Jordi Montero

La importancia del contacto piel con piel, del contacto físico como expresión de emociones y de cómo su base es primordialmente biológica son los temas centrales de este libro. No hacemos más que comportarnos como los animales que somos, expresando nuestros principios más elementales, que tienen una visión física, química en el cerebro, de redes neuronales que ya vamos conociendo bien. Porque si no nos podemos tocar, ¿para qué un cuerpo? ¿Para qué, si nadie te toca, nadie te huele, nadie está tan cerca como para escuchar el latido de tu corazón o ver los cambios de tu piel cuando te da la brisa? ¿Qué más da comer o no comer cuando hacerlo ya no es compartir ni rituales ni placeres ni animadas conversaciones alrededor de una mesa? Desde una perspectiva neurocientífica, el presente ensayo trata sobre la importancia primordial del contacto piel con piel, su papel en la expresión de las emociones y de la relación interpersonal. El autor realza la importancia de la neurobiología para entendernos como especie.

“Emotions are what rules us, the most important element of our brain"

Dr Jordi Montero wanted to put everything he’d learned about pain in his long career as a neurologist down in black and white. The result is a fascinating book. With his down-to-earth, sometimes even irreverent style, Montero gives us permission to complain to our heart’s content. In exchange, he offers us something many doctors seem to have forgotten. He looks into our eyes as he listens to us, and once he understands what’s happening, he warmly explains the causes of our illness and all of its implications.

Sometimes it’s necessary to delve into the depths of that mysterious organ that is our brain, or to ask ourselves about the role of our culture when listening to our bodies. Sometimes it’s enough to pay attention to our feelings, which are closely related to our perception. Either way, this book is an honest testimony that does nothing to hide just how dramatic pain is for thousands of people around the world, while also remaining rigorous and optimistic. Thus, it helps us to understand the boundaries of pain, which certainly have nothing to do with divine will, and submerges us in neurology, a science that is revolutionising the way we view human beings and their reality.

“A book that distils love for others, with an attention to our feelings that I completely share. Highly recommended.” –Dr Eduard Estivill

“Shows how the physician’s attitude must encompass people in their vast totality: physical, mental and social. A good, educational and courageous book that many people will appreciate.” –Dr Nolasc Acarín

“Jordi Montero trusts in a basic principle: knowing how to observe and listen to the patient in order to understand and cure their illness. He reminds us that the mind is a priority organ, something we often forget.” –Dr Santiago Dexeus

“A magnificent, must-read book.” –Dr Víctor Mayoral