SimplyWellbeing logo
SimplyWellbeing logo

Synaptic Self – Joseph LeDoux

BOOK REVIEWS

Synaptic Self – Joseph LeDoux

Book review

All about the connections

LeDoux has written an introduction to neurology from the perspective of the synapses and their biochemistry. The author is an experimental researcher into fear circuits in the brain, the book is quite advanced and sometimes a little dense and meandering.

LeDoux provides many experimental examples and diagrams that keep the book a stimulating read, as he looks at the different kinds of neurons and the formation and regulation of synapses, influenced by genetics and pre/post-natal environment. He looks at the biochemistry of synapses and their “long term potentiation” to show how this affects learning and memory. He also reviews our systems for emotion and motivation, and suggests how consciousness comes about.

The author concludes by reviewing the causes of several psychiatric disorders and how drugs treat them. A technical yet different perspective on our brains and how differences and disorders occur.
Buy on Amazon
ADHD Coach, Andrew Lewis

Andrew Lewis

Andrew Lewis is an ADHD Coach, writer and founder of SimplyWellbeing. He has over 16,000 hours and 20 years of experience in coaching over 600 ADHD executives, ADHD business professionals and ADHD creatives. Andrew ran a major ADHD support group and an ADHD diagnostic clinic for a while. He is an ADHD specialist backed with business expertise from a twenty years career in software, from roles in programming, through marketing, sales and to running a few software start-ups. 

Further reading

ADHD at work
The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
A guide to overcoming procrastination from a screen writer's personal experience
in 
ADHD at work
The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem – Nathaniel Branden
Low self esteem comes as part of the package with ADHD, this book has excellent advice in building self esteem
in 
ADHD at work
Authentic Happiness – Martin E. P. Seligman
The original, the brilliant book that kicked off the new field of positive psychology, the study of happiness
in 
ADHD at work
Journeys through ADDulthood – Sari Solden
An exploration on the adult experience of ADHD and using Sari's three step approach to self-help
in 
ADHD at work
I Know What I Want, But It’s Not This – Julie Jansen
A career coach takes you through a series of exercises to help you find what you want (and don't) from work
in 
ADHD at work
Disorganized Mind: Coaching Your ADHD Brain – Ratey
A very practical guide to helping yourself with you ADHD from the very first ever ADHD coach
in 
SimplyWellbeing logo
Copyright © 2025 SimplyWellbeing
Website designed, written and created by Andrew Lewis, using Wordpress and Oxygen
49 Station Road, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 6EA
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram