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New Vision on the Mental Problems of Vincent Van Gogh; Results From a Bottom-up Approach Using (Semi-)structured Diagnostic Interviews
Willem Nolen
Universiteit Groningen UMCG Universitair Centrum voor PsychiatrieTandheelkunde en Mondzorgkunde
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2092-9891
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at International Journal of Bipolar Disorders.
Background: On July 29, 1890 at the age of 37 years, the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh died from the consequences of a suicide attempt with a gun two days earlier. Since then many medical and psychological theories were suggested about what had happened to Van Gogh.
Aim: To present an overview of the history of the mental problems of Van Gogh and the most likely diagnoses.
Method: (Semi-)structured diagnostic interviews were applied to three art historians who are very familiar with Van Gogh from his correspondence and other sources and as well as a neuropsychiatric examination to evaluate whether the symptoms might be explained by a medical condition
Results: Several previously suggested diagnoses could be excluded as being highly unlikely, while other diagnoses could be classified as more of less likely.
Conclusion: Most likely Van Gogh suffered from comorbid illnesses. Since young adulthood, he likely developed a (probably bipolar) mood disorder in combination with (traits of) a borderline personality disorder as underlying vulnerability. This likely worsened through an alcohol use disorder combined with malnutrition, which then led, in combination with rising psychosocial tensions, to a crisis in which he cut off his ear. Thereafter, he likely developed two deliriums probably related to alcohol withdrawal, followed by a worsening with severe depressive episodes (of which at least one with psychotic features) from which he did not fully recover, finally leading to his suicide.As additional comorbidity,focal (temporal lobe)epilepsy cannot be excluded.
Keywords
Vincent van Gogh, Bipolar disorder, Psychotic depression, Borderline personality disorder, Alcohol use disorder, Delirium, Temporal lobe epilepsy, Focal epilepsy
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
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On 02 Nov, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 21 Jul, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 06 Jul, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 02 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 16 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 10 Jun, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 08 Jun, 2020
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On 07 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 07 Jun, 2020
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Subject Areas
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This preprint is under consideration at International Journal of Bipolar Disorders. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Case report
New Vision on the Mental Problems of Vincent Van Gogh; Results From a Bottom-up Approach Using (Semi-)structured Diagnostic Interviews
Willem Nolen
Universiteit Groningen UMCG Universitair Centrum voor PsychiatrieTandheelkunde en Mondzorgkunde
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2092-9891
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 1
Posted 11 Jun, 2020
Published
On 02 Nov, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 21 Jul, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 06 Jul, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 02 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 16 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 10 Jun, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 08 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 07 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 07 Jun, 2020
First submitted
On 06 Jun, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Psychiatry
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at International Journal of Bipolar Disorders.
Background: On July 29, 1890 at the age of 37 years, the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh died from the consequences of a suicide attempt with a gun two days earlier. Since then many medical and psychological theories were suggested about what had happened to Van Gogh.
Aim: To present an overview of the history of the mental problems of Van Gogh and the most likely diagnoses.
Method: (Semi-)structured diagnostic interviews were applied to three art historians who are very familiar with Van Gogh from his correspondence and other sources and as well as a neuropsychiatric examination to evaluate whether the symptoms might be explained by a medical condition
Results: Several previously suggested diagnoses could be excluded as being highly unlikely, while other diagnoses could be classified as more of less likely.
Conclusion: Most likely Van Gogh suffered from comorbid illnesses. Since young adulthood, he likely developed a (probably bipolar) mood disorder in combination with (traits of) a borderline personality disorder as underlying vulnerability. This likely worsened through an alcohol use disorder combined with malnutrition, which then led, in combination with rising psychosocial tensions, to a crisis in which he cut off his ear. Thereafter, he likely developed two deliriums probably related to alcohol withdrawal, followed by a worsening with severe depressive episodes (of which at least one with psychotic features) from which he did not fully recover, finally leading to his suicide.As additional comorbidity,focal (temporal lobe)epilepsy cannot be excluded.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4