Dr. Oliver Sacks on the therapeutic power of art: “The therapeutic power of art is temporary; it can liberate the patient only while the performance or creative act is occurring. Turning to creativity can activate the patient, allowing him to fight and sometimes conquer PD for years on end. But knowing that they can be liberated in this way, and in doing so, they can reclaim for a while their healthy selves. This area of creativity and the extraordinary power of art is ripe for exploration by the next generation of neuroscientists.” — Parkinson’s Post, Fall/Winter 2006, pg. 14
Dr. Oliver Sacks was Honorary Chairman of this Creativity and Parkinson’s initiative at the World Parkinson Congress in Washington DC. Dr.Sacks is Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at Colombia University, he is a bestselling author and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
