Many people are vaguely aware of the power of the human brain but few are aware of its vulnerability to quirks of temperature, chemistry, infection, and physical impact. The human brain can be captured by the flood of hormones it sends pulsing through the body or taken hostage by outside events and even its own thoughts. The Hostage Brain illuminates for the lay audience--through clear prose and striking illustrations--what the brain is, how it functions, and how it is often subverted. It reveals the most recent advances in brain research and describes key discoveries together with the social and political implications that surround them.