The Brain Under Siege

We’ve all heard of diseases and how they can effect you but that’s really about it. I definitely do feel like wiener takes you in a much more larger journey and scape which is why I enjoyed uh so much. The body and the mind have always been two things that interest me most and of course what I like to read as books in non fiction mostly so this was actually perfect. So of course, 5 out of 5 stars!

Dr. Howard L. Weiner presents what is important to all of us focusing on the diseases of the brain. It includes five areas: Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease and Glioblastoma.

There is a large amount of scientists that have dedicated their careers to find a cure for these diseases. However, as noted, "it takes a minimum of 20 years before it becomes a treatment for people." And throughout the process, there is the very much needed large source of funding.

Dr. Weiner comments that there is so much we don't understand. He says, "The human brain is the most complex biological system that has risen on this planet," The book is set up with an overview of each area along with a glimpse of the clinical side. There are brain illustrations in each section with the affects of the disease and a glossary at the end.

Overall, the book is packed with a huge amount of information on what's current. Dr. Weiner says, "People want hope." Most readers are most likely curious, as I was, because they want to know about the diseases that may affect them personally or someone they know. I felt like the clinical area was overwhelming for me. Yet, the other parts were helpful to understand what can happen inside our heads. It can be very depressing. He says, "Life is not perfect and we must learn to deal with it" which means to "appreciate life as much as possible."

My thanks to Dr. Howard L. Weiner, BenBella Books and NetGallery for allowing me to read this copy with an expected release date of October 19, 2021.

This book gives in-depth information on MS, ALS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Glioblastoma. Thank you the opportunity to read this book prior to release to the general public. My mom developed MS in her late 40’s and I wanted to learn more in-depth about it. The author explains what is happening to the brain and how we can work toward a cure.

It took me quite a lot of time to finish it. And that´s because it´s incredibly detailed.
First, you have to know that this is not a light book for someone who likes to read popular science. This is more for people who do have either a strong interest in the subject or have a scientific background. I have a genuine interest in medicine without a proper education in this field, yet I didn´t feel overwhelmed by all the details and had no problems with understanding the subject, meaning it´s not a scientific hard-to-swallow paper.
Secondly, I am absolutely astounded by how up-to-date all the informations are. The author speaks about therapies available in the past, those currently in use, and ongoing research.
Fascinating read. One of the best medicine books I have come across.
Big thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.
More please.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4303458366

A very interesting book, discusses the way our brain functions and malfunctions. I enjoyed the content.

A friend is affected by one of these conditions, so I got this book to understand more, and I think it's a useful book for friends, family and the person themselves.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Brain health is thankfully receiving more and more attention. The major diseases which this book discusses – Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) & Glioblastoma leaves people and families shattered. I myself have seen the impact it has had with people I know. I have thankfully also seen people valiantly fighting back (even in a case of the generally deadly Glioblastoma which a friend overcame) with conventional and alternate remedies to not allow their lives to be completely derailed. Nevertheless, the toll these conditions exact is huge. There are also well known stories of people like Stephen Hawking who battled ALS (thankfully it is a disease which does not degrade cognitive ability allowing him to continue making valuable contributions to science & society).

This book is extremely detailed in its coverage (far more than what I anticipated) and is very comprehensive. There are sections for each of the five major conditions with descriptions of early & later symptoms, the impact to the brain (referred to as the crime scene), current knowledge of the causes & potential treatment options. It has been difficult to determine the underlying root cause in most cases. As it stands today, there are good treatment options for halting the progression of MS with people now able to get on with their lives. The others are more difficult, though great progress has been made and we will over the next few years see more drugs on the market. Almost all these have some connection with the immune system & the gut microbiome is often crucial. It is also theorized that at least Parkinson’s potentially originates in the gut before travelling to the brain.

The level of detail at times makes for tedious reading as the descriptions are dense and difficult to assimilate. However, the book is packed with very vital information which all of us need to know about. One significant drawback is that nutrition information is largely absent. This is important from a prevention point of view but has only sketchy coverage. I realized somewhat recently that nutrition is a separate discipline by itself from disease diagnosis & treatment, though vital. So, I am not very surprised at the absence of such information in this book.

I also liked the positive tone the book strikes on battling these conditions. A recommended read.

My rating: 4.25 / 5.