History Main / ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder

* In ''Transylvania 6-5000'', Dr. Malavaqua is a normal scientist as long as he's outside his laboratory. On entering it, however, he proceeds to muss up his hair and go into full-blown MadScientist mode.

* {{TabletopGame/Pathfinder}} takes this even farther than D&D, making it a trait of the gnomish race as a whole. If they don't spend their time having new experiences and making new discoveries in whatever field interests them, they eventually undergo "the Bleaching", a biological process that is frequently fatal. As nearly every member of the species is to some degree a MadScientist, MadArtist, or mad anything really. The more obsessed and fascinated they are with whatever they do, the longer they live.

* {{TabletopGame/Pathfinder}} takes this even farther than D&D, making it a trait of the gnomish race as a whole. If they don't spend their time having new experiences and making new discoveries in whatever field interests them, they eventually undergo "the bleaching", a biological process that it frequently fatal. As nearly every member of the species is to some degree a MadScientist, MadArtist, or mad anything really. The more obsessed and fascinated they are with whatever they do, the longer they live.

** In ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'', a few Malkavian vampires are scientists that have had the Malkav curse inflicted upon them. (There's even an archetype for playing such a character in the handbook.)

* ''Manga/{{GUNNM}}'': Doctor Desty Nova is a mad scientist obsessed with the study of what he calls Karmatron Dynamics, and as such goes out of his way to conduct as many gleefully sadistic experiments as possible.

* Attention Deficit Disorder is a disruption of dopamine and ephedrine distribution within the brain which causes some areas to be flooded constantly with the chemicals, while others receive relatively little, similar to the effect that cocaine has on the brain. As dopamine can be loosely described as the "like button" neurochemical, while ephedrine is the "alertness" chemical, this causes the brain to follow somewhat random patterns regarding what is [[AttentionDeficitOhShiny perceived as important at the moment]], and [[SensoryOverload inhibits the ability to filter both mental and external noise]].[[note]]Contrary to popular belief, individuals with ADD/ADHD are not oblivious to what is going on around them. Its just that their brain flags the oven being on fire with the same level of importance as trying to remember where they put the remote, a stray thought about that lame joke they heard earlier, and the fact that they could ''really'' go for a grilled cheese sandwich right now. [[ExplainExplainOhCrap Wait. Grilled cheese sandwich. Oven. Smoke Alarm.]] OhCrap.[[/note]] This typically manifests as a fluctuating focus of curiosity over subjects considered "interesting", impulsive behavior and thoughts with little inhibition, bursts of inspiration and creativity, and elevated excitability. ADHD is generally treated with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_management stimulant medications]] newer non-stimulant medicines, or serotonin-norpinepherine reuptake inhibitors, depending on comorbid conditions. This medication makes cognition less chaotic, which can be frustrating for those who enjoy the buzz of constant..."colorful"...thoughts of a manic or hypomanic state.

** The best example is Jeremy in ''Discworld/ThiefOfTime''. When he stops taking his medicine (although Igor specifically says "Marther pourth out two thpoonfuls each day", using an ExactWords ploy), his thoughts come much more quickly, although the nature of Jeremy's project makes the Igor extremely uneasy (and Igors are no stranger to Things Man Was Not Meant To Know).

** Devisors also frequently forget to do things like eat or sleep--this isn't related to Diedrick's, devisors and gadgeteers just tend to get ''really'' into their work--and the cafeteria has "devisor specials" that the friends of the inventor in question can take to them in the labs, containing easy-to-eat stuff like lots of finger foods.

Compare WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity, which, depending on the series, may be either the cause or the result of SRMD. Likely to lead to a NoMedicationForMe[=/=]FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome situation. Can quickly lead to TheMadnessPlace. Not to be confused with MemeticMutation. Also compare TheSparkOfGenius, which is sometimes combined with this syndrome, as well as NeurodiversityIsSupernatural, where atypical mental conditions convey less scientific talents.

* The ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}''[=/=]''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' forum-role play known as ''FanFic/TheMadScientistWars'', naturally. Almost every major member of the main cast is a Mad Scientist, and SRMD is shown to be well documented in the medical field. It's a purely genetic condition, of course. Interestingly, one character was shown to have been taking some kind of medication to repress the syndrome, before a skipped dose and stress caused him to "break through".

* WebOriginal/SocietyOfVirtue: the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSCALd3zD7I O.C.Doctor]], whose mad scientist insanity seems to be a side effect of his, well... SuperOCD. On one hand [[ComplexityAddiction this makes him easy to beat]], on the other hand this is a guy who [[HairTriggerTemper built a doomsday device to blow up EXACTLY 14 islands because he thought the ocean had 14 too many.]]

** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Nelson Theodor Holm Nelson]], the erratic computer visionary who is sometimes called the Father of Hypertext, refers to his severe ADHD as 'butterfly mind', and has often expressed dismay at how the medicines which help keep him focused also tend to dull his innovation. He has at time gone with NoMedicationForMe only to go back on them when things start spiraling out of control. His life's work, a massive hypertext system call Xanadu, was meant in large part as a coping mechanism for this - a way to keep track of all the unruly thoughts that come and go, and e able to go back to them later and make sense out of them.

