Many of us are affected by degenerative cognitive disease and mental illness, whether it be a family member or a friend. We also know that DNA, proteins, and vitamins are essential to life. However, a single DNA base pair mutation, a misfolded protein, or the lack of a specific vitamin can impair the brain’s natural functions and cause Alzheimer’s and other degenerative cognitive ailments that affect those we care about.

As a reader who has always been deeply fascinated by neurology and molecular biology, Sarah Manning Peskin's A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain hits the mark on what it set out to be—a narrative that a simple change in or lack of essential molecules can lead to molecular dissonance along with personal and familial struggles.

Peskin, an assistant professor of clinical neurology at the University of Pennsylvania, compellingly writes about the medical and biological factors involved in degenerative cognitive diseases. She divides the book into three distinct areas: mutations in DNA, misfolded or misaligned proteins, and the presence or lack of small molecules such as vitamins and environmental toxins. She relays the history of medicine, and molecular biology in an eloquent fashion while detailing the problems that the doctors and biologists of the time faced while trying to determine the causes of these degenerative diseases, some of whom even faced embarrassment by peers.

A Molecule Away from Madness skillfully and artfully explains scientific processes in an easy-to-understand manner and is an impeccable read for those new to the subject or those who are knowledgeable and would like to know more from a humanized case study perspective. I enjoyed the fast-paced writing style of the woven stories of each disease—outlines from a patient and family perspective which moved into the historical and scientific perspective of discovery, experimentation, and application. Peskin writes in an easy-to-follow manner and has anecdotal humor. Those who have read Oliver Sack’s books are sure to enjoy A Molecule Away from Madness.

A Molecule Away From Madness is a collection of case studies describing the ways our brains can rebel against us. In many places, it reminded me of Oliver Sacks’ writing (AKA, the patron saint of neurological case study writing) in its description and empathy. However, the book’s conceit is to explain the molecular underpinnings of these diseases, and it falls short of that by quite a bit. It is so, so hard to find science writing that does molecular level explanations well, so I do have some sympathy. But if your book is supposed to be about the molecular basis of disease, you have to do a better job than this. two stars.

My grandmother was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease when she died in 2007, not long after I graduated from journalism school. As a budding health reporter, I tried to learn everything I could about Alzheimer’s and wrote about new research on preventions and treatments that everyone wanted to believe had potential. It is demoralizing and infuriating to think about how, nearly 15 years later, no breakthrough cure or proven prevention strategy has panned out.

But neurologist Sara Manning Peskin argues in “A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain” that we could be on the brink of a revolution in confronting diseases like this because scientists have a better handle on how molecules work in the brain. Molecular research has transformed our understanding and treatment of cancer in recent years, and now it is beginning to do the same for brain diseases. In fact, it has already been key to solving several mysteries of why seemingly healthy people appear to suddenly fall into a mental inferno.

FULL REVIEW ON UNDARK.ORG: https://undark.org/2022/02/11/book-review-molecule-away-from-madness/

A Molecule Away from Madness by Sara Manning Peskin was a book that I was really excited about because it seemed to be similar to Oliver Sack's writing. The comparison remains in genre, but I didn't find the writing all that compelling, maybe because its written for an audience with less of a neuroscience background, so I was a bit bored, and Peskin rubbed me the wrong way in some places with comments that came across as ignorant or rude though I doubt that was the intention.

Dementia is the biological proof that humans are not evolved to live as long as we do. In light of our biotechnical achievement, kind people like Dr. Peskin are needed to wade through memories like flotsam in the crushing tides of alzheimer's, with nothing but the hope and dedication of finding salvation.

All were fascinating stories that hold your attention and intrigue you with clues. As such, the reader becomes invested in the story, wanting to see the puzzle solved.

DNA mutations are first investigated with the cases of Huntington disease and Alzheimer’s. The book then explores cases of errant proteins and one case involved a woman who believed she was living in The Walking Dead tv show with all the zombies. Mercury poisoning and vitamin deficiencies also can wreck havoc with our brains.

The most captivating story for me was the one about Abraham Lincoln. It’s amazing how far science and medicine have come yet how little was understood back then. At least Lincoln had the sense to realize that the pills he was taking made him angry so he stopped taking them when he became President.

A Molecule Away from Madness is a fascinating read that will appeal to a broad audience and not just those who are scientifically-inclined or doctors.

Thank you to W.W. Norton and Company and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Captivating in the most nerve-wracking way possible, A Molecule Away from Madness leads the reader on a journey showcasing the havoc that the tiniest culprits can wreak on the biology that most fundamentally makes us who we are. Covering diseases that remain terrifyingly deadly today like Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome to vitamin deficiencies we've since identified and learned how to treat, every chapter brings new revelations of the power of a single molecule told in personal anecdotes that truly drive home the reality of these microscopic threats.

Dr. Peskin starts out with DNA mutations - in fact, the largest of all molecules she will cover in this book. The first story she covers is one of a woman who has complete control over her body's finest movements as an aerialist and expert practitioner of parkour, but when genetic testing reveals that she will succumb to the same Huntington's-riddled fate as her mother, she knows her fate is indelibly sealed. But what is most interesting about this chapter is the underlying science used to isolate the gene sequence responsible for Huntington's, finally succeeding in 1993, still several years before the entire genome was mapped. But even once that was identified, it became clear that this malformation was only the proximal cause of disease; it was the protein synthesis that the gene directed the body to undertake that resulted in the symptoms of disease. Only armed with this understanding was an effective treatment developed for this devastating disease in 2018.

