Alzheimer’s disease remains one of the most formidable challenges in neurology, both in terms of its growing prevalence and the complexity of its underlying mechanisms. While amyloid plaques and tau tangles are well-established pathological markers, a fundamental question persists: why do certain brain regions deteriorate early, while others show remarkable resistance? This selective vulnerability and…
Preventing cognitive decline has become a major public health concern. As life expectancy increases, so do cases of dementia, pushing researchers to identify factors that could help protect the brain. Risk factors such as depression and anxiety are now well established. However, the potential protective effects of psychological wellbeing remain underexplored. Psychological wellbeing goes beyond…
The absence of functional speech in some autistic individuals often leads to a general underestimation of their cognitive and linguistic abilities. This perception is rooted in a confusion between language and spoken output, as if not speaking aloud equated to lacking inner language or comprehension. However, several recent studies challenge this reductive view. Reading and…
In his novel The Echo Maker, Richard Powers explores the fragile boundaries of consciousness through the story of Mark Schluter, a man whose grasp on reality begins to fracture. After a serious accident, Mark awakens in a hospital room. He sees a familiar face leaning over him, his sister Karen. The voice is right, the…
Mental fatigue is one of the most universal experiences of modern life. After hours of focusing, learning, or handling repetitive tasks, a subtle heaviness sets in and motivation begins to wane. This phenomenon is more than just an unpleasant sensation, it reshapes the way the brain evaluates the efforts we’re willing to make. Contrary to…
Parkinson’s disease affects nearly 1% of people over the age of 60. It results from the gradual degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, a deep brain region involved in motor control. This neuronal loss leads to characteristic symptoms: resting tremors, muscle stiffness, motor slowness, and balance issues. While current dopamine-based treatments help alleviate…
Our perception of space feels fluid and seamless. We instantly detect what happens on our left and right, trace visual trajectories, and identify objects in complex environments. Beneath this apparent unity, however, lies a highly structured bilateral brain organization: the left hemisphere processes input from the right visual field, and the right hemisphere, from the…
Why do some ideas only emerge after a break, as if inactivity were the brain’s hidden engine? This question, though far from new, touches on one of the most subtle and profound mechanisms of human cognition. For decades, neuroscience has explored the hypothesis that disengagement, or even sleep, might allow the brain to process information…
From early childhood, the brain is shaped by exposure to language. Long before learning to read, children begin to listen, predict what comes next, and grasp the hidden intentions behind a story. These foundational skills support language development, verbal memory, sustained attention, and emotional regulation. However, the growing fragmentation of attention caused by digital media,…
Each summer, experienced hikers lose their way in forests or mountains, sometimes just a few hundred meters from a marked trail. Though these disorientations are often temporary, they can quickly turn into life-threatening situations. How can the brain, supposedly capable of reading a map, following a compass, or navigating by the sun, go so drastically…