Neurosyphilis and classical music: the great composers and “The Great Imitator”
ABSTRACT Throughout history, neurosyphilis has victimized many people, including classical composers, with a wide range of clinical presentations. Methods: Six articles with descriptions of composers with possible neurosyphilis were reviewed. Results: Neurosyphilis is a possible diagnosis for composers like Beethoven, whose progressive hearing loss influenced his career, culminating in complete deafness. In his autopsy, cochlear nerve atrophy and cochlear inflammation were described. Donizetti developed behavioral changes, as well as headaches, general paresis and seizures. Both Schumann and Wolf suffered from personality changes, persecutory delusions and general paresis. Joplin and Delius also had symptoms attributed to syphilis. Autopsy findings confirmed the diagnosis of Smetana, who developed dementia, deafness and auditory hallucinations with rapid progression. His tinnitus was musically represented in his first String Quartet. Conclusion: Neurosyphilis victimized several notorious composers. It can be argued that neurosyphilis was a major source of inspiration as well, being responsible for the genesis of musical masterpieces.
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO
2018
|
| Online Access: | http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2018001100791 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| id |
oai:scielo:S0004-282X2018001100791 |
|---|---|
| record_format |
ojs |
| spelling |
oai:scielo:S0004-282X20180011007912018-12-10Neurosyphilis and classical music: the great composers and “The Great Imitator”Pedro,Matheus Kahakura FrancoGerminiani,Francisco Manoel BrancoTeive,Hélio A. G. Neurosyphilis music composers, history of medicine neurology ABSTRACT Throughout history, neurosyphilis has victimized many people, including classical composers, with a wide range of clinical presentations. Methods: Six articles with descriptions of composers with possible neurosyphilis were reviewed. Results: Neurosyphilis is a possible diagnosis for composers like Beethoven, whose progressive hearing loss influenced his career, culminating in complete deafness. In his autopsy, cochlear nerve atrophy and cochlear inflammation were described. Donizetti developed behavioral changes, as well as headaches, general paresis and seizures. Both Schumann and Wolf suffered from personality changes, persecutory delusions and general paresis. Joplin and Delius also had symptoms attributed to syphilis. Autopsy findings confirmed the diagnosis of Smetana, who developed dementia, deafness and auditory hallucinations with rapid progression. His tinnitus was musically represented in his first String Quartet. Conclusion: Neurosyphilis victimized several notorious composers. It can be argued that neurosyphilis was a major source of inspiration as well, being responsible for the genesis of musical masterpieces.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessAcademia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEUROArquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria v.76 n.11 20182018-11-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articletext/htmlhttp://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2018001100791en10.1590/0004-282x20180122 |
| institution |
SCIELO |
| collection |
OJS |
| country |
Brasil |
| countrycode |
BR |
| component |
Revista |
| access |
En linea |
| databasecode |
rev-scielo-br |
| tag |
revista |
| region |
America del Sur |
| libraryname |
SciELO |
| language |
English |
| format |
Digital |
| author |
Pedro,Matheus Kahakura Franco Germiniani,Francisco Manoel Branco Teive,Hélio A. G. |
| spellingShingle |
Pedro,Matheus Kahakura Franco Germiniani,Francisco Manoel Branco Teive,Hélio A. G. Neurosyphilis and classical music: the great composers and “The Great Imitator” |
| author_facet |
Pedro,Matheus Kahakura Franco Germiniani,Francisco Manoel Branco Teive,Hélio A. G. |
| author_sort |
Pedro,Matheus Kahakura Franco |
| title |
Neurosyphilis and classical music: the great composers and “The Great Imitator” |
| title_short |
Neurosyphilis and classical music: the great composers and “The Great Imitator” |
| title_full |
Neurosyphilis and classical music: the great composers and “The Great Imitator” |
| title_fullStr |
Neurosyphilis and classical music: the great composers and “The Great Imitator” |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Neurosyphilis and classical music: the great composers and “The Great Imitator” |
| title_sort |
neurosyphilis and classical music: the great composers and “the great imitator” |
| description |
ABSTRACT Throughout history, neurosyphilis has victimized many people, including classical composers, with a wide range of clinical presentations. Methods: Six articles with descriptions of composers with possible neurosyphilis were reviewed. Results: Neurosyphilis is a possible diagnosis for composers like Beethoven, whose progressive hearing loss influenced his career, culminating in complete deafness. In his autopsy, cochlear nerve atrophy and cochlear inflammation were described. Donizetti developed behavioral changes, as well as headaches, general paresis and seizures. Both Schumann and Wolf suffered from personality changes, persecutory delusions and general paresis. Joplin and Delius also had symptoms attributed to syphilis. Autopsy findings confirmed the diagnosis of Smetana, who developed dementia, deafness and auditory hallucinations with rapid progression. His tinnitus was musically represented in his first String Quartet. Conclusion: Neurosyphilis victimized several notorious composers. It can be argued that neurosyphilis was a major source of inspiration as well, being responsible for the genesis of musical masterpieces. |
| publisher |
Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO |
| publishDate |
2018 |
| url |
http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2018001100791 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT pedromatheuskahakurafranco neurosyphilisandclassicalmusicthegreatcomposersandthegreatimitator AT germinianifranciscomanoelbranco neurosyphilisandclassicalmusicthegreatcomposersandthegreatimitator AT teivehelioag neurosyphilisandclassicalmusicthegreatcomposersandthegreatimitator |
| _version_ |
1756374760843902976 |