The Angel and the Assassin

The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine

De: Donna Jackson Nakazawa

Narrado por: Melinda Wade

A thrilling story of scientific detective work and medical potential that illuminates the newly understood role of microglia—an elusive type of brain cell that is vitally relevant to our everyday lives.

“The rarest of books: a combination of page-turning discovery and remarkably readable science journalism.”—Mark Hyman, MD, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY WIRED

Until recently, microglia were thought to be helpful but rather boring: housekeeper cells in the brain. But a recent groundbreaking discovery has revealed that they connect our physical and mental health in surprising ways. When triggered—and anything that stirs up the immune system in the body can activate microglia, including chronic stressors, trauma, and viral infections—they can contribute to memory problems, anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer’s. Under the right circumstances, however, microglia can be coaxed back into being angelic healers, able to make brain repairs in ways that help alleviate symptoms and hold the promise to one day prevent disease.

With the compassion born of her own experience, award-winning journalist Donna Jackson Nakazawa illuminates this newly understood science, following practitioners and patients on the front lines of treatments that help to “reboot” microglia. In at least one case, she witnesses a stunning recovery—and in others, significant relief from pressing symptoms, offering new hope to the tens of millions who suffer from mental, cognitive, and physical health issues.

Hailed as a “riveting,” “stunning,” and “visionary,” The Angel and the Assassin offers us a radically reconceived picture of human health and promises to change everything we thought we knew about how to heal ourselves.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“A fascinating deep dive into the unsung heroes (and villains) inside our skulls . . . Donna Jackson Nakazawa has a journalist’s eye for story, a scholar’s understanding of the research, and a patient’s appreciation for how high the stakes truly are.”—Susannah Cahalan, New York Times bestselling author of Brain on Fire

“An inspiring account that will provide a game-changing view of health for generations of researchers, clinicians, and citizens for years to come. Bravo!”—Dan Siegel, M.D., clinical professor, UCLA School of Medicine, and executive director of the Mindsight Institute

“Riveting, engaging, and visionary.”—Terry Wahls, M.D., author of The Wahls Protocol

“Colorful, page-turning, and accessible . . . I have great hopes for the practical application of what Jackson Nakazawa reveals.”—Amy Myers, M.D., New York Times bestselling author of The Autoimmune Solution

“Few nonfiction writers can tell the tale of scientific inquiry so vividly that the reader can feel the excitement of discovery with every word. Donna Jackson Nakazawa is one of those writers, and this book tells the tale of one of the most intriguing and groundbreaking discoveries in all of medicine.”—Shannon Brownlee, senior vice president, Lown Institute, and author of Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine Is Making Us Sicker and Poorer

“The Angel and the Assassin is one of those astonishing medical yarns that you almost can’t believe: how the power of this tiny cell was so long overlooked, how integral it has become to our understanding of neuroscience and immunology, how it has transformed the most basic ideas of who we are as humans. The book is especially essential reading for women, who face depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and autoimmune disorders at higher rates than men.”—Peggy Orenstein, New York Times bestselling author of Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape

“Jackson Nakazawa puts forth a revolutionary new way of thinking about the brain’s immune system and its interactions with immune function in the rest of the body. Much of the information here was new to me and has made me more optimistic about the future of medicine.”—Andrew Weil, M.D., New York Times bestselling author of Eight Weeks to Optimum Health and Healthy Aging

Highly recommended!

What a genius book, using every day language plus medical language to bring the excitement and thrills to real science. Recommended for everyone. People who know and love anyone who’s had depression or neurologic symptoms may especially enjoy this. This might even change your life for the better while being entertained. Medical people need to be tolerant of the non-standard pronunciation by the narrator. Narrator is very good and the narration lens itself to comfortable listening at a faster playback.

THE BEST most life changing book I have ever read!!

The narrator is superb. The writing is superb. The content is of such importance I feel like buying a book for everyone I know and asking them to read it!
The book provides data that offers so much hope for so many medical issues, especially mental health (the costs of which are 200+billion yearly. I believe I am quoting the author correctly) and a new way to understand why people suffer as they do. There are solutions on the horizon that will advance treatment in ways that will make current treatments seem so limited in outcomes. There is not anyone who will come away without new empathy and understanding of others after reading this book.

Fantastic

Such a fascinating book! The author weaves together the latest science showing how microglia affect our brains with real life stories of people struggling with mental health issues and the treatments that helped them.

Engaging and hopeful

I found the information presented in an engaging and thoughtful manner allowing anyone to digest and stay focused as the information and processes were presented. I’ve already downloaded her all of Ms. Nakazawa’s works!

Fascinating, Intriguing, Grateful

I am incredibly grateful to Donna Jackson Nakazawa for writing this book. I also read Childhood Disrupted. Both books are beyond stellar. These books read like stories. I can feel her passion for her subject matter. And both books apply to my life. She truly cares about traumatic childhoods and brains that seem to be beyond repair. For people who have suffered greatly and feel like there’s no hope. If I could give these books 1000 stars I would. It truly brought understanding to my complicated world. Thank you so much for your beautiful writing and your dedication to mental health!

Absolutely fascinating

Thoroughly engrossing book on microglial cells-immunity cells that are neurons. Implications for depression, Dementia, Parkinson’s and more. Solution oriented, with discussions on the latest research and newest techniques.

An amazingly worthwhile read

A very well written and very interesting read. I’ve learned so much about so much. It is helping me see myself and so many other people that I know in a new light. I can’t recommend it enough. It is totally worth every enjoyable minute.

Profound! And helpful!

Thank you for your work on the immune system and the brain! I can’t tell you enough how appreciative I was to read your book,

Informative and Well Explained

This book contains a wealth of information about a new frontier in neuroscience. The case studies really supported the meatier parts of the text.

If you are walking through any mental health or autoimmune issues, just get this

The way it was read drew me in, just as much as the content. I learned so much about what I am walking through, as well as some possible avenues for treatment.