Why Brains Need Friends

An exquisite book that reminds us our minds aren’t soloists but symphony players: we are wired for connection. – David Eagleman, PhD, author of Incognito and LivewiredA friendly exploration of the psychology and neuroscience of why we are better together. – Lisa Genova, PhD, author of Still Alice and RememberA must-read for anyone who wants to feel better and live longer, one conversation at a time! – Dr. Karan Rajan, author of This Book May Save Your LifeRead this because it will make you better understand yourself. But read it too because it will help you navigate our very human path across the complicated social web of our life on Earth. – Deborah Blum, author of The Poisoner’s HandbookThis book is a beautiful example of Rein doing what he does best: making science clear, interpretable, and meaningful for everyone. – Robert Malenka, MD, PhD, Deputy Director, Stanford University Wu Tsai Neurosciences InstituteWhy Brains Need Friends may be just the antidote our increasingly disconnected world needs. We all want to live well longer-this promises to be one of the most important books you will read to achieve that goal – Sandra Bond Chapman, PhD, Chief Director of the Center for BrainHealth, UT Dallas

Ben Rein, PhD is a neuroscientist at Stanford University and a renowned science communicator. Dr. Rein has spent over a decade studying the neuroscience of social interactions, uncovering new information about the genetic basis of autism spectrum disorder, how connections between brain cells regulate social behaviour, and how the psychoactive drug MDMA enhances empathy and connectedness between individuals.

Outside of the lab, Dr. Rein educates an audience of more than 900,000 social media followers about neuroscience. His videos have been featured on Good Morning America and ABC News among other major media outlets. Dr. Rein leads science communication workshops at multiple universities including Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University, UT Dallas, and the University of Minnesota, and his public messaging has been recognized with awards from the Society for Neuroscience, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Stanford University.