But they have nothing on Hieronymus Bosch.

February 11, 2006 1:04 PM

The links between some neurological disorders and increased artistic abilities are well documented. Some with decreased abilities elsewhere, such as those with semantic dementia, use it as a coping mechanism, whereas those with synaesthesia combine multiple senses to enhance their works. While some drugs, specifically LSD, can artificially produce synesthesia, that probably isn't a good muse.
posted by duende (9 comments total)

links between some neurological disorders and increased artistic abilities

Stephen Wiltshire.
posted by ericb at 1:24 PM on February 11, 2006

While some drugs, specifically LSD, can artificially produce synesthesia, that probably isn't a good muse.

"If you don't think drugs have done good things for us then do me a favor. Go home tonight and take all of your records,tapes and all your CD's and burn them. Because, you know all those musicians who made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years? Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreal fucking high on drugs, man."

Bill Hicks
posted by PeterMcDermott at 1:49 PM on February 11, 2006

Mind machines are made just for experimenting with altering the brain to recieve more complex states of mind when LSD is not available or acceptable.
posted by hanslicht at 2:45 PM on February 11, 2006

Also interesting: genetic disorder Williams Syndrome, caused by a deletion of several genes, has patients die young (of heart failure) but also affects then neurologically: they are consistently bad at (I believe) spatial recognition, but excel at language and music.
posted by easternblot at 2:50 PM on February 11, 2006

The most fucked-up web was made by the spider on caffine; the LSD one looks relatively normal.
posted by Spacelegoman at 3:39 PM on February 11, 2006

great article on synesthesia here.
posted by anda L. at 3:51 PM on February 11, 2006

A friend of mine was just telling me how an old schoolmate of his had synesthesia. She was a brilliant composer and musician, but was always a little bit off. As it turned out, she would medicate with small doses of LSD to normallize herself, akin to how someone with ADD might slow themselves down with amphetamines.
posted by duende at 4:39 PM on February 11, 2006

i didn't know synesthesia was classified as a disorder. i've always been jealous of synesthesics
posted by afu at 7:45 PM on February 11, 2006 [1 favorite]

A woman told me her child was autistic, and I thought she said artistic. So I said, "Oh, great. I'd like to see some of the things he's done."

-George Carlin
posted by ruddhist at 7:54 PM on February 12, 2006