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Impulsive artistic creativity as a presentation of transient cognitive alterations
Y Finkelstein1, J Vardi, I Hod
1Department of Neurology, Shaare Zadek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Behavioral Medicine (Washington, D.C.)
|January 1, 1991
Summary
A patient experienced bizarre behaviors and seizures, including impulsive drawing, linked to left hemisphere dysfunction. This suggests a "release phenomenon" where right hemisphere artistic skills emerged during altered cognitive states.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- A 27-year-old male mosaic artisan presented with unusual behavioral episodes and seizures.
- The patient had no prior history of artistic interest or activity.
Observation:
- During episodes, the patient reported sensations of being engulfed and experienced impulsive drawing.
- Electroencephalography (EEG) revealed a left frontotemporal epileptic focus.
- Brain imaging (SPECT) indicated reduced technetium-99m-labeled hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) uptake in the left frontoparietal region.
Findings:
- Psychodiagnostic testing suggested left frontal lobe dysfunction with right hemisphere dominance.
- The transient cognitive alterations and artistic bursts are hypothesized to stem from left hemisphere spreading depression.
- Intact right hemisphere integrative functions may have allowed for the emergence of visuospatial skills.
Implications:
- This case presents a unique manifestation of transient cognitive alterations potentially linked to focal epilepsy.
- The impulsive artistic creativity could be a novel example of a