Does your child have rages, OCD, tics, aggressive behavior, prolonged tantrums and/or anxiety? Is your child exhibiting sudden behavioral changes or a developmental regression? Your child may have PANS. PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) is an umbrella term which includes diagnoses such as PANDAS, PITANDS, and Autoimmune Encephalitis--all of which describe a condition marked by concerning psychiatric and physical symptoms that often appear suddenly. Children in the US are being diagnosed with PANS at a very concerning rate. What is behind this epidemic? What makes a child vulnerable to these conditions? Most importantly, what can be done to bring to bring our kids back to good health? In this book you will learn:
1 in 6 people suffer from brain diseases like MS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. Now, a Harvard neurologist takes you inside the brain under attack—and illuminates the path to a cure. Multiple Sclerosis. Parkinson’s Disease. Alzheimer’s. ALS. Chances are, you know someone with a neurologic disease. Because the brain controls so much and is integral to our identity, the diseases that affect it are uniquely devastating both to patients and families. And because it remains the most mysterious of our vital organs, treating the brain is an ongoing puzzle. In The Brain Under Siege, Howard Weiner likens the brain to a crime scene, showing readers how “clues” point to causes and suggest paths to a cure. He takes readers on a journey through the latest technological advances, exploring which routes of investigation have gone cold and which have led to breakthroughs. Readers couldn’t ask for a better guide: A professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic diseases, Weiner is an internationally renowned expert, who pioneered immunotherapy in MS and is currently investigating an Alzheimer’s vaccine. Informative and engaging, this groundbreaking book tells the story behind the science—painting a picture of the discoveries, setbacks, false leads, and victories on the front lines of brain research. Weiner also offers unique insight by exploring the experiences of the brave patients and families who make cutting-edge clinical trials possible. Both a clear-eyed assessment of where the science stands and a gripping and poignant narrative of the dramatic pursuit for a cure, The Brain Under Siege is a must-read for patients, families, and anyone interested in unraveling the mysteries of the brain.
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING CHLOË GRACE MORETZ A “captivating” (The New York Times Book Review), award-winning memoir and instant New York Times bestseller that goes far beyond its riveting medical mystery, Brain on Fire is a powerful account of one woman’s struggle to recapture her identity. When twenty-four-year-old Susannah Cahalan woke up alone in a hospital room, strapped to her bed and unable to move or speak, she had no memory of how she’d gotten there. Days earlier, she had been on the threshold of a new, adult life: at the beginning of her first serious relationship and a promising career at a major New York newspaper. Now she was labeled as violent, psychotic, a flight risk. What happened? In an “unforgettable” (Elle), “stunningly brave” (NPR), and breathtaking narrative, Susannah tells the astonishing true story of her descent into madness, her family’s inspiring faith in her, and the lifesaving diagnosis that almost didn’t happen. “A fascinating look at the disease that…could have cost this vibrant, vital young woman her life” (People), Brain on Fire is an unforgettable exploration of memory and identity, faith and love, and a profoundly compelling tale of survival and perseverance.
1 in 6 people suffer from brain diseases like MS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. Now, a Harvard neurologist takes you inside the brain under attack—and illuminates the path to a cure. Multiple Sclerosis. Parkinson’s Disease. Alzheimer’s. ALS. Chances are, you know someone with a neurologic disease. Because the brain controls so much and is integral to our identity, the diseases that affect it are uniquely devastating both to patients and families. And because it remains the most mysterious of our vital organs, treating the brain is an ongoing puzzle. In The Brain Under Siege, Howard Weiner likens the brain to a crime scene, showing readers how “clues” point to causes and suggest paths to a cure. He takes readers on a journey through the latest technological advances, exploring which routes of investigation have gone cold and which have led to breakthroughs. Readers couldn’t ask for a better guide: A professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic diseases, Weiner is an internationally renowned expert, who pioneered immunotherapy in MS and is currently investigating an Alzheimer’s vaccine. Informative and engaging, this groundbreaking book tells the story behind the science—painting a picture of the discoveries, setbacks, false leads, and victories on the front lines of brain research. Weiner also offers unique insight by exploring the experiences of the brave patients and families who make cutting-edge clinical trials possible. Both a clear-eyed assessment of where the science stands and a gripping and poignant narrative of the dramatic pursuit for a cure, The Brain Under Siege is a must-read for patients, families, and anyone interested in unraveling the mysteries of the brain.
An examination of brain-immune system communication in autism, schizophrenia, and depression. In Infectious Behavior, neurobiologist Paul Patterson examines the involvement of the immune system in autism, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder. Although genetic approaches to these diseases have garnered the lion's share of publicity and funding, scientists are uncovering evidence of the important avenues of communication between the brain and the immune system and their involvement in mental illness. Patterson focuses on this brain-immune crosstalk, exploring the possibility that it may help us understand the causes of these common, but still mysterious, diseases. The heart of this engaging book, accessible to nonscientists, concerns the involvement of the immune systems of the pregnant woman and her fetus, and a consideration of maternal infection as a risk factor for schizophrenia and autism. Patterson reports on research that may shed light on today's autism epidemic. He also outlines the risks and benefits of both maternal and postnatal vaccinations. In the course of his discussion, Patterson offers a short history of immune manipulation in treating mental illness (recounting some frightening but fascinating early experiments) and explains how the immune system influences behavior and how the brain regulates the immune system, looking in particular at stress and depression. He examines the prenatal origins of adult disease and evidence for immune involvement in autism, schizophrenia, and depression. Finally, he describes the promise shown by recent animal experiments that have led to early clinical trials of postnatal and adult treatments for patients with autism and related disorders.
