Saw Neurologist today

[karadinart]

My sons neurologist, and I happened to mention that someone had commented on a blog that the brains of artists and schizophrenics were similar, and you had to be 'wired' to be an artist, he and my sons pediatrician laughed and said that even at the cutting edge of science we are no where near the ability to tell where creativity comes from, not even a general part of the brain, and that any study that stated this, was much as the same as the old belief in reading bumps on the skull (phrenology) could tell you who was a genius.

The neurologist also said, (as I believe) that creativity is a learned trait. He said among his patients who are artists, they can confuse a 'quirk' as he put it, with a 'disorder', and the difference is in control.

For disorders my son's pediatrician who specializes with autistic patients is careful that the level of medications doesn't blunt creativity. Much in the way that my sons medications for his ADHD have to be kept level so he remains more verbal.

In answer to the person who said, we shouldn't treat our artists for mental illness, both the neurologist and pediatrician said without treatments, we wouldn't have more artists, we'd have more dead artists.

Comments

[archea2.livejournal.com]

Yes, I quite agree. Thinking of Virginia Woolf in 1942, writing that the pain was too much before she collected river stones for her cardigan pockets, still tweaks my heart now and then.

And I hope your son's treatment is helping.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Yah, he's fine. We only have to worry about further tests if he develops mood swings and seizures, he already had the chromosome tests years ago, which ruled out a genetic cause for the autism (such as fragile-x)