Art and Neurological Disorders: Illuminating the Intersection of Creativity and the Changing Brain

There is significant academic interest in the field of art and  neurological disorders. Considering how artistic expression may be  modified by alterations in neural circuits, as well as in our bodies and  everyday lives, associated with a range of disorders and diseases is a  rich territory from which to understand the workings of our brains, the  unique blend of factors leading to human art making, and disease  itself. This book will be an exposé of how different  neurological disorders may influence and/or relate to the artistic  process, with a particular focus on visual art and painting. The book  will interrogate the question of different aspects of  neurological disorders and associated brain changes that may impact  artistic expression (and vice versa) and will include devoted chapters  on Parkinson’s disease, Epilepsy, Mood Disorders, Autism, and  Schizophrenia. Moreover, we will elaborate on the question from  the perspective of the artist themselves, with chapters that highlight  the artistic process in the context of lived experience (either directly  or indirectly) with disease-mediated brain changes. Finally, engagement  in creative acts has been linked to therapeutic benefits in multiple  disease processes and neuroplasticity, which is another line of inquiry  directly addressed in the book. As a whole, the volume focuses on themes  and concepts at the boundary of creativity and neuroscience in such a  way as to be relevant to both the medical and broader  (artistic) community.