Meldung

We recently published a new issue of the Charité NeuroScience (CNS) Newsletter, bringing you the latest on It's Getting Better.

In a complex world and in challenging times, eventually, one is tempted to think things are getting better after all. At least we do, which is why we chose this mantra as the topic for our first issue of the CNS Newsletter in 2021! We are by now well into the new year with one very hard-and-demanding year is behind us. Finally, spring has sprung and nature is recharging. The weather becomes more pleasant each passing day. Days are considerably longer again. Far from ignoring the fact of the ongoing pandemic, novel vaccines continue to be approved and vaccination programs are scaling up consistently, causing a flickering of hope. Some may say that change and improvement is gradual and cannot be perceived except by comparison to previous states. So now we can look back at the time behind us and reflect on what got us through (p 18 and p 19) and how such times can shape our path forward (p 17).

Everything about Corona has been odd. It arrived gradually until it came all at once, just like Mike Campbell, from Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises, famously described how he became bankrupt: “Gradually and then suddenly”. Big changes sometimes come at a creeping pace until everything is diff erent. And we now can hope for those changes to come again as we examine the practices that make us human, like gratitude or positivity (p 10 and p 11), or actually a litt le less human (p 7). We can allow ourselves to think that we are beating the odds (p 14), without feeling that we are fooling ourselves and escaping to ‘our special place’ (p 12). Even if still there is a long way to go, we’ve got to admit it is getting better!

So much for change, a big part of who we are and what we can accomplish is based on staying the same, as counting on our skills and habits (p 18). Particularly now, when they may be sometimes anchors that keep us on track. With that in mind, we looked into what’s behind sleep and growth (p 16, p 20 and p 21), our relationship with technology (p 7), and when it might be time to seek out a litt le more help (p 37 and p 40). Even though prudence told many of us to skip new year’s resolutions, it does not follow we are not optimistic. We certainly are! But what does it actually mean (p 4)? Maybe by slowing down, some of us may have gained perspective on what is important. Is it the case that more is truly better (p 6)? Sometimes it is, for example, when we stay true to the phrase “the more, the merrier” and welcome new authors and celebrate those that stood by the CNS Newsletter throughout the years (p 44). And, on a warm note, we would like to introduce you to Leandre Ravatt, who is joining us as a new generation of editor-in-chief! We’ve got to admit it’s getting better. A little better all the time.

Enjoy!

Volume 14, Issue 01