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I enjoyed parts of Inflamed Mind: A Radical New Approach to Depression by Edward Bullmore. It is very well written and has some good parts on the history of #psychiatry.

However, I was disappointed by the way he presented his main thesis that inflammation is the main causative mechanism in major depression. His argument isn't very convincing and he doesn't provide evidence that is solid enough to support this. There is also a major straw man throughout the book. Bullmore claims that psychiatry is stuck in Cartesian dualism yet he doesn't discuss the biopsychosocial model and rejects any psychological explanation of depression as stigmatizing. The modern scientific way of thinking about the relationship between the mind and the brain is that all mental operations arise from functions of the brain, including higher functions.

Fortunately, he is careful not to offer false hope or push unlicensed or unsafe treatments on vulnerable patients.

I originally posted this review on my blog: moftasa.net/inflamed-mind

Un livre extraordinaire. Il s'agit bien d'un roman, mais bourré de propositions concrètes pour une alternative au capitalisme dont la devise serait "Liberté, égalité, fraternité" (comment, ça existe déjà ? Seulement la devise alors, on a dû oublier la mise en oeuvre). L'auteur parvient (presque tout le temps) à se tenir sur le fil du roman (pas trop) didactique. On est pris dans l'histoire et on est émerveillé par toutes les pistes ouvertes... Une 2e lecture est indispensable pour assimiler !