Found this interesting article at [link]

Is There A Link Between Epilepsy And Artistry?

Terri Gruca
Reporting

(WCCO) Beethoven had it. So did Truman Capote, Vincent Van Gogh and Lewis Carroll, author of "Alice in Wonderland." Most people don't know that Carroll was writing about epilepsy when he wrote: "Down, down, down. Would the fall NEVER come to an end! 'I wonder how many miles I've fallen by this time?' she said aloud."

Carroll suffered from temporal lobe seizures and compared the experience to a falling, shrinking feeling.

"The artists who, through their work, are trying to explain what they go through during a seizure ... You can't help be brought into their world at that moment," explains Dr. Steven Schachter, an epilepsy specialist at the Harvard Medical School.

Carroll and the others were artists of exceptional talent, but their shared medical diagnoses raise the question: were they successful despite their epilepsy or because of it?

"I really don't know if having epilepsy means an individual would be more creative," said Schachter. "But I do know that having epilepsy puts the person through a series of life experiences that they wouldn't otherwise have."

Schachter collects art by people with epilepsy. He says the illness can be a path to genius, rather than an obstacle.

"It really is quite a profound experience to view this art," he said.

Art Exhibit

Recently the Minnesota Epilepsy Foundation hosted an art show titled "Brainstorms: Artwork By People With Epilepsy." Dozens of people crowded into the Colasanti family home in Minneapolis to look at paintings and sculptures. The party was noisy, what you'd expect at a celebration.

"It makes me feel good that, as an epileptic, I'm not the only one out there," said Vicki Deutsch.

The Colasanti family got involved partly because of the amazing work their own 15-year-old son Dom created. When asked if he thought his epilepsy brings out his creative spirit, Dom said, "Yes, I think my epilepsy does, because it helps me be more creative."

Dom called his sketch "Charcoal Boy," a work of art many compare to famous artists like Van Gogh. At the height of his struggles, Dom experienced debilitating headaches and near continuous seizures, yet he says his illness is simply "challenging."

"It's totally an expression of my life, of my being," said Terese, who had her first seizure after a car accident when she was 16. Removing part of her brain lessened the attacks.

She now volunteers at Camp Oz, a summer art haven in Minnesota for kids with epilepsy. The camp is a place where each year kids express themselves through various projects.

"These kids express themselves. And that's a part of them, part of their being, part of their nature," she said.

Just how much is art a part of their lives? According to Alec, "probably about 100 percent." A virus triggered epileptic seizures when Alec was just 4 years old. He barely survived an 18-day coma. His ordeal is reflected in his painting, "Do You See What I See?"

"In my head, it sort of feels like lightning," he said.

Van Gogh Connection

Scientists are working hard to unravel the "storm within," the mystery behind seizures and creativity. Van Gogh's famous "Starry Night" is one of the most studied works. It represents a classic example of halos seen by someone suffering from the side effects of digitalis, a toxic drug he was treated with.

"I don't know what's going on in the seizure and I don't know what's happening after the seizure," said Rashna, who has had epilepsy since she was 11. Her disdain for wearing an electrical contraption that measures signals from her brain is reflected in her art, a detailed painting she titled "Ambulatory EEG".

"It's very uncomfortable, you have all these wires attached to your head and you can't move around," she said.

Art influenced by epilepsy: on this night, something to celebrate. To see pictures from this exhibit and to read more about the next art exhibit head to my blog.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)