Corpo, arte e loucura em Arthur Bispo do Rosário / Body, art and madness in Arthur Bispo do Rosário / Cuerpo, arte y locura en Arthur Bispo do Rosário / Corps, arts et folie chez Arthur Bispo do Rosário

Resumo Este artigo investiga a relação corpo, arte e loucura na obra de Arthur Bispo do Rosário, pelo referencial teórico psicanalítico freud-lacaniano em diálogo com outros campos do saber, a partir das seguintes interrogações: de que maneira a psicanálise dialoga com a temática da arte? Qual o estatuto da arte na psicose? Como sujeitos psicóticos fazem uso da arte, pela via das invenções, a fim de lidar com o corpo e estabilizar seu sofrimento psíquico? Nesse sentido, traçamos considerações sobre o estatuto da arte na psicanálise, levantamos algumas contribuições histórico-filosóficas sobre a relação entre arte e loucura e apreciamos a obra de Bispo à luz das proposições de Jacques Alain-Miller, com vistas a compreender os modos através dos quais a arte produzida por sujeitos em sofrimento psíquico pode servir de anteparo à loucura e favorecer a forma como eles lidam com seu corpo.

Abstract This essay investigates the relations between body, art, and madness in Arthur Bispo do Rosário's oeuvre based on the Freudian-Lacanian psychoanalytic theoretical reference, in dialogue with other fields of knowledge, drawing on the following interrogations: in what ways does psychoanalysis dialogues with the theme of art? What is the status of art in psychosis? How do psychotic individuals use art, through inventions, to deal with the body and stabilize their psychic suffering? In this regard, this paper discusses the status of art in psychoanalysis, brings some historical-philosophical contributions to the relationship between art and madness, and interprets his work in the light of Jacques Alain-Miller's propositions, to understand the ways in which the art produced by subjects in psychological distress can serve as a buffer to madness and favor how they deal with their bodies.

Resumen Este artículo analiza la relación entre cuerpo, arte y locura en la obra de Arthur Bispo do Rosario, por el referencial teórico psicoanalítico freud-lacaniano en diálogo con otros campos del saber, partiendo de los siguientes interrogantes: ¿De qué manera el psicoanálisis dialoga con la temática del arte? ¿Cuál es el estatuto del arte en la psicosis? ¿Cómo sujetos psicóticos hacen uso del arte, por la vía de las invenciones, a fin de tratar con el cuerpo y estabilizar su sufrimiento psíquico? Para ello, trazamos consideraciones sobre el estatuto del arte en el psicoanálisis, levantamos algunas contribuciones histórico-filosóficas sobre la relación arte y locura y apreciamos la obra de Bispo a la luz de las proposiciones de Jacques Alain-Miller, con miras a comprender los modos a través de los cuales el arte producido por sujetos en sufrimiento psíquico puede servir de amparo a la locura y favorecer la forma de cómo lidian con su cuerpo.

Résumé Cet essai étudie les relations le corps, l'art et la folie chez Arthur Bispo do Rosário à partir de la référence théorique psychanalytique freudienne-lacanienne, en dialogue avec d'autres domaines de connaissance, en s'appuyant sur les interrogations suivantes : de quelle manière la psychanalyse dialogue-t-elle avec le thème de l'art ? Quel est le statut de l'art dans la psychose ? Comment les individus psychotiques utilisent-ils l'art, à travers des inventions, pour faire face au corps et stabiliser leur souffrance psychique ? À cet égard, cet article discute du statut de l'art dans la psychanalyse, apporte quelques contributions historico-philosophiques à la relation entre l'art et la folie, et interprète son travail à la lumière des propositions de Jacques Alain-Miller, afin de comprendre comment l'art produit par les sujets en souffrance psychique peut servir de tampon à la folie et favoriser la façon dont ils font face à leur corps.

The Development of Kraepelin's Concept of Dementia Praecox: A Close Reading of Relevant Texts.

