Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) and Geschwind Syndrome
By: Maria Viscomi
Temporal lobe epilepsy has been known to allow past memories to resurface as well as bring about hallucinations of music, voices, people, smells, and tastes. While it may seem strange that Magnani was not officially diagnosed with epilepsy, that is due to the fact that TLE does not have to contain the physical effects that most people associate with epilepsy. TLE is the most common form of epilepsy. There are two major types of TLE: mesial TLE, which originates in the amygdala or hippocampus, and lateral TLE, in which seizures originate in the temporal neocortex. The neocortex is responsible for spatial reasoning and sensory perception, and only 10% of patients with TLE have seizures that originate in this area (Kuzniecky, et al). It would make sense if Magnani suffered from this type of epilepsy, for it fits with how was able to see three-dimensional models of Pontito when these areas of his brain became overactive. Magnani claims to be able to scan the area by physically turning his body when he gets the visions, as well as hear, smell, and feel what is around him (162). Temporal lobe seizures can be so mild that they can go unnoticed aside from their psychological effects, which is why they can be referred to as 'psychic seizures.' To diagnose TLE, a patient can simply describe their symptoms and have them confirmed by an EEG which would show increased temporal lobe activity during a seizure.
Geschwind Syndrome is the term given to those who suffer from TLE that have changes in personality similar to Magnani. They become obsessed with talking, spirituality, drawing, or writing, for example. Many have speculated that other famous artists had this syndrome as well, such as Vincent van Gogh, who had "hypergraphia (the intense desire to write or draw), atypical sexuality, and viscosity of thinking" (Battacharyya and Rai). There is little research on the syndrome, since each patient is unique in how their seizures affect their personality, but each patient's symptoms grow stronger over time.
