Brain Health Education Series. Over the past few weeks you may have seen news reports about a new shingles vaccine (Shingrix) becoming available in South Africa. Most of the coverage has focused on how well it prevents shingles, a painful condition that becomes more common with age. But many of the headlines have also mentioned…
Most people think of depression as a problem of mood. In long-standing depression, parts of the brain involved in memory, resilience, and long-term cognitive health can actually begin to shrink. One of the most important of these structures is the hippocampus. This is not a new or controversial idea. For decades, brain imaging studies have…
Introduction Modern medicine has transformed outcomes for many serious conditions. In cardiology, oncology, and critical care, it is often necessary to use multiple medications in combination to stabilise disease and improve survival. In this sense, polypharmacy is not inherently problematic. It is often appropriate and, in many cases, life-saving. However, when multiple medications are used…
A practical, science-based look at mild cognitive impairment, memory decline, and treatments that address the brain’s underlying regulatory systems. You might have become concerned when you started to notice little changes in your memory. Forgetting small things. Being unable to remember whether you did something. Then comes the uncomfortable surprise when your family tell you…
Mood disorders and the problem of regulation When we talk about mood disorders, we typically describe them using emotional terms. Perhaps unsurprisingly, phrases such as anxiety, irritability, loss of interest, low mood, or emotional numbness tend to dominate conversation. For many people, however, these labels feel incomplete and only reflect part of the story. What…
The festive season in South Africa is often centred around food, friends, and a few more drinks than usual. From long afternoons at the braai to late nights with family and friends, alcohol is a familiar part of how many people celebrate. While most people think of this as harmless seasonal indulgence, alcohol has real…
This post is about VNS after stroke and how VNS helps with recovery. VNS is short for vagus nerve stimulation, a form of bioelectric neuromodulation, a nuanced treatment for brain disorders. It’s been around for decades, but recent discoveries mean it no longer requires invasive surgery. We’ve been using the noninvasive form of VNS at…
A large meta-analysis involving more than 1.5 million participants has identified an association between energy drink consumption and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Importantly, this does not imply that energy drinks cause suicide, but it does suggest that their use may be linked to underlying psychological or behavioural risk factors. Let’s unpack the connection between energy…
Your Breathprint — The Signature Written in Air Every breath you take recruits a symphony of neurons whose unique wiring shapes the rhythm of your inhalations and exhalations. This isn’t random noise. It’s a living pattern — a breathprint — as distinctive to you as your fingerprint. Think of it as a neural conformation shaped…
A Grain of Brain The Grain of Brain project is the most detailed wiring-and-activity map of a mammalian brain ever assembled! Incredibly, it is based on analysis of just a square millimetre of mouse visual cortex. This astounding feat was achieved by the Machine Intelligence from Cortical Networks (MICrONS) Consortium. Their work appears in a…
