2 of 6

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

came before the psychological struggle or the other way around,it is best viewed as inconclusive.

Another study at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee also tries to shed more light on the subject of creativity and psychosis. The research centers around a group of people with highly advanced and enhanced creativity called schizotypes.

According to lead research author Bradley Folley, " ..schizotypes are not abnormal and do not suffer many of the symptoms affecting schizophrenics like paranoia, hallucinations and incoherent thoughts, ...but they do exhibit certain eccentricities.. and idiosyncratic ways of thinking."

The Vanderbilt study utilizes brain-imaging techniques to analyze the creative thinking processes of Schizotypes, schizophrenics and normal control subjects. In the experiment, the three groups are asked to assign creative uses for objects and the resulting brain activity is recorded and analyzed.

The results indicated that though the activity on both brain hemispheres (left-right) on all test subjects was activated, the Schizotypes exhibited higher access to their right hemisphere which is the seat of the intuitive and creative processes. The speculation is that they have more access to this hemisphere or they use more of the right side of their brain than the rest of the population.

We may never fully understand what drives the most creative among us to embrace the deep darkness arising in their consummate minds; we can only defer to wonderment, as so eloquently stated by Professor Raj Persaud of the Royal College of Psychiatrists,

" ... recurrent sense of tragedy... seems to characterize the reach for greatness. It is almost as if genius is not something that naturally arises out of normal humanity, but despite it."

http://www.livescience.com /health/050907_schizotype_crea tive.html
http://www.vanderbilt .edu/register/articles?id=2163 9

Learn more about this author, L K. J.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about The creative fine line between genius and insanity?
We want to hear your view. Write now!