take on this age-old health question — does a single glass of red wine have health boosting benefits? References: The French paradox: Lessons for other countries Moderate Wine Consumption and Health: A Narrative Review Health Effects of Red Wine Consumption: A Narrative Review of an Issue That Still Deserves Debate

AI is impacting every creative industry - and movies are no exception. If a young Harrison Ford can be churned out of a computer, what does the future of film look like? And would you feel differently about your favourite TV show if you knew the characters in it were created by a computer? Guest: Bev Wang for Stop Everything! This episode was originally published in January 2024

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression associated with certain times of the year. A hallmark sign someone has SAD is their symptoms completely dissipate when the season changes. While there isn’t a lot of data on its prevalence in Australia, experts believe it’s more common than once thought. Guests Paige Cockburn, health reporter Vicki Childs, registered counsellor References Seasonal depression may be ‘under-recognised’ in Australia so what are the symptoms?

When you fall asleep do you dream of falling Tetris pieces? There’s a name for this – the Tetris Effect. Scientists have been investigating its use in boosting creativity and productivity and brands are trying to figure out how to monetise it. So just how malleable does playing video games make our minds? And is it possible for companies to use this research to hijack our dreams?  Guest: Shelby Traynor for All In The Mind If you liked this episode of Quick Smart you might like this other episode we did about whether we're all too addicted to our phones or this one about how to find out whether you're in introvert or an extrovert

Linguists have discovered that teenage girls play a significant role in shaping our future vocabulary. But how do 16-year-old girls end up being the arbiters of what we will and won't say?  Guest: Fiona Pepper for Future Tense 

In epilepsy, seizures are caused by an 'electrical storm' in the brain that can be seen during an EEG test. But there is another kind of seizure, which presents the same but cannot be seen on an EEG. Despite being so common, there are few treatments for functional seizures and functional neurological disorder (FND). Guest Jackie, participant in Re-PROGRAM Dr Toby Winton-Brown, neuropsychiatrist at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne and at Monash Neuroscience at Monash University   References Re-PROGRAM: The evaluation of a brief intervention program for patients with functional seizures in an outpatient hospital setting "What the hell is wrong with me?" - Health Report, Saturday 29 June, 2024

We've been searching for a fountain of youth for millennia. How can we not only live longer, but live healthier for longer? Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is the latest anti-ageing candidate under the microscope. Norman and Tegan explain what it is, and whether supplements promising to boost NAD actually do what's advertised on the bottle. References: NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing NAD+ in Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders What is really known about the effects of nicotinamide riboside supplementation in humans Dietary Supplementation With NAD+-Boosting Compounds in Humans: Current Knowledge and Future Directions The use of a systems approach to increase NAD+ in human participants Specific ablation of Nampt in adult neural stem cells recapitulates their functional defects during aging

It's estimated more than 400,000 Australians are living with dementia, which impacts them as well as their loved ones. A new pilot study is exploring how songwriting can help, especially for those with early onset dementia. Guests Associate Professor Samantha Loi, neuropsychiatrist at Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne Paul Wheelton, carer for his wife Angela Phoebe Stretton-Smith, music therapist References Statement – NDIS funded music and art therapy Bill Shorten flags NDIS changes to music and art therapy funding, ABC News

Scientists are increasingly concerned about the rising incidence of colorectal cancer among younger populations, and emerging research points to the gut microbiome as a key factor in understanding this trend. A study from the University of Melbourne uncovered a specific bacterial strain that can cause DNA damage, potentially triggering the development of colorectal cancer. References: Intratumoral presence of the genotoxic gut bacteria pks+ E. coli, Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis, and Fusobacterium nucleatum and their association with clinicopathological and molecular features of colorectal cancer