Book Review: A Molecule Away from Madness

A Molecule Away from Madness, by Sara Manning Peskin, reminded me of Oliver Sacks' books. Peskin is a competent cognitive neurologist who weaves stories of individuals suffering from a crisis in the brain. Although not quite as delightful as his books, her stories were interesting and the scientific explanations easy enough to understand. Peskin discusses a variety of illnesses brought on by errant molecules in the brain. She explains what went wrong and what doctors are doing to research and correct these problems.

Peskin argues that molecules in the brain can turn into mutants, rebels, invaders and evaders. In this way, a normal college student can wake one morning unable to remember what she had for breakfast and, by the end of the day, assume she is in a zombie apocalypse. Mutants are altered strands of DNA that bring illnesses into families. Rebels are proteins, meant to defend us, that aim at the brain and attack. Peskin writes that using a "locomotive analogy, you can think of small molecules either as obstacles that block the train tracks (invaders) or as fuel required for the train to move in the first place (evaders)." If you are interested in the brain, this book might appeal to you. Since my own brain feels hijacked, I could definitely relate to living just a molecule away from madness. I just pray I can find a way to stave off any mutants, rebels, invaders and evaders attacking my brain.