In 1893 and 1896, in his fourth and fifth textbook editions, Emil Kraepelin brought together 3 syndromes to form the first and second of his 2 prequels to dementia praecox (DP), a definitive version of which he would propose in his 1899 sixth textbook edition. These syndromes, which would become hebephrenic DP, catatonic DP, and paranoid DP, each had distinct histories. Hebephrenic DP was derived from syndromes first proposed by Hecker, and catatonic DP was derived from syndromes first proposed by Kahlbaum, and then both were substantially revised. Kraepelin created paranoid DP de novo from a division of his early broad delusional syndrome Verrücktheit, distinguishing it from paranoia. Two of these syndromes (catatonic DP and paranoid DP) were present in different forms in his earlier textbook editions, and 1 syndrome (hebephrenic DP) was not. In his 2 prequels, the 3 syndromes were listed together with a brief preface. In the sixth textbook edition, they became "clinical forms" of DP with a lengthy integrative introduction. Much more than in his prequels, in his sixth edition, Kraepelin stitched these 3 syndromes together, emphasizing their shared signs, symptoms, and course. Hebephrenia was the core of Kraepelin's DP concept, while the paranoid subtype fitted least comfortably within his framework. His term dementia was meant in a broad sense consistent with both short-term and rare long-term recoveries. Kraepelin was a pragmatist, not a purist, in his nosologic work and focused both on clinical features and course and outcome. He experimented with various nosologic categories, willing to revise earlier formulations in the light of new data. He was more tentative about his conclusions than many who followed him.

Maurice Ravel's dementia: the silence of a genius / A demência de Maurice Ravel: o silêncio de um gênio

ABSTRACT Maurice Ravel is one of the most important French musicians. In the last years of his life, Ravel was victim of a dementia of uncertain etiology that caused aphasia, apraxia, agraphia and amusia. The artistic brain of the author of eternal musical compositions was progressively silenced due to his neurodegenerative disease. On the 90th anniversary of Boléro, this historical note revisits Ravel's case and discusses the relationship of his dementia to his artistic production. It illustrates the intimacy that can exist between art, music, creativity, and neurology.

RESUMO Maurice Ravel é um dos músicos franceses mais importantes. Nos últimos anos de vida, Ravel foi vítima de uma demência de etiologia incerta que causou afasia, apraxia, agrafia e amusia. O cérebro artístico do autor de eternas composições musicais foi progressivamente silenciado devido à sua doença neurodegenerativa. No 90° aniversário de Bolero, esta nota histórica revive o caso de Ravel e discute a relação de sua demência em sua produção artística. Ele ilustra a intimidade que pode existir entre arte, música e criatividade com a neurologia.

Kraepelin's description of chronic mania: a clinical picture that meets the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia phenotype.

Chronic mania is an under-investigated condition and few reports have associated this disorder with an organic background. The present work examines Kraepelin's reliable description of chronic mania from a current behavioral neurology viewpoint. Kraepelin had described a cluster of symptoms that are now recognized as core manifestations of the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) clinical phenotype. We also carried out additional reviews of original manuscripts from Kraepelin's peers, in order to find any case reports that might fulfill the current diagnostic proposal for bvFTD. Even though we failed to find an ideal case, we found some scholars who seemed to agree that chronic mania should be considered a special form of dementia. The present work highlights, through historical data, the possible overlapping features between primary psychiatric disorders and neuropsychiatric symptoms secondary to neurodegenerative conditions.

Kraepelin's description of chronic mania: a clinical picture that meets the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia phenotype / A descrição de Kraepelin de mania crônica: um quadro clínico que corresponde ao fenótipo da variante comportamental da demência fronto-temporal

ABSTRACT Chronic mania is an under-investigated condition and few reports have associated this disorder with an organic background. The present work examines Kraepelin’s reliable description of chronic mania from a current behavioral neurology viewpoint. Kraepelin had described a cluster of symptoms that are now recognized as core manifestations of the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) clinical phenotype. We also carried out additional reviews of original manuscripts from Kraepelin’s peers, in order to find any case reports that might fulfill the current diagnostic proposal for bvFTD. Even though we failed to find an ideal case, we found some scholars who seemed to agree that chronic mania should be considered a special form of dementia. The present work highlights, through historical data, the possible overlapping features between primary psychiatric disorders and neuropsychiatric symptoms secondary to neurodegenerative conditions.

RESUMO A mania crônica constitui uma condição subinvestigada e alguns trabalhos têm associado esta desordem a um substrato orgânico. O presente manuscrito analisa a descrição fidedigna de Kraepelin de mania crônica a partir de um ponto de vista atual da neurologia comportamental. Concebemos que ele havia descrito um conjunto de sintomas que atualmente é reconhecido como manifestações centrais do fenótipo clínico da variante comportamental da demência frontotemporal (bvFTD). Também realizamos uma revisão adicional de manuscritos originais de pares contemporâneos de Kraepelin, a fim de procurar por um único relato de caso que poderia preencher critério diagnóstico atual de bvFTD. Mesmo que não tenhamos conseguido encontrar um caso perfeitamente exemplar, identificamos que alguns estudiosos da época pareciam concordar que a mania crônica devesse ser considerada uma forma especial de demência. O presente trabalho destaca por meio de dados históricos a sobreposição entre transtornos psiquiátricos primários e sintomas neuropsiquiátricos secundários a doenças neurodegenerativas.

The development of the dementia concept in 19th century / Desenvolvimento do conceito de demência no século XIX

The dementia concept has been reformulated through its history and the 19th century was remarkable in the construction of this concept as we understand it today. Like other syndromes, much of the history of the dementia concept comes from the attempt to separate it from other nosological conditions, giving it a unique identity. The fundamental elements for the arising of the dementia modern concept were: a) correlation of the observed syndrome with organic-cerebral lesions; b) understanding of the irreversibility of the dementia evolution; c) its relation with human ageing; and d) the choice of the cognitive dysfunction as a clinical marker of the dementia concept.

O conceito de demência vem sofrendo reformulações ao longo de sua história e o século XIX foi decisivo na construção de seu conceito tal como o utilizamos na atualidade. Como ocorre com outras síndromes, muito da história do conceito de demência reflete as tentativas de separá-la de outros distúrbios e conferir-lhe uma identidade própria. Os elementos fundamentais para o amadurecimento do moderno conceito de demência foram: a) a correlação da síndrome observada com lesões orgânico-cerebrais; b) a noção de irreversibilidade associada ao processo demencial; c) sua relação com o processo de envelhecimento humano; e d) a escolha da disfunção cognitiva como marcadora clínica do conceito de demência.

The war against dementia: are we battle weary yet?

Recently, the use of military metaphors when discussing dementia and in particular Alzheimer's disease has increased, both in medical literature and mainstream media. While military metaphors are a recent adoption when used to describe dementia, in oncology there has been longstanding debate about the usefulness of such metaphors. This article reviews the history of military metaphors in medicine, literature discussing their use, and considers their use in describing dementia. While military metaphors are widely used in medicine, consideration should be taken in their use as they have the potential to influence the way we and our patients conceptualise and experience illness and treatment.

Friederich Nietzsche and the seduction of Occam's razor.

Friedrich Nietzsche developed dementia at the age of 44 years. It is generally assumed that the cause of his dementia was neurosyphilis or general pareisis of the insane (GPI). Others have proposed frontal-based meningioma as the underlying cause. We have reviewed Nietzsche's medical history and evaluated the evidence from the medical examinations he underwent by various physicians. We have viewed the possible diagnosis of GPI or meningioma in light of present neuro-ophthalmic understanding and found that Nietzsche did not have the neurological or neuro-ophthalmic symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of GPI. The anisocoria which was assumed to be Argyll Robertson pupil was present since he was six years of age. He did not have tongue tremor, lacked progressive motor features and lived at least 12 years following the onset of his neurological signs. Furthermore, the headaches that have been attributed to a frontal-based tumour were present since childhood and the pupil abnormality that has been interpreted as an "afferent pupillary defect" had the characteristics of an abnormality of the efferent pupillary innervation. None of the medical records or photographs suggest there was any ocular misalignment. We concluded that neither diagnosis of GPI nor frontal-based meningioma is convincing. It is likely that Nietzsche suffered from migraines, his blindness in his right eye was a consequence of high progressive myopia associated with retinal degeneration, his anisocoria explained by unilateral tonic pupil, and his dementia by an underlying psychiatric disease.

The blindness, deafness and madness of King George III: psychiatric interactions.

Recent research has thrown considerable doubt on the claim that King George III suffered from variegate porphyria, but indicates that he suffered recurrent attacks of mania as part of his bipolar disorder. George III's last episode of ill health occurred during the final decade of his life (1810-20). This has been diagnosed as chronic mania with an element of dementia. During this period the king was blind and possibly deaf, which may have contributed to his psychiatric condition. His blindness was due to bilateral cataracts; serious consideration was given at the time to surgery, but this was not carried out. The possible contribution of the king's blindness to his illness is discussed with respect to the roles of his medical attendants. It was also claimed that George III showed progressive deafness and this claim has been re-examined. However, the medical reports by the attending physicians and psychiatrists (mad doctors) do not support this claim.

