Brain Storms

The Race to Unlock the Mysteries of Parkinson's Disease

By: Jon Palfreman

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's Summary

Seven million people worldwide suffer from Parkinson's, and doctors, researchers, and patients continue to hunt for a cure. In Brain Storms, the award-winning journalist Jon Palfreman tells their story, a story that became his own when he was diagnosed with the debilitating illness. Palfreman chronicles how scientists have worked to crack the mystery of what was once called the shaking palsy, from the earliest clinical descriptions of tremors, gait freezing, and micrographia to the cutting edge of neuroscience, and charts the victories and setbacks of a massive international effort to best the disease. He takes us back to the late 1950s and the discovery of L-dopa. He delves into a number of other therapeutic approaches to this perplexing condition, from partial lobotomies and deep brain stimulation to neural grafting. And he shares inspiring stories of brave individuals living with Parkinson's, from a former professional ballet dancer who tricks her body to move freely again to a patient who cannot walk but astounds doctors when he is able to ride a bicycle with no trouble at all.

With the baby boom generation beginning to retire and the population steadily aging, the race is on to discover a means to stop or reverse neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Brain Storms is the long-overdue, riveting, and deeply personal story of that race and a passionate, insightful, and urgent look into the lives of those affected.

©2015 Jon Palfreman (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Explains the science and its significance

Too many popular science books fall into one of two categories. On the one hand you have books that describe the science accurately, mentioning all sources of uncertainty, but then fails to convey the implications in an interesting manner. Then there are books that use the science like a drunken man uses a light post - for support rather than illumination. Such books can give you a gripping story and then a few references are thrown in to make the story seem credible, but they fail to explain the science behind the story.

This book finds the perfect sweet-spot in that it describes the in an intriguing but fair manner while also continually reminding the reader what the science means for the reader - whether that is someone afflicted with Parkinson or someone who is just interested in the disease. The story is told in a chronological manner, beginning with James Parkinson who first described the syndrome/disease that now bears his name. In the 1960s, more than a century after, came the first effective treatments for the disease. Levadopa (L-Dopa), a dopamine pre-cursor, showed promising results at first. What I didn’t know is that in the first blind study there was no difference between patients receiving Levadopa, and the group receiving a placebo. It was only after some tinkering with the doses that Levadopa became the main drug for alleviating symptoms that it is today.

Palfreman’s who himself has Parkinson writes about all the different approaches to curing or alleviating Parkinson, including, L-dopa, neural grafting, deep brain stimulation, growth factors, and viral destruction of misfolded proteins. The stories for these treatments can appear, and often are rather repetitive. It begins with galumphing scientists and foundations who believe they have found a potential cure for Parkinson and that they can make the disease vanish if they are given sufficient funds. Initial “open label” studies often show positive results, but then a blind study reveals that there is no difference between the treatment and a placebo. This seems to be the pattern for all treatments except for Levadopa and deep brain stimulation. Yet it is important to remember that the first Levadopa trial also showed negative results. New trials with new treatments are underway and personally I think that it is a matter of time before we find new treatments for the disease.

One type of “treatment” which is also appear to be effective and which is not invasive is exercise. Regular exercise can have a large effect on all symptoms related to the disease. Like with many other types of diseases that afflicts the elderly, it seems crucial to maintain an active lifestyle, both socially and in terms of physical exercise, if you want to slow the disease. Another aspect that Palfreman writes about is the placebo effect, which in the case of Parkinson is very large. One study found that Parkinson patients receiving a sham surgery often showed marked improvements in their symptoms which could last years. It is a shame you cannot manufacture the placebo effect, but the results clearly show that the mindset of the patient with Parkinson can have a surprisingly large effect on the way the disease is perceived.

Although I do not have Parkinson and the disease has not been a focal interest in my PhD studies, I was still captivated by Palfreman’s story, and the book really is an excellent book for anyone who want to understand how science progresses. It is a road that is more bumpy than most people tend to think. I think the book is also perfect for someone who has Parkinson because, despite all the setbacks in the field there is still hope. The book does not say that there will be a cure within five or even ten years (which would be unethical to say), but you can still sense the hope that someday (perhaps sooner rather than later), a new effective treatment will come.

Great Journalistic Work

Any additional comments?

From the get-go, I knew Brain Storms was going to be a fascinating story. Part investigation and part memoir, journalist Jon Palfreman incorporates medical research and interviews with patients and doctors into a captivating biography of Parkinson’s. Recently diagnosed with the disease, Palfreman brings a personal and emotional element rarely witnessed in a book such as this. Brain Storms not only highlights the medical strides made in the field of neurodegenerative disorders, but also charts the vast setbacks researchers used to, and still do face. With so few books tackling Parkinson’s, this book is a much needed addition to any nonfiction fan’s library.

Riveting tale of the quest to cure a difficult disease

Wow, this audiobook was so interesting I got through it in just 1 day. I couldn't stop listening.

This book goes through the history of Parkinson's disease, explains the disease and every major attempt at curing or slowing it's progress...as well as the many unfortunate setbacks.

A great book that I learned a lot from and would recommend to anyone interested in this disease or neuroscience in general.

Great informative listen

Truly appreciated the author's perspective. Listened more than once because of all the helpful information

Great book on Parkinson ' s disease

A great way to learn the latest, past and present attempts to treat PD, extremely well written by a BBC journalist that contracted the disease.

Excellent-A Courageous Gift

As someone whose best friend, an accomplished physician (recently retired), was just diagnosed with Parkinson's, this book met all my needs in understanding the disease, its history, the development of both failed & successful drugs & treatments and, most importantly, the status of some recent discoveries, as of 2015.

Hopefully, the trials of antibody-like 'drugs' such as NeuroPhage's NPT088 will be successful.

The book is written in a clear and well laid out manner considering such a complex subject. It will appeal to both the layman and professional. The narrator, Sean Runnette, as usual, is excellent.

An excellent take on a difficult subject

A thoughtful, insightful, strikingly well-written, and soberly optimistic view into the history and future of the science of Parkinson's. An even better account of the people who battle with, survive, and succumb to the disease. Beyond its proximate subject, Palfreman's book is a exploration of coping and perseverance, and a nuanced take on faith, science, and faith in science.

Excellent update

What made the experience of listening to Brain Storms the most enjoyable?

An extremely valuable book for both the layperson and the medical professional. I am recommending it to friends and have purchased copies for caregivers of my mother. As a pharmacist I learned much more than I knew. I will be advising my many medical friends to read it as well. Excellent explanation of the affliction and the newest advances regarding its treatment.

Very intersting

It was my first book on the subject, and it was insightful in an interesting way.

Amazing Book !

this book better explains PD and the history of study & treatment than any other