Stress and sleep share a reciprocal relationship, where chronic stress often leads to sleep disturbances that worsen neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions. Non-neuronal cells, particularly astrocytes and microglia, play critical roles in the brain’s response to stress and the regulation of sleep. Astrocytes influence sleep architecture by regulating adenosine signaling and glymphatic clearance, both of which can be disrupted by chronic stress, leading to reduced restorative sleep. Microglia, activated under stress conditions, drive neuroinflammatory processes that further impair sleep and exacerbate brain dysfunction. Additionally, the gut–brain axis mediates interactions between stress, sleep, and inflammation, with microbial metabolites influencing neural pathways. Many of these effects converge on the disruption of synaptic processes, such as neurotransmitter balance, synaptic plasticity, and pruning, which in turn contribute to the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. This review explores how these cellular and systemic mechanisms contribute to stress-induced sleep disturbances and their implications for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, offering insights into potential therapeutic strategies targeting non-neuronal cells and the gut–brain axis.

The human central nervous system is convolutedly connected to the gut microbiome, a diverse community of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract. Recent research has highlighted the bidirectional communication between the gut microbiome and neuroglial cells, which include astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, and ependymal cells. These neuroglial cells are essential for maintaining CNS homeostasis, supporting neuronal function, and responding to pathological conditions. This review examines the interactions between the gut microbiome and neuroglia, emphasizing their critical roles in brain health and the development of neurological disorders. Dysbiosis, or imbalance in the gut microbiome, has been associated with various neurological and psychiatric conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The microbiome influences brain function through microbial metabolites, immune modulation, and neuroinflammatory responses. Understanding these interactions paves the way for new therapeutic targets and strategies for preventing and treating CNS disorders. This scoping review aims to highlight the mechanisms of the microbiome-neuroglia axis in maintaining brain health and its potential as a therapeutic target.

The relationship between sleep, glial cells, and the endocannabinoid system represents a multifaceted regulatory network with profound implications for neuroinflammation and cognitive function. The molecular underpinnings of sleep modulation by the endocannabinoid system and its influence on glial cell activity are discussed, shedding light on the reciprocal relationships that govern these processes. Emphasis is placed on understanding the role of glial cells in mediating neuroinflammatory responses and their modulation by sleep patterns. Additionally, this review examines how the endocannabinoid system interfaces with glia-immune signaling to regulate inflammatory cascades within the central nervous system. Notably, the cognitive consequences of disrupted sleep, neuroinflammation, and glial dysfunction are addressed, encompassing implications for neurodegenerative disorders, mood disturbances, and cognitive decline. Insights into the bidirectional modulation of cognitive function by the endocannabinoid system in the context of sleep and glial activity are explored, providing a comprehensive perspective on the potential mechanisms underlying cognitive impairments associated with sleep disturbances. Furthermore, this review examines potential therapeutic avenues targeting the endocannabinoid system to mitigate neuroinflammation, restore glial homeostasis, and normalize sleep patterns. The identification of novel therapeutic targets within this intricate regulatory network holds promise for addressing conditions characterized by disrupted sleep, neuroinflammation, and cognitive dysfunction. This work aims to examine the complexities of neural regulation and identify potential avenues for therapeutic intervention.

Background: Neuroinflammation is a central and dynamic driver in the pathophysiology of multiple neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. Rather than being a mere consequence of neuronal injury, inflammatory processes, mediated by microglia, astrocytes, peripheral immune cells, and a range of molecular mediators, actively influence disease onset, progression, and clinical manifestations. Summary: This review aims to synthesize current insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that orchestrate neuroinflammatory responses, emphasizing both convergent and disease-specific pathways. It examines the interaction between innate and adaptive immunity in shaping neuronal vulnerability, as well as the bidirectional communication between systemic and central immune systems. Special emphasis is placed on emerging therapeutic strategies, such as immunomodulatory drugs, glial-targeted interventions, and innovative delivery platforms. The discussion integrates findings from diverse disease models and disciplines to identify translational challenges and potential paths toward precision neuroimmunology. Key Messages: The impact of neuroinflammation arises from a complex interaction of shared and disease-specific immune pathways, with both innate and adaptive mechanisms shaping neuronal vulnerability. The crosstalk between peripheral and central immune compartments further modulates disease course, underscoring the importance of understanding these interactions in therapeutic design. While emerging strategies targeting neuroinflammation, including immunomodulatory drugs, glial-focused interventions, and novel delivery platforms, hold considerable promise, their translation into clinical benefit requires overcoming challenges in specificity, safety, and delivery. Ultimately, integrating multidisciplinary insights into immune-brain communication will be critical to advancing precision medicine approaches for neurodegenerative disorders.

Sleep is a recurrent physiologic and fundamental process in every human being, regardless of ethnicity, gender, birthplace, or occupation; however, the features of sleep are swayed by genetic background and environmental influences. All these factors have an intricate relationship, and arise from a complex and assorted genetic repertoire in the alleles that promote a higher genetic variation in human populations. Sleep disorders have become an uprising public health problem in the modern society; in addition, the correlation between sleep disorders and the development of late chronic diseases has been extensively studied, finding an important causality between them. Therefore, an adequate evaluation of the current situation in a developing continent such as Africa is essential to develop satisfactory health policies. In this review, we will reprise several aspects that influence the sleep-wake cycle in individuals with African heritage (including African Americans and sub-Saharan Africans), such as genetic background, HIV infection, tropical diseases, immunological markers, cultural aspects, and place them into Africa's context in order to have a better comprehension of its situation.

Cannabis, the most prevalent drug in Latin America, has long been associated with the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, known for its cultivation and distribution. Despite increasing global acceptance, cannabis use remains stigmatized in Mexican society, driven by perceptions of it as a highly psychoactive and addictive substance lacking medicinal or industrial value. This study investigates the impact of scientific information on societal perceptions of cannabis in Sinaloa. A large convenience sample of 3162 individuals from Sinaloa participated in this research, responding to a questionnaire on cannabis consumption and attitudes. Participants were then subjected to an intervention consisting of an informative briefing based on the documents “Using Evidence to Talk About Cannabis” and “State of the Evidence: cannabis use and regulation" by the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy. After the intervention, participants' attitudes were immediately reevaluated through the same questionnaire, allowing for a comparison of pre- and post-intervention responses. The results indicate that the intervention (providing scientific information) significantly influenced attitudes toward cannabis, with education and age playing prominent roles in its effectiveness. Notably, the intervention fostered more positive or more neutral attitudes, potentially reducing stigma and promoting a better-informed perspective on cannabis. This study highlights the pivotal role of evidence in shaping informed citizens' views, while underscoring the importance of countering misinformation for societal progress. These findings have significant implications for forthcoming cannabis policy modifications in Mexico, emphasizing the necessity of engaging knowledgeable individuals in policy decisions to address the violence and inequalities associated with the illicit drug trade, particularly in Sinaloa.