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…
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…
The Surprising Connection Between Wildfire Smoke and Brain Health: What You Need to Know Wildfires are getting worse. Look at what has happened in California, Greece, in Portugal. With global warming, you can be certain that there will be more devastating wildfires. Wildfires are not only ravaging the environment and endangering communities, but their smoke…
Neuroinflammation is swelling in the brain. It’s bad news. Swelling occurs in many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Alternatively, diseases such as hypertension or diabetes lead to stroke, which in turn triggers neuroinflammation. Or bad luck strikes and someone suffers a traumatic brain injury, which leads to neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is a common…
