Van Gogh’s delirium caused by alcohol withdrawal, not syphilis, study says
article published in the International Journal of Bipolar Disorders on Monday puts forward the theory that Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh’s poor mental health and eventual suicide were likely caused not by syphilis or schizophrenia — previously proposed explanations — but alcohol withdrawal paired with malnutrition.To reach this conclusion, the study’s authors, based in the Netherlands, analyzed 902 letters from van Gogh’s correspondence — mostly with his brother Theo — about “what he was experiencing in his life, including his mental problems.” They also worked closely with three art historians who are experts on van Gogh.Based on their research, the study authors created a timeline of van Gogh’s declining health in his tortured but