Neurology Through Art and Time: The Power of Art

Administrator: Ingrid Tein

Neuro-Archeology: Archeology meets Neuroscience
Ingrid Tein

Description of talk-Neuroarchaeology  is the application of neurosciences to solving archaeological problems, and the inclusion of archaeological data in relevant neuroscience theorizing. Both archeology and neuroscience have made important contributions to the study of the development of human intelligence. Recent breakthroughs in the cognitive and neurosciences through developments in neuroimaging e.g. fMRI, PET scanning, ERPs, and MEG, have opened a new window to the human brain and its functional architecture. An interesting observation from archeology is that many of the crucial and enduring aspects of the human condition (symbols, value, religion, literacy, etc.) appear relatively recently in the archeological record and appear to emerge from various cultural developmental trajectories. It is generally agreed that materiality, cultural practices and social interaction play special roles in shaping the human mind through its long development and evolution. One striking example of where archeology and neuroscience meet is through the use of PET scanning during experimental stone toolkmaking which supports a coevolutionary hypothesis linking the emergence of language and toolmaking, with imaging data showing that neural circuits supporting stone toolmaking partially overlap with language circuits, suggesting that these behaviours share a foundation in more general human capacities for complex, goal-directed action. The convergence of neurosciences & archeology will be the focus of this talk.

Paintings – Through a Neurologist’s Lens
Bernard Dan

Description of talk- Brouillet’s 1887 ‘A Clinical Lesson at the Salpêtrière’, portrays a hall of fame of contemporary French neurologists attending a clinical demonstration of functional dystonia, many of whom lent their name to signs and diseases well known to neurologists, e.g. Charcot, Marie, Babinski, Tourette, and Bourneville. Artists with neurological conditions may offer their own perspective, raise awareness, or sometimes demonstrate pictorial manifestation of their neurological functioning. Occasionally, a painting inspired a clinician to report a condition, e.g. Angelman syndrome. Many a medical doctor has similarly revisited classical paintings, overinterpreting features as clinical signs, e.g. Breughel characters’ cramped grimace as cranial dystonia, or Ribera’s ‘The Club Foot’ highlighted by Freud as a depiction of the cerebral palsy, but proposed by others to display typical signs of arthrogryposis, dwarfism, or poliomyelitis. Retrospective ‘diagnoses’ confirm the obvious notion that recently recognised disorders are not new. But images set in a culturally distinct context place interestingly similar or dissimilar emphasis on different aspects. The evocation of some artworks captures imagination with a host of dramatic details, including those with positive connotation. When the traps of analogy and metaphor can be avoided, this may serve the purpose of spreading knowledge of neurological conditions among physicians, those directly involved with patients, and society at large.
 

Going to the Movies (with a Neurologist)
Viraj Sanghi

Description of talk- Going to the movies has been one of the greatest forms of entertainment since the early part of the 20th Century. Depiction of medical disorders and in particular neurological diseases has been increasingly omnipresent on the silver screen as well as television and the OTT platforms more recently. The portrayal of neurological disorders in cinema has been a subject of scrutiny and debate. While movies can increase public awareness of neurological conditions, they can also perpetuate stereotypes and misconceptions about these disorders. The representation of neurological disorders in movies can affect the public's attitudes towards individuals with these conditions and shape their understanding of the disease. Some movies have been praised for their accurate portrayal of neurological disorders whilst other films have been criticized for their inaccuracy or for stigmatizing portrayal of these conditions. This talk will review some aspects of these depictions in an audio-visual experience for the delegate. And yes, keep your popcorn ready!
 

Neurology of Musical Masters
Phillip Pearl

Description of talk- This lecture-concert will explore the role of neurology in the work and lives of great musical masters, spanning from the classical period to modern music.  The acquired, progressive sensorineural deafness of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) remains unsolved but the clinical course and autopsy data, with the composer’s body having been exhumed twice, derive a full differential diagnosis with Paget disease being the most likely explanation.  The erratic productivity and untimely death of the Romantic period composer Robert Schumann (1810-1856) was arguably attributable to a combination of bipolar affective disorder and tertiary neurosyphilis.  His widow Clara Schumann (1819-1896), a magnificent pianist and composer of complex works, suffered rheumatism and strokes yet buoyed by her platonic relationship with Johannes Brahms.  The familial dementia of Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) was accurately described in Brain by the great neurologist Alajounine.  Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1974), arguably the greatest composer for piano of the 20th Century, suffered a neurodegenerative disorder most consistent with prolonged ALS.  Cole Porter (1891-1964), the prolific contributor to the Great American Song Book, suffered severe phantom limb pain following amputation for traumatic nerve injuries.  A clinicopathologic correlation of the tumor of George Gershwin (1898-1937) will demonstrate the herniation pattern and pathologic misdiagnosis of perhaps the greatest melodist of all time.