Bipolar disorder is cyclical in nature and usually presents in the late teens/early twenties. Mood, behavior and ability to think clearly are affected. Delusions tend to be mood congruent and there are between periods where the sufferer is relatively normal. I believe this condition can be quickly ruled out in Jeanne’s case. It has been established that her ability to think clearly was not impaired and it is unlikely she could have passed her examination at Poitiers and subsequently without evidence of these behaviors being detected. Surely the English in their examinations would have leapt on any behavior that might have explained her as insane? In addition, rather than coming cyclically, it appears the voices were always with her providing direction and comfort.
Occipital Cortical Discharges
While impossible to medically examine Jeanne now the nature of her visions rules out the possibility that her visions were caused by occipital cortical discharges. OCPs generate elementary hallucinations such as light spots, twirling objects and geometrical shapes. It is clear from Jeanne’s descriptions that her visions were elaborate and voices do not result from OCPs.
Peduncular Hallucinations.
Peduncular hallucinations originate from lesions in the mid-brain. These visions can be elaborate and can include faces. Jeanne described St Catherine and St Margaret as having “faces … adorned with beautiful crowns, very rich and precious.” (11) Sometimes she did see more but in this case the associated behavior patterns do not fit. Sufferers witness these hallucinations with calm amusement and emotional ‘flatness’.
Collective Hallucinations
While collective hallucinations are not medically based I am mentioning them here, as this ‘condition’ is the skeptics’ answer to visions and similar experiences that cannot otherwise be explained. It is purely subjective whether one attributes Jeanne’s experiences to a collective hallucination but each person must be free to make up their own mind. These hallucinations are most often attributed to the religiously devoted and tend to occur at times of raised emotions. D.H. Rawcliffe describes collective experiences as follows:
“Where belief in miracles exists, evidence will always be forthcoming to confirm its existence. In the case of moving statues and paintings, the belief produces the hallucination and the hallucination confirms the belief.” (12)
Skeptics may assert that Jeanne was influenced by religious hysteria and a myth she herself made reference to several times that claimed a maiden from the area of the oak wood would save France. Jeanne did state she had put no faith in these prophecies (13) though those convinced of this explanation would argue this myth was the validating factor for Jeanne making her perceived mission all the more real to her and others thus creating a self-fulfilled prophecy.
Bovine Tuberculosis
Nora Wooster, in her book ‘The Real Joan of Arc?’ (14), argues that Jeanne contracted bovine tuberculosis from the cattle in her area. She states that this causes physical defects resulting in seeing lights. Over time these experiences become more frequent. Given the superstitious nature of the period Wooster argues Jeanne was able to use her beliefs to rationalize her experiences as being of divine origin. (15).
On the surface this seems to be a reasonable argument however Jeanne’s visions were far more complex than mere lights. If bovine tuberculosis was responsible for Jeanne’s lights where did the voices and detailed images come from?
Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) is a disorder attributed in recent times to a lot of visionaries. It is becoming increasingly popular to attribute this to Jeanne. The British Epilepsy Association describes the experience:
“People’s perceptions can be changed: some think things are bigger or smaller than they really are; others experience hallucinations. This does not only mean seeing things that are not really there, it can also mean smelling non-existent odors or hearing something that others cannot”.
Such hallucinations can occur in TLE without there being physical seizures. There may be a change in personality at the onset of TLE and hyper-religiosity is a noted symptom. When Jeanne first had her visions she became even more pious than she had already been noted to be. (Surely such an experience as Jeanne had would change anyone?). Some researchers believe that attention, concentration and memory are not affected by TLE which undermines the idea that these qualities in Jeanne are signs no physical or mental disorders were behind her experiences.
