The Immune Mind: The New Science of Health

Monty Lyman and Predrag B. Slijepčević
Transworld, £22.00

We have all experienced feeling low when we are ill and our immune system is under attack. But can the reverse also be true – that our mental wellbeing can influence our immunity to disease? This is far more than mere positive thinking. Monty Lyman weaves a tale incorporating anecdotal and scientific evidence with methodical analysis, to encourage us to rethink the current medical position on the relationship between our digestive, communication and immune systems; opening our minds to neuroimmunology.

The zombie fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, is known to infect carpenter ants, taking over their behaviour and controlling them to the advantage of the parasite. This may be an extreme symbiosis, but it vividly illustrates the power that a tiny microbe can have over a much larger organism. The holistic approach to medical care may be more familiar to practitioners of traditional herbal treatments or alternative remedies, but there is a growing body of evidence that shows how the gut microbiome can influence our emotions and mental wellbeing. However, it is not just the microorganisms that live within us that can go rogue, as our own immune system is known to revert on ourselves, causing autoimmune diseases. If this involves the destruction of the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells in the central nervous system, it leads to multiple sclerosis. It does not take a massive leap of the imagination to see that alternative autoimmune errors could worsen or lead to neurological disorders if the blood-brain barrier is breached.

These insights have enabled researchers to propose and investigate novels treatments and some preventative measure that show promising results. With so many stories like these The Immune Mind is a highly recommended and captivating read.

Dr Alexander Waller FRSB

Reviewed by Dr Alexander Waller FRSB, visiting professor of science education and environmental ethics at the American University of Sovereign Nations