Study finds a protein often found in schizophrenics also contributes to greater artistic capacity

The experiential link between creativity and mental illness is well documented, but a new study out of Budapest, Hungary, has discovered what could be a genetic link between the two. Szabolcs Keri, a psychiatrist and researcher, says he hopes the link will show people with mild forms of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and the rest of the world, that people with mental illness can be valuable, contributing members of society. Keri said although severe schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are highly self-destructive illnesses, milder forms of the conditions make those afflicted think more originally and creatively. Keri’s study looked at Neuregulin 1, a protein in the gene NRG1 often found in schizophrenics. It regulates the flow of information between neurons, easing them into the frontal lobe of the brain — the part responsible for many of the higher human functions including personality, intellect, creativity and long-term planning. Using widely recognized objective tests to measure the creativity and IQ of 200 “highly intellectual” Hungarians, he found that those who had the gene answered questions more creatively and “thought outside the box.” Keri asserts that the NRG1 gene — which is present in both highly intelligent, creative people and those with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder — has been maintained through evolution because it is useful for society to have members who can think creatively.

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