Geschwind syndrome

Geschwind syndrome, also called Gastaut-Geschwind syndrome or Waxman-Geschwind syndrome, is a group of behavioral traits observed in some people with temporal lobe epilepsy. It is described through five main features: hypergraphia, an excessive and compulsive drive to write or draw; hyperreligiosity, an intensified interest in religious or moral matters; atypical sexuality, usually a reduced sexual interest; circumstantiality, a tendency toward prolonged and repetitive conversation; and an intensified emotional and mental life overall. Not every feature needs to be present for the pattern to be described, and only some people with temporal lobe epilepsy show it. The syndrome takes its name from neurologist Norman Geschwind, who published extensively on the subject between 1973 and 1984, though whether it constitutes a genuine neuropsychiatric disorder remains a matter of controversy among researchers.