The Brain Under Siege

”““A masterful and rigorous rendering of the state of neurological disease research infused with a rationally defensible sense of hope.””—Kirkus Reviews”“If you’re dealing with the diagnosis—either for yourself or a loved one—of a neurologic condition, you’re likely feeling lost and overwhelmed. Look no further than this book, which not only breaks down what’s happening in the brain like a crime scene, but inspires hope for future treatments … A remarkable guide to neurologic diseases that we all can understand.”” —Ann Romney ““Howard Weiner has an amazing ability to synthesize complex medical and scientific concepts into something accessible and understandable … In The Brain Under Siege, he tells the story of five of the most devastating neurological diseases. He likens each disease to a crime scene and explains how the crime will ultimately be solved. Not only is this book highly informative, it’s also genuinely fun to read.”” —Stephen L. Hauser, MD, Robert A. Fishman Distinguished Professor of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, and director of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences “”The Brain Under Siege breaks down the complexities of brain health and disease in an accessible and enjoyable way.“” —Al Sandrock, MD, PhD, head of research and development at Biogen ““A fascinating read, The Brain Under Siege is educational, memorable, and perhaps most important, optimistic … The Brain Under Siege explains the science behind these diseases and the possible pathways to a cure.”” —Merit Cudkowicz, MD, Julieanne Dorn Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, chief of neurology and director at Healey ALS Center, Massachusetts General Hospital ““The stakes are high when the brain is in trouble. Howard L. Weiner chronicles the heroic efforts that have led to astounding progress in our ability to understand and treat the most essential and most fragile part of our humanity … The Brain Under Siege reveals the drama behind the science as doctors grapple with the most complicated structure in the universe.”” —Daniel Z. Lieberman, coauthor of Molecule of More ““When it comes to complex medical issues, patients and their families are usually overwhelmed. The situation is complex even for scientists in the field. In Howard Weiner’s ambitious new book, The Brain Under Siege, this talented neurologist tackles brain disease and unravels its complexity—no easy feat for such a heavy subject … The book is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about the scientific process and the urgent quest to treat—and then prevent—chronic brain diseases.”” —Dennis J. Selkoe, MD, Vincent and Stella Coates Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and codirector of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital“

Howard L. Weiner is the Robert L. Kroc Professor of Neurology at the Harvard Medical School, Director and Founder of the Brigham MS Center and codirector of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. He has pioneered therapy in multiple sclerosis and has investigated disease mechanisms in brain diseases including MS, Alzheimer’s Disease, ALS, stroke and brain tumors. Dr. Weiner is a recipient of the John Dystel Prize for MS Research and received the NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award for his research in Alzheimer’s disease. He has pioneered the investigation of the mucosal immune system for the treatment of autoimmune and other diseases and is currently developing a nasal vaccine to treat Alzheimer’s disease and novel therapies for MS and ALS. The Harvard Medical School honored him with the establishment of the Howard L. Weiner Professorship of Neurologic Diseases. He is the author of the book Curing MS and award-winning films, the documentary What is Life? The Movie and the feature length drama, Abe and Phil’s Last Poker Game starring Martin Landau and Paul Sorvino.