TLE is not completely symptomless however. In fact the symptoms are far from subtle. The primary symptom is ‘staring spells’ where the sufferer stares into space and loses contact with the world. Jeanne did not tell anyone about her visions and voices for years until she was ready to begin her mission. It seems unlikely that if she had this disorder badly enough to have hallucinations these symptoms would have gone unnoticed. Given how often her voices came when she was imprisoned surely the English would have noted something up with her. Over time TLE becomes much worse so this should have become increasingly obvious. Even if the ‘spaced out’ appearance, where the person cannot respond, was taken to be part and parcel of her visionary experiences surely this would have been noted somewhere? Any tiny thing they could have used to discredit Jeanne would have been jumped at and this sort of thing would have been no exception.
The British Epilepsy Association tell us that “typical symptoms of epileptic activity in the temporal lobe area are flushing or sweating, going very pale, or a churning feeling in the stomach”. Further, Neurology magazine (Nov 1998) tells us that these types of seizures do not respond well to medication (which in any case was non-existent in Jeanne’s time.. “The seizures and their effects on the patient become more severe over time with this epilepsy.” And those effects on the patient: psychological and social consequences due to the inability to drive, perform adequately in school, gain useful employment or have meaningful relationships because of the direct effect of the seizures or the stigma associated with them.”
In light of this is it possible that Jeanne could have ridden and fought adequately with this disorder let alone because of it? She lived very closely with her men for at least a year – I’m sure they would have noted this, especially in light of how it may have affected her performance.
The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences featured a study on the more subtle, mild TLE contrasted with severe TLE. Mild TLE was diagnosed if the patient had no seizures for at least three years after being treated with medication. (Despite the fact Jeanne would have been unmedicated her voices were far from absent in her final three years). Also, these mild seizures tend to be purely ‘staring spells’ rather than hallucinatory. There seems to be no question that had Jeanne had TLE badly enough to have hallucinations the symptoms, even if these were simply the mild ‘staring spells’, would have been obvious and noted somewhere.
Let us examine the sequence of events typical to an episode of TLE:
During the first stage, sufferers can experience auras. This is unable to be discerned by onlookers. Hallucinations can then occur in more advanced cases. In both mild and severe TLE the physical symptoms can occur. During the second stage, the patient becomes ‘spaced out’ and loses mental contact with the world. If someone talks to them they may respond inappropriately. Spontaneous half-purposeful repetitive hand movements and chewing/lip-smacking movements are commonly seen during this stage.
Since the seizures described as the next stage are so uncommon in TLE and there is no record that hints Jeanne ever had a physical seizure I will disregard that stage and go onto the next one. During this stage, after the seizure described previously ends, the sufferer is commonly confused and drowsy to a variable degree for a variable duration. As noted, I recall no documentation that even suggests Jeanne was confused and where she is quoted there is no confusion. One could argue, as some have, that the letter she wrote early in her career where she alternates between talking about herself in the third and first person suggests confusion. I believe that is more likely to be either her lack of education/literacy or just one of those things that happen. I’ve caught myself doing similar things in the past and I know I don’t have TLE.
There is some speculation regarding a ring she owned, which was like that used by epileptics to ward off seizures. It seems unlikely that more would not have been made of the ring during the trial if it were so significant. The ring was mentioned during the trial and Jeanne was questioned on why she looked at it on going into battle. Her response: “it was out of pleasure, and in honor of her father and mother”. She was unsure of the details as far as what featured on the ring and claimed never to have used the ring to cure anybody. The fact it was mentioned at all suggests that the English had thoughts of accusing her of hallucinating due epilepsy. This is one reason it is impossible to believe they didn’t take it further and cite even the smallest of evidences she may have had symptoms reminiscent of TLE – unless of course there were none to cite which seems to be the obvious conclusion.
Given the lack of supporting evidence it is impossible to conclude that Jeanne suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy. Jeanne had testified that her voices came many times a day during her imprisonment. If this were the case her TLE would have had to be at such a stage it would have not escaped notice. Such patients would today be given neuro-surgery, which is an indication of how much this disorder can affect the lives of sufferers.
