A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain

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Fascinating stories about the mysteries of the brain. Our brain is the most complex machine known to humanity, yet it has a vulnerability: the same molecules that enable our existence can sabotage our minds. A young woman, freshly graduated, forgets she had breakfast in the morning and finds herself in the hospital by evening, convinced she is battling zombies. A man planning to propose instead descends into a rage and convulsions so severe he nearly bites off his tongue. In South Carolina, poor farmers are dying during a mysterious epidemic of dementia. Sara Manning Peskin not only follows the stories of patients with neurological disorders but also highlights the incredible, often underappreciated researchers dedicated to uncovering the secrets of the human brain, including Alois Alzheimer and Arnold Pick. Importantly, she never loses sight of the human dimension of these diseases. Like Oliver Sacks before her, Peskin inspires a new generation of neurologists, neuroscientists, and brain researchers.