The Illness of Vincent van Gogh

  
     
   
"Our neurosis...(is) a fatal inheritance."
Vincent to Theo, letter 481,
from Arles, May 4, 1888.
UNIT 2 Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP)  
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  * Signs and symptoms of Vincent van Gogh's illness will be summarized.
* Highlights of the biosynthetic pathway for heme will be presented.
* Biochemical compromises to the heme pathway will be described.
* By combining this new material with the features of Unit 1		  
     
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  we will offer a working hypothesis, namely that Vincent suffered from an inherited metabolic disease called AIP. This particular disease follows from a deficiency of a particular enzyme within the heme biosynthetic pathway.  
     
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  * It will be observed that the time course of his major medical crises, the unusual precipitating factors, together with all recorded signs and symptoms can be accommodated by a retrospective diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria. Other data will be explored in the context of strengthening, supporting, or casting doubt on this working hypothesis.  
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