Free Spirit Counseling and Wellness, LLC

02/21/2026

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02/19/2026

If you or someone you care for is suicidal, please call or text 988.

02/17/2026

Happy Lunar New Year, Year of the Fire Horse!

02/16/2026

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A microscopic parasite may be doing more inside the brain than we ever imagined.

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have discovered that Toxoplasma gondii — a common parasite carried by roughly 30% of people in the United States — can interfere with how brain cells communicate, even when it infects only a small number of neurons.

Rather than causing widespread damage, the parasite appears to subtly rewire communication pathways.

The study found that infected neurons release fewer extracellular vesicles (EVs) — tiny molecular packets that neurons use to send messages to surrounding cells, including astrocytes. Astrocytes are critical support cells that regulate brain chemistry, balance neurotransmitters, and maintain overall neural stability.

When EV signaling drops, glutamate levels can rise. Excess glutamate is dangerous — it has been associated with seizures, neuroinflammation, and long-term neural damage. Over time, this chemical imbalance may alter neural connectivity in ways scientists are only beginning to understand.

Most people infected with T. gondii never show symptoms, and the parasite often remains dormant for life. But this research suggests that its presence may not be entirely silent. Even low-level, chronic infection could influence how the brain regulates communication at the cellular level.

Perhaps most promising is the diagnostic breakthrough. Because standard antibody tests cannot detect whether the parasite is actively affecting the brain, researchers are now exploring extracellular vesicles as blood-based biomarkers. If successful, this approach could allow doctors to identify chronic brain infections earlier — and potentially intervene.

By understanding how glial cells respond to infected neurons, scientists hope to develop targeted therapies, and possibly even vaccines, to prevent long-term neurological consequences.

This discovery doesn’t mean widespread alarm. But it does deepen our understanding of how even a single-celled organism can quietly influence the most complex organ in the human body.

Source: University of California, Riverside research study

02/15/2026

02/14/2026

Whether you're single or in a romantic relationship, happy Valentine's Day!

02/12/2026

Former First Lady Michelle Obama explains the real meaning of "When they go low, we go high," and why it's more important now than ever.

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02/11/2026

https://studyfinds.org/exercise-rivals-antidepressants/

A 2026 review of 79,000 people finds exercise significantly reduces depression and anxiety symptoms, with effects comparable to medication.

02/08/2026

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