* WebOriginal/SocietyOfVirtue: the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSCALd3zD7I O.C.Doctor]], whose mad scientist insanity seems to be a side effect of his, well... SuperOCD. On one hand [[ComplexityAddiction this makes him easy to beat]], on the other hand this is a guy who [[HairTriggerTemper built a doomsday device to blow up EXACTLY 14 islands in the ocean because he thought it was 14 too many.]]

* WebOriginal/SocietyOfVirtue: the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSCALd3zD7I O.C.Doctor]], whose mad scientist insanity seems to be a side effect of his, well... SuperOCD. On one hand [[ComplexityAddiction this makes him easy to beat, on the other hand this is a guy who [[HairTriggerTemper built a doomsday device to blow up EXACTLY 14 islands in the ocean because he thought it was 14 too many.]]

Mad science isn't just about cool gadgets or revenge; it's a ''[[ChronicVillainy compulsion]]''. The MadScientist really ''is'' insane, with an actual psychological disorder that causes both brilliance and madness.

** In ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension'', the Sons of Ether were basically MadScientist technomancers, with a penchant for Victorian SteamPunk or [[RaygunGothic 1950s rayguns and giant robots]]. There was a thin line between maniacal Sons of Ether and Marauders (Awakened who have gone insane and warp reality all around them). Certainly a Technocrat who went Marauder would be a textbook example of a futuristic Mad Gadgeteer. In fact, the Technocracy called awakened mages and other supernaturals "reality deviants". Come to think of it, in ''Mage: The Ascension'', paradigm dissonance ''is'' a form of insanity, if you define insanity as experiencing things differently from what the majority experiences. For the Awakened, if their avatar warps reality, then their hallucinations can turn real.

* Attention Deficit Disorder is a disruption of dopamine and ephedrine distribution within the brain which causes some areas to be flooded constantly with the chemicals, while others receive relatively little, similar to the effect that cocaine has on the brain. As dopamine can be loosely described as the "like button" neurochemical, while ephedrine is the "alertness" chemical, this causes the brain to follow somewhat random patterns regarding what is [[AttentionDeficitOhShiny perceived as important at the moment]], and [[SensoryOverload inhibits the ability to filter both mental and external noise]].[[note]]Contrary to popular belief, individuals with ADD/ADHD are not oblivious to what is going on around them. Its just that their brain flags the oven being on fire with the same level of importance as trying to remember where they put the remote, a stray thought about that lame joke they heard earlier, and the fact that they could ''really'' go for a grilled cheese sandwich right now. [[ExplainExplainOhCrap Wait. Grilled cheese sandwich. Oven. Smoke Alarm.]] OhCrap.[[/note]] This typically manifests as a constant state of extreme curiosity for subjects considered "interesting", impulsive behavior and thoughts with little inhibition, bursts of extreme inspiration and creativity, and elevated excitability. ADHD is generally treated with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomoxetine epinephrine reuptake inhibitors]] and dopamine reuptake inhibitors like stimulants, which even out the distribution somewhat. Thus medication makes cognition less chaotic, which can be frustrating for those who enjoy the buzz of constant..."colorful"...thoughts.

** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Nelson Theodor Holm Nelson]], the erratic computer visionary who is sometimes called the Father of Hypertext, refers to his severe ADHD as 'butterfly mind', and has often expressed dismay at how the medicines which help keep him focused also tend to dull his innovation. He has at time gone with NoMedicationForMe only to go back on them when things start spiraling out of control. His life's work, a massive hypertext system call Xanadu, was meant in large part as a coping mechanism for this.

In some series, this leads to a storyline in which one or more of the Mad Scientists (or perhaps some saner allies) seek out [[PsychoSerum a cure]] for their condition. Invariably, however, the cure comes at a cost, usually the loss of their terrible, manic genius, or else their energy and drive across the board. In other series, there may ''already'' exist a treatment for it, but someone forgets ([[NoMedicationForMe or "forgets"]]) to take it one day...

-->--'''Joel Robinson''', ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'', ''Film/TheMadMonster''

* Paul Erdős, a mathematician known for publishing more papers than any other mathematician to date and collaborating with damn near everyone in the field (to the point that the mathematicians' equivalent of the Bacon Number is the Erdős Number), took amphetamines. He was offered a sum of money by a friend to give up the habit for a month. He did, took the money, then went right back on amphetamines, claiming his sobriety impeded his ability to think.

* In one of Creator/LarryNiven's ''Literature/KnownSpace'' short stories, appropriately titled "Madness Has its Place," it's revealed that [=ARM=] (the technology-suppressing SecretPolice branch of the UN) deliberately employs sociopaths and paranoid schizophrenics, though they're issued mandatory medication. The main character is one (he's implied to be a former serial killer), but in order to help prepare a defense against the approaching Kzinti aliens, he goes off his medication. His descent into paranoia and sociopathy make him frighteningly competent at war preparations for a humanity that hasn't known war in centuries. The [=ARM=] also creates treatments to ''artificially'' induce paranoid schizophrenia and other disorders in its agents, in case enough naturally occurring crazies of the right sort are unavailable.