Brave New Brain: Conquering Mental Illness in the Era of the Genome

by Nancy C. Andreasen

Here, leading neuroscientist Nancy Andreasen offers a state-of-the-art look at what we know about the human brain and the human genome--and shows how these two vast branches of knowledge are coming together in a boldly ambitious effort to conquer mental illness.
Andreasen gives us an engaging and readable description of how it all works---from billions of neurons, to the tiny thalamus, to the moral monitor in our prefrontal cortex. She shows the progress made in mapping the human genome, whose 30,000 to 40,000 genes are almost all active in the brain. We read gripping stories of the people who develop mental illness, the friends and relatives who share their suffering, the physicians who treat them, and the scientists who study them so that better treatments can be found. Four major disorders are covered--schizophrenia, manic depression, anxiety disorders, and dementia--revealing what causes them and how they affect the mind and brain. Finally, the book shows how the powerful tools of genetics and neuroscience will be combined during the next decades to build healthier brains and minds.
By revealing how combining genome mapping with brain mapping can unlock the mysteries of mental illness, Andreasen offers a remarkably fresh perspective on these devastating diseases.

Genres: Psychology, Science, Neuroscience, Nonfiction, Medical, Psychiatry, Brain

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Nancy C. Andreasen, M.D., Ph.D., is Andrew H. Woods Chair of Psychiatry at The University of Iowa College of Medicine. She is actively involved in neuroimaging research, which involves the use of structural MR imaging, functional MR, and positron emission tomography.
She has written a book on neuroimaging (Brain Imaging: Applications in Psychiatry), as well as more than 500 articles and seven books on other related topics. The primary emphasis of her research is on the development and application of novel neuroimaging tools, the study of normal cognition and emotion, and the study of major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, and schizotypal personality.

Reviews

[Lydia Pack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow- it took me a long time to read this book. The beginning is pretty slow, like, really slow. Also, of course a lot of the scientific discoveries and technology are pretty outdated now with this being published twenty years ago.

However, I still give it 3 stars because I feel like it combines two really interesting topics, and puts them into a new perspective I had never really thought about. If you’re into genetics or mental illness, or both like me, this is a great read for the nerd in you.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the information here is starting to date a bit, but still very interesting. If you're averse to the using a neurobiological model to determine the origins of mental disorders (and subsequent biochemical treatment i.e. drugs) you'd better read something else.

[Safa Kursun · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a medical student, I learned so much from this book, it is written technical but author describes everything from basic.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess I'm also on team "late to the party" when it comes to reading this book since it was published 21 years ago and science practically changes every day. Sadly for "the future", I found Jim's story in the beginning to still be relatable today. It was extremely informative and it was written in a very comprehensive tone that almost anyone can understand. Despite its age, it still seems to hold relevance. I'd love to see a new edition come out though!

[Anthony Cleveland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Dr. Andreasen's book, The Broken Brain (1984), years ago. This one (published in 2001) once again displays her brilliance as both a writer and Psychiatrist. While neuroscience has made some progress in this area since then, this work would still serve as a good place to start for those interested in the topic.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basic information on neurophysiology and mental illness.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the mark is missed in this book--but well written