Cocaine consumption has reached a record figure in France, we finally know the origin of nightmares and researchers have succeeded in reactivating the brain cells of dead pigs. Here is the main news.
Cocaine: consumption reaches a record figure in France
Cocaine seems to have an increasingly positive image. More than 1.5% of French people say they have used this hard drug during the year, according to the report of the French Observatory of drugs and drug addiction (OFDT), published this Thursday, April 18 and revealed by France Info. This major report is published every five years to follow the evolution of the consumption of legal and illegal substances in France. And the latter is alarming: cocaine is increasingly popular with the French. Let us first remember that cocaine is a hard drug, the current trivialization of which can only worry health professionals. To read more click here.
Brain: why do we have nightmares?
Contrary to what one might think, sleep is an active phenomenon. It is divided into two phases: slow-wave sleep and REM sleep – also called REM sleep, because it involves rapid eye movements. Sleep cycles will follow 3 to 6 times, depending on the length of our night. As we dream in the vast majority of cases during REM sleep, we will only dream for one to two hours maximum during the night. But this phase is essential: indeed, dreams have a utility. We tell you which one in our article.
Researchers have succeeded in reactivating dead pig brain cells
Is there life after death? For some of our brain cells, maybe! Researchers have succeeded in reactivating those of dead pigs. According to their results published in the journal Naturethey achieved this by recreating blood flow, some brain functions were able to be restored. When the mammalian brain is deprived of oxygen, neurons are damaged. Until now, the scientific community believed that this damage was irreversible. Researchers from the Yale School of Medicine in the United States were working on samples of brain tissue when they noticed signs of cell viability several hours after the animal died. They have developed a tool called BrainExto restore blood flow to the brain artificially. To learn more, click here.
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