Mind Thief: The Story of Alzheimer's

by Han Yu

Alzheimer’s disease, a haunting and harrowing ailment, is one of the world’s most common causes of death. Alzheimer’s lingers for years, with patients’ outward appearance unaffected while their cognitive functions fade away. Patients lose the ability to work and live independently, to remember and recognize. There is still no proven way to treat Alzheimer’s because its causes remain unknown.

Mind Thief is a comprehensive and engaging history of Alzheimer’s that demystifies efforts to understand the disease. Beginning with the discovery of “presenile dementia” in the early twentieth century, Han Yu examines over a century of research and controversy. She presents the leading hypotheses for what causes Alzheimer’s; discusses each hypothesis’s tangled origins, merits, and gaps; and details their successes and failures. Yu synthesizes a vast amount of medical literature, historical studies, and media interviews, telling the gripping stories of researchers’ struggles while situating science in its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Her chronicling of the trajectory of Alzheimer’s research deftly balances rich scientific detail with attention to the wider implications. In narrating the attempts to find a treatment, Yu also offers a critical account of research and drug development and a consideration of the philosophy of aging. Wide-ranging and accessible, Mind Thief is an important book for all readers interested in the challenge of Alzheimer’s.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Medicine, Health, Audiobook

360 pages, Hardcover

Published March 2, 2021

About the author

Han Yu is professor of scientific and technical communication at Kansas State University. Her research focuses on communicating science and technology to general readers.

Han's latest popular science book Mind Thief: The Story of Alzheimer's is a comprehensive and engaging history of Alzheimer’s that demystifies efforts to understand the disease.

Han's earlier works include The Other Kind of Funnies: Comics in Technical Communication ; Communicating Genetics: Visualizations and Representations ; Negotiating Cultural Encounters: Narrating Intercultural Engineering and Technical Communication ; and Scientific Communication: Practices, Theories, and Pedagogies .

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always been curious about Alzheimer's disease, since a few of my family members developed the late onset variation of the disease. This book does a great job of explaining how Alzheimer's disease was discovered, the different hypothesises for what causes it, and the different drugs that have been trialed in hopes of finding a preventative, cure, or even a way to slow the progress of the disease. The book does a great job of explaining the science to someone who doesn't have a background in medicine, but didn't seem to over-simplify or avoid complex sounding medical words like "beta-amyloid".

If you're looking for practical advice for reducing risk of Alzheimer's, this isn't the best book for that, but if you want to understand the science behind the different advice you have heard this does a great job of explaining the science.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book delivers a deeper understanding of what we know about Alzheimer's ... and how much we don't know. But you'll come away with respect for the scientific process as legions of researchers work to develop new drugs and further understand a devastating disease. Han Yu write clearly and helps lay readers understand technical material.

[Oana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, superb research, interesting way to mix history, science, health.

[Stefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very informative and enjoyable read. Yu does an excellent job working through the substantial, complex, and hugely contradictory field of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) research. The book provides a cursory summary of early observations which led to AD’s classification as a discrete disease, highlights in depth many of the pivotal studies in the 1990s to mid 2000s which provided our understanding of the basis of hereditary AD, and then spends most of the rest of the book discussing the various hypotheses put forward regarding both Alzheimer’s aetiology and pathogenesis (and a lot on treatments). I found the writing really good; there was enough detail to convey key scientific points (such as describing AD genetics, clinical trials, etc) whilst still carrying a “conversational” tone that will engage lay readers. Yu does a great job of explaining complex jargon, and I do believe it is readily understandable as a result (I do disclose, though, that I have a PhD in cell biology).

To me, the real take home message is how confusing, contradictory, and complex the field of AD is. Whilst most people probably have heard of beta-amyloid plaques and to a lesser extent some of the other AD pathologies (such as Tau), this book makes it clear that the field is wide open in terms of understanding how these pathologies link to AD and indeed, whether they are causative or a by-product of the disease itself. The book is very well researched and referenced (about 40-45% of the book is made up of references, notes and appendices).

My only slight criticism here is that it would have been nice to “litter” the book with anecdotes from real people - AD suffers, their carers, and really channel the emotion associated with the disease. There are glimmers of that here and there (especially at the end); but I think it could be better utilised in the book.

In summary, an excellent work; it brings to mind Siddhartha Mukherjee’s “Gene” or “The Emperor of All Maladies”. 4.5/5 stars.

My sincere thanks to Columbia University Press and NetGalley for their provision of an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Paperclippe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those rare books that is jam-packed with a lot of dense, technical information that is simultaneously well-presented and baffling. It's well-presented in that by the end of it, I felt like I, someone who has not previously understood the mechanisms theorized to be behind Alzheimer's at all (other than, "uh, brain plaque? I guess?"), now feel like I have as much of a grasp on the subject as, well, some of these drug companies. It's baffling in that after reading this book I feel like I have as much of a grasp on the subject as some of these drug companies.

