The Mathematics Of Medicine

The tragic and untimely death of the Nobel mathematician, John Nash, was a significant loss to humanity. His demise, as so happens with great figures, was as dramatic as his life. During his brilliant career principally at Princeton he was the lead academic in the development of game theory and numerous algorithms that today provide the mathematical framework around which electronic systems function. His genius was shadowed by the specter of clinical schizophrenia which he was incredibly able to manage through the use of intense internal dialogue.

The work of John Nash can be found today in an extensive array of disciplines ranging from geopolitical predictions and military strategies to the implementation of game theory in multinational negotiations. His work on the utilization of binary theory provides the functional framework for the majority of computer chips which themselves are the key electronic building blocks of medical devices.

One of the most fascinating aspects of his existence was the juxtaposition of his genius and insanity, a combination frequently encountered in the truly gifted. There are many examples throughout history of abnormally gifted artists, writers and scientists whose lives are without question blessed but simultaneously plagued by the invariable prescience of a mental disorder. This is a fascinating area of neuropsychology which some experts describe as an inescapable combination of genius. The neuromolecular activity and cellular configurations are significantly different to those observed in individuals whose neurological functions are considered closer to the norm. The major differences noted are the increased levels of excitatory peptides such as dopamine and serotonin in addition to their ability to more rapidly regenerate. However the more defining feature of the genius is the vastly increased complexity of the neuronal networks that facilitate the faster transmission of infinitely more complicated messages, thus accounting for the speed at which a genius is able to process data.

The fragility of genius is what exposes it to the ravages of insanity, in addition to the very subtle balance between the two. It is the same chemicals and pathways that are generally involved in the episodes of insanity, but there are minor differences in the patterns of neuronal excitation with some studies concluding that there exists a predominance of GABA transmitters. Anti-psychotic medications act to decrease the levels of the excitatory peptides which are the ones responsible for the acts of genius, but have little if any impact on this part of the system as the individual is able to generate the chemicals at a much faster rate than the average individual.

The neurochemical environment of the brain is still poorly understood and the diagnostic tools available are at best rudimentary in that all they provide is a gross analysis of the organ, without giving any detailed information about the actual neurochemical exchange or electrical transmission. This leaves the treating physicians in the cerebral dark ,which explains the limited number of therapeutic options that themselves are quite often a case of try and see. This fumbling around in the therapeutic dark is in stark contrast to the precision with which for example fractured bones can be addressed.

One of the most interesting aspects of the genius-insanity association is the issue of concept constraint. Children are told to use their imaginations without inhibition and in doing so they are able to create limitless worlds. John Nash was able to use this child like ability to develop his mathematical theorems and maybe it was the schizophrenia that assisted in this life changing endeavor.

An interesting question on which to conclude this essay would be the one that questions the validity of pharmacologically neutering mental aberrations, in light of the unintended value they contribute to the existence of man, as was clearly the case with the brilliantly insightful John Nash