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This painting seeks to descibe Insomnia, one of over 80 recognised Sleep Disorders. Here, the mind of the insomniac is 'wired' as a result of overstimulation caused by overuse of digital technologies or caffeine. The imaginary focus of the microscope over the brain reveals high levels of electro-chemical activity along neurons and across synapes.

Insomnia

False-coloured scanning electron micrograph of caffeine crystals. Caffeine is a bitter, crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks, enjoy great popularity, and 90% of adults consume caffeine daily. Wellcome Image Awards 2012.

Caffeine crystals

This painting seeks to describe the experience of Insomnia, one of over 80 recognised Sleep Disorders. Here the insomniac's experience of closing their eyes is dominated by the fear of the dark closing in and overwhelming them. This intense anxiety causes an increase in neurological overstimulation associated with a feeling of perpetual sleeplessness and also an increased fear of sleep. Such a cycle of anxiety-related insomnia may be successfully treated with medication.

in English,1577). It is a tropane alkaloid, euphoriant, local anaesthetic and stimulant. Its anaesthetic action is due to blocking of sodium channels and thus the propagation of action potentials down nerves from skin to spine. It is 'snorted’ as cocaine hydrochloride (cocaine + hydrochloric acid), so when the cocaine is absorbed the hydrochloric acid acts on the nasal septum and destroys it. Cocaine was first extracted in 1855
Niemann described analgesic effect in 1860
Cocawine sold 1863
eye operation by Koller in 1884
first synthesised in 1898
added to Coca-Cola 1886-1906
banned in 1902-1910. In 1930s Japan was the world's leading cocaine producer (23.3%) followed by the United States (21.3%). Now produced mostly in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Anti-drug officers spray plants with glyphosate – ‘Boliviana negra’ is a glyphosate resistant cultivar, produced in response to this attempt to eradicate it. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.

Erythroxylum coca Lam. Erythroxylaceae Coca. Distribution: Peru . Cocaine is extracted from the leaf. It is no longer in the UK Pharmacopoeia (used to be used as a euphoriant in ‘Brompton Mixture’ for terminally ill patients). Cocaine, widely used as a local anaesthetic until 1903, inhibits re-uptake of dopamine and serotonin at brain synapses so these mood elevating chemicals build up and cause a ‘high’. Its use was often fatal. Coca leaf chewing was described by Nicolas Monardes (1569

3-dimensional handmade model of a brain made from electric wires and cables coiled together with a plug attached.

Wired, artwork of the brain

False-coloured scanning electron micrograph of caffeine crystals. Caffeine is a bitter, crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks, enjoy great popularity, and 90% of adults consume caffeine daily.

3-dimensional handmade model of a brain made from electric wires and cables coiled together inside a plug.

Wired Plugged, artwork of the brain

This painting describes the condition of Insomnia, one of over 80 recognised Sleep Disorders. The brain and mind of the insomniac here is shown filled with numerous ticking clocks and their inability to sleep caused by time-related anxiety. The longer they 'can't sleep' , the more the associated focus on time passing as the night progresses towards the alarm clock announcing day.

3-dimensional handmade model of a brain made from electric wires and cables coiled together.

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Wired, artwork of the brain

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Caffeine crystals

Insomnia

Wired, artwork of the brain

Caffeine crystals

Caffeine crystals

Wired Plugged, artwork of the brain

Insomnia

Wired, artwork of the brain

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