Immune Mind

'Fascinating... A thoroughly thought-provoking read' Dame Sarah GilbertDelving into the recent discovery of the brain's immune system, Dr Monty Lyman reveals the extraordinary implications for our physical and mental health.Up until the last ten years, we have misunderstood a fundamental aspect of human health. Although the brain and the body have always been viewed as separate entities – treated in separate hospitals – science now shows that they are intimately linked. Startlingly, we now know that our immune system is in constant communication with our brain and can directly alter our mental health.This has opened up a new frontier in medicine. Could inflammation cause depression, and arthritis drugs cure it? Can gut microbes shape your behaviour through the vagus nerve? Can something as simple as brushing your teeth properly reduce your risk of dementia? Could childhood infections lie behind neurological and psychiatric disorders such as tics and OCD?In The Immune Mind, Dr Monty Lyman explores the fascinating connection between the mind, immune system and microbiome, offering practical advice on how to stay healthy. A specialist in the cutting-edge field of immunopsychiatry, Lyman argues that we need to change the way we treat disease and the way we see ourselves. For the first time, we have a new approach to medicine that treats the whole human being.

Dr Lyman takes the complicated science of neuroimmunology and turns it into an exciting wargame complete with defensive battalions, special forces, reconnaissance ships and friendly fire. While technical and bang up-to-date, the narrative never loses sight of the potential victims, and illnesses both physical and mental. Indeed, The Immune Mind is not so much about biological science or cognitive science but the inseparability of the two and ultimately, what it is to be human., A thrilling exploration of how our immune system governs our mental health, all interwoven with Dr Lyman’s practical advice on safeguarding your well-being. As someone with depression and dementia in the family, I found every page to contain an observation that was invaluable. This absorbing and beautifully written book changes the way we view health., It is very common for scientists to specialise in one subject, gradually developing a deep but narrow understanding of their field. In my work developing vaccines against pathogens that have the potential to cause outbreaks and pandemics, I need to work with colleagues from many different disciplines in order to be effective. In this book Dr Lyman makes a fascinating connection that is new to me, delving into interactions between the immune system and the conscious mind. A thoroughly thought-provoking read.

Dr Monty Lyman is a medical doctor, researcher and author who specializes in the relationship between the mind and the immune system. He is an Academic Clinical Fellow at the University of Oxford. His first book, The Remarkable Life of the Skin, was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize, was one of the Sunday Times Best Books of 2019 and was a Radio 4 Book of the Week. An essay from his second book, The Painful Truth, won the 2020 Royal Society of Medicine’s Pain Medicine Prize.