Artistic tendencies linked to ‘schizophrenia gene’
PET scans of a schizophrenia sufferer's brain (left) and normal brain (right).
New Scientist is reporting a fascinating study suggesting a statistical correlation between a gene linked to schizophrenia and creativity. The study, conducted by Szabolcs Kéri, a researcher at Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary:
“examined a gene involved in brain development called neuregulin 1, which previous studies have linked to a slightly increased risk of schizophrenia. Moreover, a single DNA letter mutation that affects how much of the neuregulin 1 protein is made in the brain has been linked to psychosis, poor memory and sensitivity to criticism . . .
“To determine how these variations affect creativity, Kéri genotyped 200 adults who responded to adverts seeking creative and accomplished volunteers. He also gave the volunteers two tests of creative thinking, and devised an objective score of their creative achievements, such as filing a patent or writing a book.
“People with two copies of the neuregulin 1 mutation – about 12 per cent of the study participants – tended to score notably higher on these measures of creativity, compared with other volunteers with one or no copy of the mutation. Those with one copy were also judged to be more creative, on average, than volunteers without the mutation. All told, the mutation explained between 3 and 8 per cent of the differences in creativity”.
I’m always a little sceptical of such studies, not least because of the reductive assumptions inherent in their methodology. But this research fits neatly with a number of other studies suggesting a link between mood disorders and creativity (some of which I’ve mentioned before).
You can read more at New Scientist. And while you’re there, take a minute or two to read this story about researchers turning brain scans into sound, a process which not only reveals patterns and rhythms not always visible to the eye, but also allows the “unsteady rhythms and cadences” (a lovely expression) of dysfunctions such as schizophrenia to emerge. Stranger still is the fact the music of the (hemi)spheres sounds just like early Philip Glass.
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last Monday, and after playing it almost non-stop ever since, I still can’t stop listening to it. They might wear their influences on their sleeves (and lead singer Ian Felice sounds almost eerily like Bob Dylan) but there’s nothing derivative about their crazy, joyous, rackety energy, or the sense of history lurking in the songs. Their 
So. I’m working on a piece about vampire lit for the July issue of 
.
) but anyone wanting a taste of what he’s about might want to spend a moment or two listening to the live recording of ‘Flightless Bird, American Mouth’ below.
Sad news yesterday about the death of the brilliant and multi-talented Jay Bennett. Most famous for co-writing and playing guitar on 
, 
and 
, the latter part of Bennett’s career was often overshadowed by the circumstances surrounding the breakdown of his relationship with Wilco frontman, 
.
Who says Okies are backwards? Today’s Entertainment Weekly reports:
really set my world on fire) but I’d forgive almost anything for 
. And then there’s this wonderful video of ‘Rise up with Fists’, from 
(for what it’s worth, I think the crappy lip-sync is deliberate) . . .
city of tongues 