Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

On Creative Madness, Sparky Sweedo

Sound Neuroscience: An Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal

There has long been an association between creative talent and some form of what may be called “madness.” Whether through the imagery of the brilliant, mad scientist, or the eccentric artist, there is a present popular attitude in favor of this notion. This association has evolved over the millennia, resulting in a quest over the last century for scientific evidence for the possibility of such a link, and for neuro-physical evidence if such a link exists. Although psychological evidence for such a correlation has historically been difficult to obtain, current knowledge suggests that the neurotransmitter dopamine is responsible for the …