Frederic Chopin was a popular musician during the Romantic Era. He is celebrated as one of the finest composers in history. He is especially well-known for his piano pieces.
What was kept rather hidden were his complicated medical problems. Now, more that 150 years later, scientists are beginning to learn what was wrong with the composer.
Halluciations
After reading through his notes, Spanish researchers learned Chopin dealt with hallucinations.
They eliminated schizophrenia because his hallucinations were not auditory and migraines because they were short lasting. Researchers believe that Chopin suffered from temporal lope epilepsy.
Temporal Lope Epilepsy
Temporal lobe epilepsy is a very common form of the disease. It regularly causes seizures that can be accompanied by hallucinations.
Epilepsy was not well understood during Chopin's time. If he were alive today he would have been treated with medication.
It is believed that Chopin suffered from other health problems along with epilepsy. Researchers believe he had cystic fibrosis and alpha 1-antirypsin deficiency. He was just 39 years old when he passed away.
Read More:
- Chopin Suffered From Epilepsy: Report (DiscoveryNews)
- Epilepsy Blamed For Chopin's Dark Hallucinations (NPR)
