((((((((((((( Protein Spotlight Update: tipping the mind
)))))))))))))))
June 2011
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talk about the other side of the coin. There is growing evidence that
creativity may well go hand in hand with psychosis, in particular
schizophrenia. Intuitively, it does not seem so far-fetched a notion.
Just think of Salvador Dali, for example. Or Peter Sellers. But mental
illness has been around for as long as humans, so why does evolution
bother to preserve it? Precisely because of the advantages of a
creative mind. Researchers are not suggesting that someone suffering
from a mental disorder is inevitably a potential artist. Or vice
versa. At least not quite… But what they are slowly demonstrating is
that there seems to be a genetic predisposition for creativity and
psychosis. And that this predisposition has exactly the same origin
for both traits. More specifically, a protein known as neuregulin-1
may have the capacity – given the environment – to tip a mind into
mental illness or genius.
http://www.expasy.org/spotlight/back_issues/129/
((((((((((((( Protein Spotlight Update: tipping the mind
)))))))))))))))
June 2011
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talk about the other side of the coin. There is growing evidence that
creativity may well go hand in hand with psychosis, in particular
schizophrenia. Intuitively, it does not seem so far-fetched a notion.
Just think of Salvador Dali, for example. Or Peter Sellers. But mental
illness has been around for as long as humans, so why does evolution
bother to preserve it? Precisely because of the advantages of a
creative mind. Researchers are not suggesting that someone suffering
from a mental disorder is inevitably a potential artist. Or vice
versa. At least not quite… But what they are slowly demonstrating is
that there seems to be a genetic predisposition for creativity and
psychosis. And that this predisposition has exactly the same origin
for both traits. More specifically, a protein known as neuregulin-1
may have the capacity – given the environment – to tip a mind into
mental illness or genius.
http://www.expasy.org/spotlight/back_issues/129/
((((((((((((( Protein Spotlight Update: tipping the mind
)))))))))))))))
June 2011
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talk about the other side of the coin. There is growing evidence that
creativity may well go hand in hand with psychosis, in particular
schizophrenia. Intuitively, it does not seem so far-fetched a notion.
Just think of Salvador Dali, for example. Or Peter Sellers. But mental
illness has been around for as long as humans, so why does evolution
bother to preserve it? Precisely because of the advantages of a
creative mind. Researchers are not suggesting that someone suffering
from a mental disorder is inevitably a potential artist. Or vice
versa. At least not quite… But what they are slowly demonstrating is
that there seems to be a genetic predisposition for creativity and
psychosis. And that this predisposition has exactly the same origin
for both traits. More specifically, a protein known as neuregulin-1
may have the capacity – given the environment – to tip a mind into
mental illness or genius.
http://www.expasy.org/spotlight/back_issues/129/
