Negative emotions, anxiety and depression are thought to promote the onset of neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. But what is their impact on the brain and can their deleterious effects be limited? Neuroscientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have observed the activation of the brains of young and old adults faced with the psychological suffering … Read more
When families tormented by evil spirits seek him out for protection, Bangladeshi mystic Syed Emdadul Hoque knows his prayers alone won’t be enough to appease them. Mr. Hoque conducts exorcisms. But at the same time it contributes to breaking taboos on mental health in this South Asian country, where possession and the supernatural are often … Read more
For more than fifty years, I have been a psychiatrist entirely devoted to the cause of the mentally ill. At almost 80 years old and for ten years, I have devoted my retirement to humanitarian missions in several African countries. As my long career comes to an end and these missions will soon no longer … Read more
In the middle of the 20th century, new evidence showed that the brain could be “plastic” and that experience could create changes in the brain. Plasticity has been linked to learning new skills, including spatial navigation, aerobic exercise, and balance training. Still, the question of whether mindfulness interventions, such as meditation, can alter brain structure … Read more