The Disordered Mind: What Unusual Brains Tell Us About Ourselves by Eric R. Kandel. He is the winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology for his foundational research into memory storage in the brain.
Eric is recognized as one of the pioneers of modern brain science. In fact, his work continues to shape our understanding of how learning and memory work and to break down age-old barriers between the sciences and the arts.
He is able to address upon his research experiences and noted studies regarding the brain. Yet when the neurons communicate, they can be disrupting. This is where Eric’s research into disordered minds certainly sheds light into autism, depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s, and PTSD.
So, we now can understand via Eric’s research among many more, how our brain functions under autism. A neurological change in the brain which directly impacts social interactions. This is providing profound insights. In fact, we also understand more clearly how depression impacts our emotions linked to the integrity of one’s self.
In fact, the brain holds over 86 billion neurons which communicate with one another very precisely. However, if those connections are disrupted, the brain processes that give rise to our mind can become disordered, resulting in diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s, and autism.
This book is a wonderful next step from my previous reads The Elephant in the Brain and The Leading Brain.
Addiction
Furthermore, The Disordered Mind does reveal very substantial insights regarding Addiction: drugs, food, money, and sex. Eric indicates treatments based upon scientific evidence. this section alone will be very insightful to many who interact with those battling addiction.
The Disordered Mind reveals how Eric’s reacher and related clinical studies reveal the brain’s memory and how current research will lead to even greater knowledge and understanding regarding how our brains function, beyond memory to also linked to our behaviors and even our thoughts.
No PHD in brain studies needed
Perhaps the best compliment for this book is that Eric reveals his research in a very easy to read manner. No need to have gone to medical school to understand the brain here. It would be fair to share that his writing was accurate and to the point — but not overwhelming. He provides excellent overviews to really fascinating areas or his research.
In conclusion, I found Eric’s book to be very enlightening and a wonderful introduction (for me) to the study of neurobiology.