Shadow Syndromes: Recognizing and Coping with the Hidden Psychological Disorders That Can Influenc E Your Behavior and Silently Determin

The behaviors of the husband who can't control his rages or the supermom who tries to excel on all fronts may have a biological basis in the brain, according to Harvard psychiatrist Ratey and journalist Johnson (Lucky in Love). In separate chapters, they examine mild forms (which they label ""shadow syndromes"") of hypermania, intermittent rage disorder, depression, attention deficit disorder, autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder. As they explore the biological basis of each, they present real-life stories of individuals experiencing less-than-florid manifestations of serious mental disorders. Everyone will recognize someone in this cast, and Seinfeld fans will be amused by the examples of absurd obsessions taken from that show. Although most of their subjects find relief through a blend of psychotherapy and medication (that husband's tantrums are controlled with desipramine; Prozac helps the supermom lighten up), the authors also recommend simpler remedies, such as eating well and exercising, that improve the functioning of the brain. Noting that ""trying to achieve `mental fitness' is not like trying to achieve physical fitness,"" the authors acknowledge that much remains to be learned about the workings of the brain, an organ they liken to the weather, in which small changes can have large, unpredictable effects. (Feb.)