A Molecule Away from Madness: Stories of How the Brain Breaks Down

A college graduate can’t remember whether she had breakfast, and by lunchtime she’s already tied to a hospital bed—certain that she’s fighting zombies. A happy lover plans to propose to his chosen one at a luxurious resort, but suddenly he flies into a rage, and his body is shaken by such violent spasms that he almost bites off his own tongue. Poor farmers in South Carolina are dying one after another from a mysterious epidemic of dementia accompanied by strange skin rashes and itching. This isn’t a plot from a mystical thriller—these are real stories of people with neurological illnesses. Cognitive neurologist Sara Manning Peskyn explains how nature’s brilliant creation—our brain—turns out to be vulnerable to microscopic molecules that can change our personality, strip us of the ability to think, and take control over our bodies. This mesmerizing, convincing audiobook is impossible to stop listening to and will appeal to fans of Oliver Sacks, “House, M.D.”, and medical stories.