The next chapter gets into Alzheimer's with a compelling snapshot of a subset of the disease known in Colombia as la bobera. In this case, genetic sequencing was able to show that those who were afflicted by this early-onset form of the disease suffered from a mutation that incorrectly designs proteins that break up molecules in a manner that results in a toxic buildup of plaque in the organs. Once this was discovered, research into treatment was still stymied by violence and a heaping dose of prejudice and stereotype about the influence of the drug economy in Colombia. A few years later, on-site research was finally underway, with results set to release later this year. The fascinating lesson here is the value that came from the study of this one small subset of disease: "that the cure for the common case of Alzheimer's disease will be found not in the general population but rather on the molecular fringe."

Part two is a wild ride of protein-induced hysteria, from those mimic the effects of PCP and make people think they are surrounded by zombies to those that bind to the same receptors of strychnine, a poison used by a serial killer in the 1880s to induce particularly cruel deaths in women. Here we learn that PCP was originally marketed as an anesthetic in the 1960s before its incredibly dangerous hallucinogenic effects were fully understood. The idea that our immune systems can, with only the best intention, produce massive quantities of proteins that act in the same manner as PCP or strychnine makes for one wild and surreal ride as we hear the stories of a young college girl who believes she is living in the world of The Walking Dead to a man who believes a spider outside his car window was his once soon-to-be wife and that he himself was President of the United States.

Of course no discussion of errant proteins would be complete without a tale of prions and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome. Focusing on the related spongiform encephalopathy of kuru in Papua New Guinea, Dr. Peskin shows us the importance of anthropology in solving some of medicine's toughest mysteries as well. Without someone who could take the time to understand the cultural practices of the Fore people, this disease would have continued to ravage their people for generations to come. Equally fascinating in this chapter is the work it took to convince the medical community that proteins on their own could be infectious and the way that they unfold can distort the shape of those around them despite not being able to replicate on their own. While there is still no treatment for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome, this chapter does highlight some promising research as well.

The final part focuses on small molecules, those orders of magnitude smaller than the ones discussed elsewhere in this book. From mercury poisoning to vitamin deficiencies, these small surpluses and deficiencies in our biochemistry can have far-reaching effects. The experiments described in this part are absolutely off-the-charts unethical, and throw a spotlight on the absurd lengths to which scientists have sometimes had to go to validate even their clearest results when they contradict conventional wisdom. The exploitation of prisoners and children in orphanages and people institutionalized in asylums in this section gave me a whole new appreciation for the headaches of Institutional Review Boards.

Whether you come to this book intrigued by anecdotes of madness, mentions of zombies and cannibalism and serial killers, or the marvels of science, you are sure to not be disappointed. It is a quick, engrossing, and clear read that puts the smallest components of our body into new perspective. Highly recommend, and very grateful to W.W. Norton and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for the review.

Well done! Quite an interesting read from neurology perspective. Even with my health care background, I learned a lot about mental health and the biology behind it. My only issue is at times, there are tangents that seem unrelated. For readers interested, please keep reading because eventually they make sense. I promise. It is well done and I highly recommend.

As a medical student interested in the neurosciences I was elated to receive an advance copy of this book. A fusion of Oliver Sacks and the NYTimes weekly Diagnosis column, this book was fantastic.

As I read A Molecule Away from Madness, it reminded me of my favorite medical narrative writer, Berton Roueché. In fact, it was his book “The Incurable Wound” that I had purchased at my elementary school’s book fair that awakened my interest in medical history.

The author uses a simple formula to introduce the reader to the miscreant molecules that alter the brain chemistry and cause disease. She uses narratives to present the patient the way that he or she was then details how the disease affected this person. Once the patient has a diagnosis, she delves into the history of the scientist(s) who discovered the disease in question and the cure, if any. I was particularly interested in the history of the disease but I also found the patient narratives compelling.

I highly recommend this is a book for anyone with an interest medical history and/or neurology.

This book breaks down how complex our brains are and how it can be impacted by genetics, specifically DNA. Dr. Peskin does a great job of making the complexities of the brain understandable to the novice reader. The stories presented of real life people and how they were impacted, kept me engaged and wanting to know more. I recommend this book to anyone wanting further information on h0w our brains change over time. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is an incredible dive into how our DNA can impact diseases, especially as they relate to our brain.

The author does an excellent job teaching readers
about the discovery of genetic mutations that can lead to diseases like Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s through a series of stories. I found each of the stories to be just the right length to be informative enough to understand the full story while also not diving too deep to overwhelm the reader. Each story gives enough closure to wrap up the point nicely, but also piques your curiosity with enough details to arm you if your wanted to do a deeper dive.

One particularly interesting case follows a woman named Lauren through her “walking dead disease” where she is convinced that she is living in the TV show The Walking Dead for months. In this anecdote the author explains that in many cases, doctors and nurses assumed she was using the drug PCP. She then includes information about the creation and medical uses for PCP in the 60s and its evolution to a street drug.

I would highly recommend this read for anyone with a curious mind about the ways our minds can change over time.