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Med Humanities doi:10.1136/jmh.2010.005405
  • Original article

The hallucinations of Frédéric Chopin

Press Release
  1. Franciso Brañas Fernández2
  1. 1Servicio de Radiología, Complexo Hospitalario Xeral-Calde, Lugo, Spain
  2. 2Servicio de Neurología, Complexo Hospitalario Xeral-Calde, Lugo, Spain
  1. Correspondence to Manuel Vázquez Caruncho, Servicio de Radiología, Complexo Hospitalario Xeral-Calde, C/ Severo Ochoa, s/n, 27004 Lugo, Spain; manuel.vazquez.caruncho{at}sergas.es
  • Received 10 July 2010
  • Accepted 16 November 2010
  • Published Online First 24 January 2011

Abstract

Frédéric Chopin is the epitome of the romantic artist; he had a chronic pulmonary disease that ultimately caused his death at the age of 39. An overlooked neurological condition is discussed in this paper. We consider the possibility of a temporal lobe epilepsy, as throughout his life Chopin had hallucinatory episodes, which can accompany seizure disorders.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests None.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Responses to this article

  • Re:Possible explanations
    • Manuel Vazquez Caruncho,
    • Francisco Branas Fernandez
    Med Humanities published online March 25, 2011
  • Possible explanations
    • Andrew K Ntanda
    Med Humanities published online March 11, 2011
  • Re:Composing causes of death and disease
    • Manuel Vazquez Caruncho,
    • Francisco Branas Fernandez
    Med Humanities published online February 21, 2011
  • Composing causes of death and disease
    • David van Bodegom,
    • Frouke M. Engelaer
    Med Humanities published online February 3, 2011