The Creative Side of Mood Disorders

Abstract

The paper describes the relationship between creativity and mood disorders. After outlining the main directions of research in this field, the nature of the ascertained correlation between creativity and mood disorders is analysed from a theoretical perspective. Psychological and biological approaches are taken into account. The first is focused on the significance of periods of mania and their influence on cognitive and motivational processes; the second is focused on genetic aspects. A compromise hypothesis based on both approaches is proposed and discussed, in which creativity and mood disorders, although co-determined by basic genetic factors are not independent and influence each other mutually.