Entendendo o que é demência / Understanding what is dementia

Desde o século XX a demência representa um termo genérico que apresenta várias causas e, pode ser definida como síndrome caracterizada pelo declínio de memória associada a déficit de pelo menos uma outra função cognitiva (capacidade de orientação, linguagem, atenção, capacidade de cálculo e outras) com intensidade suficiente para interferir no desempenho social ou profissional do indivíduo, comprometendo sua qualidade de vida

What was the cause of Nietzsche's dementia?

Many scholars have argued that Nietzsche's dementia was caused by syphilis. A careful review of the evidence suggests that this consensus is probably incorrect. The syphilis hypothesis is not compatible with most of the evidence available. Other hypotheses--such as slowly growing right-sided retro-orbital meningioma--provide a more plausible fit to the evidence.

Degeneraçäo lobar frontotemporal: histórico, evoluçäo do conceito, classificaçäo / Frontetemporal lobar degeneration: historical aspects, conceptual evolution, classification

As desordens associadas com degeneraçäo frontotemporal correspondem ao segundo grupo de maior prevalência entre as demências degenerativas corticais pré-senis. Essas desordens säo conhecidas desde 1892 e somente 100 anos depois ganharam reconhecimento clínico. Os aspectos clínicos e histopatológicos foram foco de inúmeros estudos e as dificuldades de delimitaçäo da desordem geraram grande confusäo taxonômica. A controvérsia parece ter sido resolvida com a organizaçäo da classificaçäo pela distribuiçäo anatômica em degeneraçäo frontotemporal que inclui as síndromes clínicas de demência frontotemporal, afasia progressiva e demência/afasia semântica. O artigo apresenta uma revisäo dos aspectos históricos e as classificaçöes propostas para o grupo das degeneraçöes frontotemporais

[Was Emmanuel Kant's dementia symptomatic of a frontal tumor?]. / La démence d'Emmanuel Kant était-elle symptômatique d'une tumeur frontale?

Using a retrospective diagnostic approach based upon an analysis of the clinical data found in biographical documents, the author explores the medical peculiarities apparent in the life of Emmanuel Kant. The clinical history is globally dominated by neurological and ophthalmological symptoms. From a neurological standpoint, the philosopher started to manifest around the age of fifty a subtle deterioration of his mental powers. This disorder gradually impaired his intelligence and judgement, progressing slowly toward dementia. He also manifested signs of raised intracranial pressure, and later, frontal symptoms such as a slackening of social inhibitions, stereotypies and affective disinterest. An anosmia is also reported and several episodes of loss of consciousness are highly reminiscent of late-onset epileptic fits. Ophthalmological findings include transient visual obscurations, a bout of diplopia, and a progressive loss of vision in his left eye. Various diagnostic hypotheses found in the literature are then reviewed. These hypotheses are confronted with the clinical data and the reasons for their inadequacy are assessed. The nature of the clinical features, in conjunction with the similarity underlying the evolution of the neuro-ophthalmological symptoms and the philosopher's psychological profile, leads us to propose a diagnosis of frontal tumor, possibly of meningiomatous origin. This aetiology makes it possible to account for more biographical data than has been the case with other hypotheses presented to date.

Enfermedad de Alzheimer / Alzheimer's disease

La demencia degenerativa primaria tipo Alzheimer, denominación actual, representa un problema progresivo, tanto médica como social y económicamente. Su diagnóstico temprano, basado en criterios médicos, puede mejorar algunos aspectos de la evolución previsible de estos enfermos, hoy por hoy, desahuciados

A historical perspective on the neuropathology of dementia with emphasis on the senile plaque

Las investigaciones acerca del origen de cambios degenerativos en la enfermedad de Alzheimer (AD) han dado lugar a un inmumerables especulaciones en cuanto a su posible etiología. Partiendo de las descripciones originales de Blocq, Marinesco, Redlich y Alzheimer, modelos especulativos basados en la patologia característica de AD (mayormente placas seniles) han sido propuestos. Estos modelos se han basado en el análisis de los constituyentes de placas seniles, cambios neurofibrilares y degeneración granulovacuolar, la topografía de los cambios patológicos y su relación a las manifestaciones clínicas. Algunas de la hipótesis del principios del siglo, incluyendo el origen infeccioso de las placas seniles, el rompimiento de la barrera hematoencefálica, y la evolución de las placas seniles, son investigadas al presente, algunas veces tomadas fuera de contexto y en ocasiones redescubiertas. El entendimiento de estas primeras ideas y descubrimientos provee el necesario reconocimiento a los primeros investigadores al mismo tiempo que proporciona ideas para futuras investigaciones