Discovering Semantic Relations between Neurodegenerative Diseases and Artistic Behaviors

This paper aims to introduce the value of semantics for representing knowledge related to patients with brain neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia) or behavioral disorders (i.e., schizophrenia) and artistic behavior. The ultimate goal is to facilitate an effective and efficient study of neurological and behavioral changes of patients, analyzing semantically interlinked data related to neurological/behavioral conditions and artistic behaviors. By mapping the neurologically affected areas of the brain in healthy and unhealthy individuals, and by modeling their particular characteristics at the level of both behavioral and neurological expressions, it may be possible to identify semantic similarities in high-level behavioral and brain characteristics that justify correlation and causation between diseases/disorders and artistic behaviors. In this concept paper, we present our view on two key points related to proposed research on a novel framework that will (a) verify if early biomarkers of the neurogenerative diseases can be identified via artistic behavior observations, and (b) correlate patients with delayed onset of the diseases/disorders with artists, at the molecular level, or at the level of brain regions. The proposed framework is evaluated with the development of a proof-of-concept expert system based on the representation of the relevant knowledge.