FED: Dementia sufferers discover artistic side

AAP General News (Australia)
12-06-1999
FED: Dementia sufferers discover artistic side

By Peter Allport

SYDNEY, Dec 6 AAP - They can't remember that trees have leaves but some dementia sufferers
become accomplished artists.

That is according to Bruce Miller, professor of neurology at the University of California,
who is in Sydney for a conference about geniuses and prodigies like pianist David Helfgott
and Dustin Hoffman's character in the movie Rainman.

He has discovered links between the onset of Semantic Dementia and increase artistic
ability, similar to the enhanced mathematical skills but diminished social skills of autistic
savants.

"They lose simplest knowledge of our world," Professor Miller said.

"They lose the words and simple information such as there being 52 weeks in a year
and that trees have leaves".

However the brain appeared to undergo a process of adaptation and absorbed the capacity
of some of the functions where it had become diseased or injured, he said.

Almost half of his patients became quite accomplished artists without ever previously
having any interest in the subject whatsoever, Professor Miller said.

The form of dementia Professor Miller is currently researching usually surfaces in
people aged in their 50s but often does not become apparent until their 60s.

"What happens is that these people who have never had an interest in these things start
working at it and most become good within a relatively short period of time," Professor
Miller said.

Professor Miller will address the "Geniuses, Prodigies and Savants" conference at Sydney
University tomorrow.

The conference, featuring experts from around the globe, includes a performance tonight
by one-time child prodigy and pianist David Helfgott.

His wife Gillian will also address delegates tonight.

AAP pwa/sb/rcg/de

KEYWORD: DEMENTIA

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