Parkinson’s and Creativity
Creative expression varies from person-to-person. For some, it means generating out-of-the-box ideas. To others, it takes the form of self-expression through painting, singing, music or dance. Creativity’s role in Parkinson’s disease (PD) has recently been explored through clinical research as well as practical applications, such as art therapy. So, how does PD impact creativity and how can creativity, in turn, be used as a tool to help manage the disease?
The Neuroscience of Creativity
Recently, scientists have been challenging the notion that creativity takes place in the “right brain”. Instead, various networks of the brain have been found to activate at different stages in the creative process (Kaufman, 2013). To build these brain networks, neurotransmitters like dopamine send brain signals from one nerve cell to another. In Parkinson’s disease, the cells which produce dopamine in the substantia nigra portion of the brain degenerate over time. Clinical symptoms of PD occur when more than half of the dopamine-producing cells are lost. The lack of dopamine affects motor symptoms such as walking and writing, and can cause involuntary movements. Mood and thought are also impacted.
New insights suggest that dopamine may also play a role in creativity. In an interview with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Rivka Inzelberg, former senior neurologist at Tel Aviv University’s Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center, points out that Vincent Van Gogh’s psychotic episodes, during which high levels of dopamine are released in the brain, often resulted in some of his best work. She conducted a research study where Parkinson’s patients and a control group (consisting of people without PD) were asked to interpret pictures, answer imagination-provoking questions and explain metaphors. Her team found that people with Parkinson’s (PwP) appeared to better understand the abstract images and provided more metaphorical, symbolic interpretations of the questions asked of them. Interestingly, PwP who were taking larger doses of dopamine producing agents provided more creative answers than PwP who were on less medication (Chang, 2015). So, while dopamine deficiency in Parkinson’s disease may impact creativity, medications like dopamine agonists and levodopa may also lead to periods of creative inspiration.
Creativity as Therapy
Liliana Carreras is a British Columbian with Parkinson’s who started painting years before she knew she had the disease. At the time, she experienced depression, and reluctantly joined a friend at an art workshop. Liliana explains, “once I spent a few minutes with a group of artists of all ages and abilities, I realized this was for me. I fully immersed myself and poured my soul onto a canvas and absolutely fell in love with the process, the atmosphere, the sense of accomplishment and the sudden spike in energy I felt. It became the best therapy for me and I couldn’t wait for the next session. I started working on my own at home and painting became my passion during every free moment I had. I quickly learned it did not matter if others liked what I did. As long as I was pleased with the process, I would continue to create. I felt encouraged, hopeful, empowered, in love with life and all that it offered.”
Years later, art continues to be a healing force for Liliana, allowing her to explore her personal identity and creativity. She has opened an online store through Etsy and started selling her work, which has allowed her to connect with people from all over the world. Liliana says that “others have also noticed my fine motor skills are great, as I hardly tremble when my mind is concentrating on the task at hand… Art has helped me in many ways deal with aspects of an otherwise gloomy outlook of this chronic illness.”
Paddi McGrath is a Vancouver-based art facilitator who has facilitated art sessions for numerous people with advanced Parkinson’s. In an email interview, she states, “anxiety and confusion is a big part of the disease and art can be magical in its ability to produce calm. I think this is one of its greatest benefits. One of our residents with advanced Parkinson’s has the reputation of creating havoc in his living area because he can’t stop moving due to anxiety. He crashes into furniture and walls in his wheelchair and constantly calls out for help. As soon as he starts painting in our studio, he calms down and can focus for a couple of hours.”
People with Parkinson’s across the province have found creative ways to help manage the many symptoms of the disease. Regardless of whether the creative outlet is visual art sessions, song groups like SongShine or dance programs like Dance for PD, it is important for people to stay physically and mentally active while socializing. Most people find that these activities are enjoyable, relaxing and, when conducted in a social setting, can help alleviate feelings of isolation and depression.
This content was published in the Summer 2018 edition of our quarterly magazine, Viewpoints. The content was accurate as of this publication date.