Creative minds 'mimic schizophrenia'

[rhody]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/10154775.stm"

Creativity is akin to insanity, say scientists who have been studying how the mind works. Brain scans reveal striking similarities in the thought pathways of highly creative people and those with schizophrenia. Both groups lack important receptors used to filter and direct thought. It could be this uninhibited processing that allows creative people to "think outside the box", say experts from Sweden's Karolinska Institute. In some people, it leads to mental illness.

and

Similarly, people who have mental illness in their family have a higher chance of being creative. Associate Professor Fredrik Ullen believes his findings could help explain why. He looked at the brain's http://www.acnp.org/g4/gn401000014/ch014.html" genes which experts believe govern divergent thought. He found highly creative people who did well on tests of divergent thought had a lower than expected density of D2 receptors in the thalamus - as do people with schizophrenia. The thalamus serves as a relay centre, filtering information before it reaches areas of the cortex, which is responsible, amongst other things, for cognition and reasoning. "Fewer D2 receptors in the thalamus probably means a lower degree of signal filtering, and thus a higher flow of information from the thalamus," said Professor Ullen. He believes it is this barrage of uncensored information that ignites the creative spark. This would explain how highly creative people manage to see unusual connections in problem-solving situations that other people miss.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine_receptor"

Hopefully this will generate some interesting discussion, zooby, fuzzy ? lurkers...

Rhody...

 

[rewebster]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0gPulu85q04&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0gPulu85q04&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

 

[fuzzyfelt]

This seems in line with a paper I just linked to in my reply to you in another thread-
http://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/daniel.nettle/jrp.pdf

 

[rhody]

This seems in line with a paper I just linked to in my reply to you in another thread-
http://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/daniel.nettle/jrp.pdf

Abstract
Many researchers have found evidence of an association between creativity and the predisposition to mental illness. However, a number of questions remain unanswered. First, it is not clear whether healthy creatives have a milder loading on schizotypal traits than people who suffer serious psychopathology, or whether they have an equal loading, but other mediating characteristics. Second, most of the existing research has concentrated on artistic creativity, and the position of other creative domains is not yet clear. The present study compares schizotypy profiles using the O-LIFE inventory in a large sample of poets, artists, mathematicians, the general population, and psychiatric patients. Poets and artists have levels of unusual experiences that are higher than controls, and as high as schizophrenia patients. However, they are relatively low on the dimension of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anhedonia" . Moreover, different domains of creativity require different cognitive profiles, with poetry and art associated with divergent thinking, schizophrenia and affective disorder, and mathematics associated with convergent thinking and autism.

Ohhh boy... see abstract from Fuzzy's link above: See link in first phrase in blue above, introvertive anhedonia I never have heard of this before, anyone else ? From the wiki link in this line:

Sexual anhedonia in males is also known as 'ejaculatory anhedonia'. This rare [clarification needed] condition means that the person will ejaculate with no accompanying sense of pleasure.

The condition is most frequently found in males, but women can suffer from lack of pleasure when the body goes through the orgasm process as well.

Sexual anhedonia may be caused by:

* Hyperprolactinaemia[citation needed]
* Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), also called inhibited sexual desire
* Low levels of the hormone testosterone[citation needed]
* Spinal cord injury
* Use (or previous use) of SSRI antidepressants[3]
* Fatigue
* Physical illness

It's very uncommon that a neurological examination and blood tests can determine the cause of a specific case of sexual anhedonia.

Patients may be prescribed sustained-release http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bupropion" to aid in treatment, which has been shown to relieve sexual dysfunction even in patients without depression.

Rhody...

P.S. The lack of citations here means I have to do more digging to be sure this is correct, but I thought it sufficient to post.

 

[LudusRex]

I find this research to be intriguing and important in understanding the complexities of the human mind. The link between creativity and mental illness has long been debated, and these findings provide new insight into the underlying mechanisms that may contribute to both.

It is fascinating to see that highly creative individuals and those with schizophrenia share a similar lack of D2 receptors in the thalamus. This suggests that there may be a common pathway that leads to both creativity and mental illness. However, it is important to note that this does not mean that all creative individuals will develop schizophrenia, as there are certainly other factors at play.

Additionally, the idea that a lower degree of signal filtering in the thalamus allows for a higher flow of information and potentially sparks creativity is a compelling concept. It speaks to the idea that creativity may be a result of our brains being able to think beyond traditional boundaries and make connections that others may not see.

This research also highlights the importance of understanding the role of dopamine receptors in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in many brain functions, including cognition and emotion. The fact that D2 receptors are involved in both creativity and schizophrenia further emphasizes the complexity of this neurotransmitter and its impact on our mental health.

Overall, this research opens up new avenues of investigation and raises important questions about the relationship between creativity and mental illness. It is important to continue studying these connections in order to gain a deeper understanding of the human mind and potentially develop new treatments for mental illnesses.