Proust, Neurology and Stendhal's Syndrome

Abstract

Marcel Proust is one of the most important French writers of the 20th century. His relationship with medicine and with neurology is possibly linked to the fact that his asthma was considered to be a psychosomatic disease classified as neurasthenia. Stendhal's syndrome is a rare psychiatric syndrome characterized by anxiety and affective and thought disturbances when a person is exposed to a work of art. Here, the authors describe neurological aspects of Proust's work, particularly the occurrence of Stendhal's syndrome and syncope when he as well as one of the characters of In Search of Lost Time see Vermeer's View of Delft during a visit to a museum.

Stendhal syndrome: a clinical and historical overview

“…The condition, known as "Jerusalem syndrome" has remarkably similar characteristics to those of Stendhal syndrome, in addition to the presence of messianic ideas and a general delusion of grandeur upon visiting a city that is considered, as a whole, as the "holy land" by three of the world's most-followed, influential and powerful religions. Other cities and landmarks, including Venice, Rome and Istanbul have been linked to these aesthetic syndromes by various authors 6 .…”

“…History tells us of many famous people who may have experienced symptoms consistent with Stendhal syndrome. Among these, psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud wrote about severe feelings of alienation and depersonalization upon visiting the Acropolis of Athens 6 , and writer Fyodor Dostoevsky experienced severe paralysis, and absence when faced with Hans Holbein' s Le Christ mort au tombeau in Basel, Switzerland 4,8 .…”

“…After collecting these observations, Dr. Magherini proposed three different clinical presentations of the condition. Sixty-six percent of the patients reported mainly neuropsychiatric symptoms, 29% exhibited severe mood disorders and 5% presented with panic attacks and dysautonomia symptoms, including cardiovascular complaints, resembling acute myocardial infarction or acute abdominal pain, caused by peptic ulcer, and/or intense acid reflux and dyspepsia 2,4,6,8,9 .…”

Stendhal Syndrome: A Psychological Response Among Tourists

“…Among the less commonly reported symptoms were agitation and the desire to destroy local works of art. 27 Over 50% of the reported cases of SS indicated a medical history of psychiatric disorders in the patients. Repressed sexual drive, fatigue, inadequate sleep, or the coming to the end of a trip were some of the potential factors which were commonly attributed to its clinical manifestation.…”

“…27 It is believed that the author was involved in substance abuse and stimulants, and expressed a morbid fear of having a stroke, language and memory dysfunctions, dizziness, and falls. [29][30][31] The author's intrinsic fear was reflected in one of his characters who has a fatal stroke on seeing the most beautiful painting in the world, which was the author's personal favorite.…”