Pay attention to distracted Da Vincis; naughty kids who tap their feet impatiently may well be the next

A so-called disorder can also clearly be a boon. A British professor from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, for instance, now avers that Leonardo Da Vinci may have had Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

This disorder, incidentally, is estimated to affect nearly 10% of youngsters in the US these days, and more relevantly, some 3% of Italian youth today, though its prevalence in the Renaissance era is not known.



Nor have enough studies been done to gauge how inattentive young Indians are, though some anecdotal evidence may indicate that it all depends on what they are doing — studying or playing video games.

Be that as it may, ADHD has now been cited as a possible reason for many of the mercurial Italian artist-inventor’s works remaining incomplete—including the Mona Lisa — based on evidence that he was left-handed, probably dyslexic, restless and unable to sleep — all signs of ADHD.

But surely that only proves that a distraction can be a good thing. After all, wandering minds come to brilliant conclusions, as Da Vinci’s inventions show; and permanent ferment can fuel originality. Any follow-through issues can obviously be dealt with by less mercurial aides. Those naughty kids who stare out of windows or tap their feet impatiently may well be the next Da Vincis.