Schizophrenia is often described as a disorder of hallucinations and delusions. However, these striking symptoms represent only the visible part of the condition. The illness also affects cognition, motivation, emotional engagement, and social functioning. Affecting roughly one in one hundred people, it remains one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Since the 1950s, available…
Long regarded as mere support cells, astrocytes are now emerging as key players in the orchestration of sleep. Recent studies reveal that these glial cells do far more than accompany neurons they actively regulate sleep cycles, especially slow-wave sleep, which is vital for recovery and memory consolidation. From the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) a crucial…
Classrooms turned into interactive quests, students collecting badges like video game players, teachers becoming storytellers of a gamified learning journey—education is undergoing a remarkable transformation.At the heart of this shift lies a growing concept: gamification, the integration of game mechanics into learning activities.The goal is no longer just to deliver knowledge but to ignite the…
For decades, psychedelics were pushed into the shadows branded as dangerous, unpredictable substances tied to counterculture and moral panic. However, behind the curtain of prohibition, certain compounds like LSD and psilocybin are making an unexpected comeback at the heart of cutting-edge medical research. Top-tier scientific teams, publishing in leading journals, are now testing their efficacy…
Our brain never ceases to surprise us. After revealing its electrical waves and magnetic fields, it unveils another secret: it emits light. Researchers have detected photons—those tiny particles of light—escaping from the heads of volunteers placed in complete darkness. Invisible to the naked eye, this ultra-weak glow intrigues scientists because it appears to vary with…
Depression remains one of the most studied yet least understood psychiatric disorders. It affects millions of people worldwide, manifests in highly diverse forms, and often resists conventional treatment. Antidepressants—focused on neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine—are not universally effective: nearly one in three patients experiences little or no improvement. This therapeutic resistance has prompted researchers…
On August 18, 2025, Jean Pormanove died live on camera after nearly 300 hours of continuous streaming on the platform Kick. At just 46 years old, he unwillingly became a tragic symbol of a disturbing shift in our digital society. For months, he had endured public humiliation, verbal abuse, sleep deprivation, and physical violence at…
Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at breathtaking speed, but its foundations remain very different from those of the human brain. The most powerful artificial neural networks rely on billions of parameters and massive amounts of data to accomplish specific tasks. By contrast, the human brain learns from only a handful of examples, adapts rapidly to…
We often imagine our thoughts as a continuous stream of images, words, and memories. However, most of us have experienced a sudden inner void a moment when nothing seems clear, and no identifiable thoughts emerge. This phenomenon, known as mind blanking, has sparked growing interest in cognitive science over the past few years. Is it…
Alzheimer’s disease affects millions worldwide and still lacks a curative treatment. Existing medications mostly target amyloid plaques and tau proteins, but they fail to halt cognitive decline. Neuroscientists now agree that the real casualties of this disease are the synapses the microscopic connections between neurons that gradually vanish, leading to memory loss. Restoring synaptic plasticity…