The Disordered Mind audiobook cover - What Unusual Brains Tell Us About Ourselves

The Disordered Mind

What Unusual Brains Tell Us About Ourselves

Eric R. Kandel

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The Disordered Mind
Foundation of Brain Disorders+
Autism & The Social Brain+
Mood Disorders & Emotion+
Schizophrenia & Thought+
Memory Disorders+
Parkinson's & Movement+
Addiction & Reward System+
Sex & Gender Identity+
Consciousness+
Brain Health+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10
What is the foundational premise of studying mental disorders according to the book?
  • A. Mental disorders are purely psychological and can be cured by willpower alone.
  • B. Brains that work abnormally can provide profound insights into how healthy brains function.
  • C. Technological advances have proven that environmental factors are the sole cause of mental illness.
  • D. The brain operates entirely independently of the body's physical systems.
Question 2 of 10
In the context of autism, what does the concept of 'theory of mind' refer to?
  • A. The brain's ability to logically process complex mathematical equations.
  • B. The nearly automatic ability to attribute thoughts and emotions to other people.
  • C. The philosophical understanding of consciousness and self-awareness.
  • D. The tendency to prefer repetitive play and strict daily routines.
Question 3 of 10
Which physical brain characteristics are commonly linked to mood and anxiety disorders like PTSD and depression?
  • A. An underactive amygdala and abnormally low levels of cortisol.
  • B. An overactive prefrontal cortex and an excess of dopamine.
  • C. A constantly overactive amygdala and hypothalamus, along with elevated cortisol.
  • D. Misfolded proteins in the hippocampus that destroy serotonin receptors.
Question 4 of 10
Schizophrenia is associated with which distinct physical change in the brain during adolescence?
  • A. An excessive pruning of synaptic connections driven by an overexpression of the C4 gene.
  • B. A complete failure of the brain to prune any synaptic connections.
  • C. The rapid, uncontrolled growth of new neurons in the prefrontal cortex.
  • D. The severe depletion of dopamine in the substantia nigra.
Question 5 of 10
What did the famous patient H.M. reveal about human memory?
  • A. Memory is stored entirely in the prefrontal cortex.
  • B. The brain has separate systems for explicit memory (events/people) and implicit memory (learned motor tasks).
  • C. Removing the hippocampus permanently destroys both implicit and explicit memory.
  • D. Misfolded proteins are the primary cause of epileptic seizures.
Question 6 of 10
What causes the characteristic tremors and loss of movement associated with Parkinson's disease?
  • A. An excess of dopamine flooding the brain's reward system.
  • B. The destruction of serotonin-producing neurons in the limbic system.
  • C. Misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins killing dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra.
  • D. The deterioration of the brain stem due to chronically elevated cortisol levels.
Question 7 of 10
Why is addiction considered a chronic illness rather than a simple lack of willpower?
  • A. It permanently alters the brain's reward system, deeply associating places and people with compulsive pleasure-seeking.
  • B. It destroys the frontal lobe, making it impossible for an addict to understand the consequences of their actions.
  • C. It forces the brain to completely stop producing its own dopamine, making the body physically dependent on the substance for survival.
  • D. It causes an overproduction of synaptic connections that cannot be pruned away without medical intervention.
Question 8 of 10
According to the book, what accounts for the variations found in human sex and gender identity?
  • A. Gender identity is exclusively determined by the presence or absence of the Y chromosome.
  • B. Variations arise because anatomical, gonadal, and chromosomal sex develop at different times, allowing for hormonal and genetic disruptions.
  • C. The brain's social networks consciously choose a gender identity during early childhood development.
  • D. Excessive synaptic pruning during adolescence alters the brain's original anatomical sex.
Question 9 of 10
How does cognitive psychologist Bernard Baars's 'global workspace' theory explain consciousness?
  • A. Consciousness occurs when the brain completely shuts down its unconscious processing to focus entirely on one sensory input.
  • B. Consciousness is an illusion created by the continuous release of dopamine in the brain's reward center.
  • C. Sensory information becomes conscious only when attention amplifies the signal and broadcasts it to higher brain regions.
  • D. Consciousness is determined by the specific folding shape of proteins within the prefrontal cortex.
Question 10 of 10
Based on the book's actionable advice, how does physical exercise help keep the mind sharp and boost memory?
  • A. It increases the flow of oxygenated red blood cells specifically to the amygdala.
  • B. It promotes bone density, which increases the release of osteocalcin, a hormone that promotes memory-boosting neurotransmitters.
  • C. It prevents the C4 gene from over-pruning synapses in the hippocampus.
  • D. It directly burns away the misfolded prions that cause Alzheimer's and dementia.

The Disordered Mind — Full Chapter Overview

The Disordered Mind Summary & Overview

The Disordered Mind (2018) explores what disorders and diseases of the brain can tell us about the inner workings of our minds. Acclaimed neuroscientist Eric R. Kandel draws on a lifetime of research to explain what depression, schizophrenia, addiction, and more reveal about how our brains affect our thoughts, feelings, and behavior – and explains how new scientific methods could help solve the big puzzle of consciousness.

Who Should Listen to The Disordered Mind?

  • Armchair philosophers, hobby psychologists, and aspiring neuroscientists
  • People affected by Alzheimer’s, depression, schizophrenia, or other neurological disorders
  • Anyone puzzled by the mystery of consciousness

About the Author: Eric R. Kandel

Eric R. Kandel is a psychologist, physiologist, and one of the pioneers of modern neuroscience. In 2000, his research on memory storage in the brain won him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He has written several books on the topic of neurobiology, psychiatry, art, memory, and the mind.

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