The Immune Mind: The Hidden Dialogue Between Your Brain and Immune System

Connections between the immune system and the mind help the body fight off pathogens and other threats, according to this edifying treatise. Physician Lyman (The Painful Truth) explains that cerebrospinal fluid picks up “toxins and waste products” as it “washes across” brain tissue. Upon exiting the brain, the fluid encounters immune cells that scan the fluid for signs of infection, inflammation, or other damage; if any are found, the cells trigger an immune response by activating lymph nodes throughout the body. Case studies reveal the complexity of this brain-immune system, as when Lyman describes how a 24-year-old experienced hallucinations and paranoia after rogue antibodies caused inflammation in her brain. Such connections have opened doctors’ eyes to creative new treatments for mental illness, Lyman contends, discussing how a rheumatologist found that an anti-inflammatory drug aimed at mitigating arthritis improved patients’ moods even when it didn’t improve their arthritis. Lyman throws in a few standard suggestions on reducing inflammation (eat less processed food, and get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week), but the main attraction is the surprising science illuminating the profound connections between brain and body. It’s an intriguing survey of an emerging area of scientific inquiry. Agent: Charlie Viney, Viney Agency. (Sept.)