I went into Mind Thief expecting an historical overview of the way in which Alzheimer's has impacted people and the way in which that has impacted medicine and society. I got that, packed in a humane, sympathetic, and even funny way, and so much more. A huge portion of this book is a run down of all the ways people - predominantly pharmaceutical companies - have tried (and, spoilers, failed) to slow or stop Alzheimer's in the brain. Don't let that turn you off, though. It's fascinating, especially if you're someone who is into the nitty-gritty mechanisms of action behind disease. Do, however, be prepared to get very angry at all the drug companies and their trials that have skipped steps, waste money, and, worse still, wasted time. I'm not saying that any of these drugs would have evolved into something truly groundbreaking or even useful by now, but if companies like Pfizer and Eli Lilly hadn't faffed about with their protocols and changing goal posts, we might at least have a better idea of why so many things failed.

Han Yu takes a simultaneously human- and neuroscience-based look at Alzheimer's (not that those two things can really ever be separated), bringing humor and lightness to a deadly serious discussion without ever losing the sense of import or the accuracy of the science, and never forgetting the people that Alzheimer's affects.

[Kim Gausepohl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A readable, somewhat exhaustive, history of Alzheimer’s that mirrors my own frustration with the conflicting findings of historical and current research. I learned more about the scientific fraud ( Higgins!) in the field and the backstory of resampling drug trial data until significant findings are found. It explains the whole aducanumab debacle.

As much as I enjoyed this, I disliked the negative language towards people with dementia. Phrases like “the mind thief”, “the abyss of their suffering”, “dementia patients” and “ill-fated souls” were hard to overlook as someone who might have a genetic mutation for early-onset Alzheimer’s. The book claims to be “the story of Alzheimer’s”, but it had a purely biomedical cause/cure focus and totally overlooked the experience of Alzheimer’s studied by Kitwood, Sabat, etc… I wasn’t surprised to see their work excluded from the reference section. I suggest anyone reading this also read Behuniak’s The living dead? The construction of people living with Alzheimer’s as zombies.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very informative book on Alzheimer's. It is one of the most in depth research based books on the subject that I have ever read. It is a must read on the subject, if you have ever had a family member or friend that has had this terrible disease.

You will come away with more knowledge than you ever thought possible, on Alzheimer's disease.

Make sure when reading this book to understand that this disease can happen at all ages.

Thank you Han Yu for taking the time and all the effort put forth in writing this wonderful book. Much appreciated!

D Price

[Ni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rare example of a thorough, inclusive run-through of the initial recognition of Alzheimer's Disease and its current research theories and treatment. Headline writers and Big Pharma don't come out of this well. Most interesting is the final chapter, about social activity and how it sustains brain function.
Skates over the multiple forms of dementia, vascular gets a mention, Lewy Body Disease and Front-Temporal dementia less so, traumatic or post infective not at all. Prions, air pollution and sleep disorders only listed for completeness.
A fun and sometimes amusing account, such as the impact of juggling on the brain: does it last? Read to find out. Alois Alzheimer was an extraordinary person, persistent, self-funded and conscientious.
Worthy of four and a half stars, just weighs a little heavily on the burden of disease and common stereotypes of people living with Alzheimer 's, as in the book's title.

[Robert Loss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read this book for some time having several relatives either currently suffering or having suffered from Alzeheimer's. I particularly like the clear description of the genetic connections, striking a balance of readability and technical detail. The same applies to the myriad attempts at the medical treatments for this cruel disease. The authors expertise as a science communicator really does seem to pay off. I listened to it as an Audio book and apart from listened to it during a very long dog walk, just lay on a bed and binged on it till I finished it in <24 hours. Will get a hard copy to circulate to other family members. My high rating reflects the relevance to me and how well it informed me about the topic - other readers may not necessarily have this.

[Anjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a frightening disease, and the book traces its history from the man it got its name from and the different types. There is no conclusion or speculation about the cures, but detailed information on all the investigations is provided.
I felt like it worked as a combination for laypeople and people who have knowledge of science because of a few reasons. The narrative style and the focus on informing the reader felt like it targeted those who do not have a working knowledge of things. On the other hand, the details of the results and related information veer into the scientific range. Understanding what the doctors/researchers saw and what they did with it is important, but it also meant I could not read it at a stretch. I had to put it down between chapters but found it all fascinating.
I picked this book up thanks to a prior need to understand the disease, and I must admit I got the information I was hoping for. I now know when the larger scientific community started focussing on it and the current issues holding people back from a real solution.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Essam Munir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an exploration of AD with various topics starting from history and ending in prevention. The chapters are concrete and the author makes realistic claims. The majority of the book leans toward the failures of drug discovery and sometimes it feels boring. However, this might be a great source for scholars and those afflicted with AD.
In general, it's an interesting read and an in-depth look into AD.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

More than a history of Alzheimer's, this reads more as a pharmacological study of the various drugs and treatments that have been attempted or experimented, with a bit of the history of the discovery of the disease and its effects.

[Mary Kinietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read - technical but more like a history book. Unfortunately, no cure on the horizon but very thorough look at theories and studies.

[Martha Moran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives you a wide spectrum of how and where dementia and Alzheimer's comes from. Very informative.

[Alice Clague · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another must read, in my opinion. There's some quite scientific explanations so be prepared but it is amazing, nonetheless. I feel that I am so much more informed about this awful illness now.