From renowned integrative physician Kenneth Bock, M.D., comes a groundbreaking approach to understanding adolescent and teen mental health disorders. Over the past decade, the number of 12- to 17-year-olds suffering from mental health disorders has more than doubled. While adolescents and teens are notorious for mood swings and rebellion, parents today are navigating new terrain as their children are increasingly at risk of struggling with a mental health issue. But the question remains: What is causing this epidemic of illness? In Brain Inflamed, acclaimed integrative doctor Dr. Kenneth Bock shares a revolutionary new view of adolescent and teen mental health—one that suggests many of the mental disorders most common among this population (including depression, anxiety, and OCD) may share the same underlying mechanism: systemic inflammation. In this groundbreaking work, Dr. Bock explains the essential role of the immune system and the microbiome in mental health, detailing the ways in which imbalances in these systems—such as autoimmune conditions, thyroid disorders, or leaky gut syndrome—can generate neurological inflammation. While most conventional doctors assume that teens’ psychological struggles can be resolved only with therapy and psychotropic drugs, Dr. Bock’s approach considers the whole-body health of his patients. In his integrative evaluations, he often uncovers triggers such as gluten sensitivity, adrenal dysfunction, Lyme disease, and post-strep infections—all of which create imbalances in the body that can generate psychological symptoms. Filled with incredible stories from Dr. Bock’s more than thirty years as a practicing physician, Brain Inflamed explains the biological underpinnings of many common mental health issues, and empowers the parents and family members of struggling teens with practical advice—and perhaps most importantly, hope for a brighter future.
Most of us have no idea what’s really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details every business leader, parent, and teacher should know—like the need for physical activity to get your brain working its best. How do we learn? What exactly do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multi-tasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget—and so important to repeat new knowledge? Is it true that men and women have different brains? In Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule—what scientists know for sure about how our brains work—and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives. Medina’s fascinating stories and infectious sense of humor breathe life into brain science. You’ll learn why Michael Jordan was no good at baseball. You’ll peer over a surgeon’s shoulder as he proves that most of us have a Jennifer Aniston neuron. You’ll meet a boy who has an amazing memory for music but can’t tie his own shoes. You will discover how: Every brain is wired differently Exercise improves cognition We are designed to never stop learning and exploring Memories are volatile Sleep is powerfully linked with the ability to learn Vision trumps all of the other senses Stress changes the way we learn In the end, you’ll understand how your brain really works—and how to get the most out of it.
A Harvard neurologist’s “gripping” account of his day-to-day work that “rarely falls into jargon and always keeps the narrative lively and engaging” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Tell the doctor where it hurts—it sounds simple enough, unless the problem affects the very organ that produces awareness and generates speech. What is it like to try to heal the body when the mind is under attack? In this book, Dr. Allan H. Ropper and Brian David Burrell take us behind the scenes at Harvard Medical School’s neurology unit to show how a seasoned diagnostician faces down bizarre, life-altering afflictions. Like Alice in Wonderland, Dr. Ropper inhabits a world where absurdities abound: • A figure skater whose body has become a ticking time bomb • A salesman who drives around and around a traffic rotary, unable to get off • A college quarterback who can’t stop calling the same play • A child molester who, after falling on the ice, is left with a brain that is very much dead inside a body that is very much alive • A mother of two young girls, diagnosed with ALS, who has to decide whether a life locked inside her own head is worth living How does one begin to treat such cases, to counsel people whose lives may be changed forever? How does one train the next generation of clinicians to deal with the moral and medical aspects of brain disease? Dr. Ropper and his colleague answer these questions by taking the reader into a rarefied world where lives and minds hang in the balance. “Entertaining . . . Like an episode of the popular television series House, the book presents mysterious medical cases . . . In the hands of a lesser writer, this book might have been nothing more than a collection of colorful tales about the many ways a human brain can break down. But Dr. Ropper and Mr. Burrell manage to tell a more profound story about the value of men over machines.” —The New York Times Book Review “A captivating stroll through the concepts and realities of neurological science.” —Publishers Weekly “A must-read . . . each chapter reads like a detective story . . . This is medical writing at its best; in the tradition of Rouche, Lewis Thomas, and Oliver Sacks.” —V. S. Ramachandran, New York Times–bestselling author of The Tell-Tale Brain
BRAIN PRESCRIPTIONS THAT REALLY WORK In this breakthrough bestseller, you'll see scientific evidence that your anxiety, depression, anger, obsessiveness, or impulsiveness could be related to how specific structures in your brain work. You're not stuck with the brain you're born with. Here are just a few of neuropsychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen's surprising--and effective--"brain prescriptions" that can help heal your brain and change your life: To Quell Anxiety and Panic: ¸ Use simple breathing techniques to immediately calm inner turmoil To Fight Depression: ¸ Learn how to kill ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) To Curb Anger: ¸ Follow the Amen anti-anger diet and learn the nutrients that calm rage To Conquer Impulsiveness and Learn to Focus: ¸ Develop total focus with the "One-Page Miracle" To Stop Obsessive Worrying: ¸ Follow the "get unstuck" writing exercise and learn other problem-solving exercises
