The human brain is the most complex mechanism in human history, but it also has an Achilles' heel: the molecules that give us life can also wreak havoc on our minds. This book contains astonishing stories of unruly molecules and the diseases that have sprung up in their wake. A college student can't remember whether she ate breakfast, and by dinnertime she's confined to a hospital bed, convinced she's fighting a zombie apocalypse. A man intending to propose to his girlfriend flies into violent rages and convulsions so severe he nearly bites off his tongue. One by one, poor farmers in South Carolina are falling victim to a mysterious epidemic of dementia. With a captivating blend of history and suspense, Peskin invites readers to play medical detective, tracing each diagnosis from the patient to their ailing nervous system. From time to time, she throws along the way amusing tales of scientists who were sometimes eccentric, sometimes criticized and ridiculed, yet remained dedicated to the end. Never lose sight of the human impact of the disease. Alzheimer's, for example, is not just the gradual loss of a loved one; it can become a curse passed down from generation to generation. The proteins in every cell in our bodies are not just strands of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon; they are the building blocks of our personalities and relationships. "One Molecule from Madness" is an unforgettable journey into the deepest secrets of our brains.