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The Immune Mind review: How mental and physical health combine

It's tough turning neuroimmunology into a gripping read, but Monty Lyman's excellent book provides a delightful overview of the connection between the brain, immune system and gut microbiome

By Grace Wade

10 April 2024

Illustration of the human gut microbiota.

What goes on in the gut microbiome (illustrated) may affect brain health

THOM LEACH/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

The Immune Mind
Monty Lyman (Torva)

At university, I had two roommates with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a painful condition affecting the digestive system. Both also had anxiety. But there was a key difference between them that stuck with me. While one found IBS treatments attenuated her anxiety, the other found relief through the opposite approach: her stomach pain only eased after seeing a psychiatrist. It was an astonishing lesson for me in the complexity of the relationship…

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