Savant syndrome
Encyclopedia
Savant syndrome sometimes referred to as savantism, is a rare condition in which people with developmental disorder
s have one or more areas of expertise, ability, or brilliance that are in contrast with the individual's overall limitations. Although not a recognized medical diagnosis, researcher Darold Treffert
says the condition may be either genetic
or acquired.
Though it is even rarer than the savant condition itself, some savants have no apparent abnormalities other than their unique abilities. This does not mean that these abilities weren't triggered by a brain dysfunction of some sort but does temper the theory that all savants are disabled and that some sort of trade-off is required.
A 2009 British study of 137 parents with autistic children found that 28% believed their offspring met the criteria for a savant skill, that is, a skill or power "at a level that would be unusual even for normal people".
for "learned idiot
" or "knowledgeable idiot") was first used to describe the condition in 1887 by John Langdon Down
, who is known for his description of Down Syndrome
. The term "idiot savant" was later described as a misnomer because not all reported cases fit the definition of idiot, originally used for a person with a very severe mental retardation
. The term autistic savant was also used as a diagnosis for this disorder. Like idiot savant, the term autistic savant also became looked at as a misnomer because only one-half of those who were diagnosed at the time with savant syndrome were autistic. Upon realization of the need for accuracy of diagnosis and dignity towards the individual, the term savant syndrome became widely accepted terminology.
was loosely based on Kim Peek
among others.
, or exceptional talent, even in the absence of a cognitive disability. Prodigious savants are those individuals whose abilities would be considered phenomenal or genius even in a person without any limitations or special diagnosis of impairment. The most common trait of these prodigious savants is their seemingly limitless mnemonic
skills, with many having eidetic or photographic memories
. Indeed, prodigious savants are extremely rare, with fewer than one hundred noted in more than a century of literature on the subject. Treffert, the leading researcher in the study of savant syndrome, estimates that fewer than fifty or so such individuals are believed to be alive in the world today. The website of the Wisconsin Medical Society lists 29 savant profiles. Darold Treffert is past-president of the society.
Developmental disorder
Developmental disorders occur at some stage in a child's development, often retarding the development. These may include,psychological or physical disorders. The disorder is an impairment in the normal development of motor or cognitive skills that are developed before age 18 in which they are...
s have one or more areas of expertise, ability, or brilliance that are in contrast with the individual's overall limitations. Although not a recognized medical diagnosis, researcher Darold Treffert
Darold Treffert
Darold A. Treffert is a psychiatrist who specializes in the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders. He has also conducted research on savant syndrome. He is a Clinical Professor at the University of Wisconsin Medical School and holds a position at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac,...
says the condition may be either genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
or acquired.
Though it is even rarer than the savant condition itself, some savants have no apparent abnormalities other than their unique abilities. This does not mean that these abilities weren't triggered by a brain dysfunction of some sort but does temper the theory that all savants are disabled and that some sort of trade-off is required.
Characteristics
According to Treffert, something that almost all savants have in common is a prodigious memory of a special type, a memory that he describes as "very deep, but exceedingly narrow". It is wide in the sense that they can recall but have a hard time putting it to use (for more on this see section on savants in Advanced Memory). Also, many savants are found to have superior artistic or musical ability.Causes
Savant-like skills may be latent in everyone and have been simulated in unaffected people by directing low-frequency magnetic pulses into the brain's left hemisphere, which is thought to deactivate this dominant region (in at least 90% of right-handed people) and allow the less dominant right hemisphere to take over, allowing for processing of savant-like tasks.Mechanism
Savant syndrome is poorly understood. No widely accepted cognitive theory explains the combination of talent and deficit found in savants. It has been suggested that autistic individuals are biased towards detail-focused processing and that this cognitive style predisposes both autistic and nonautistic individuals to savant talents. Another hypothesis is that hyper-systemizing predisposes people to show talent, where hyper-systemizing is an extreme state in the empathizing–systemizing theory that classifies people based on their skills in empathizing with others versus systemizing facts about the external world, and that the attention to detail shown by many savants is a consequence of enhanced perception or sensory hypersensitivity in autistic individuals. It has also been suggested that savants operate by directly accessing low-level, less-processed information that exists in all human brains but is normally not available to conscious awareness.Epidemiology
According to Treffert:- One in ten autistic people have savant skills.
- 50% of savants are autistic; the other 50% often have psychological disorders or mental illnesses.
- Prodigious savants have very significant disorder and disability, see Richard WawroRichard WawroRichard Wawro was a Scottish artist notable for his landscapes in wax oil crayon. He was an autistic savant.-Life:...
, Henriett Seth F., Jonathan LermanJonathan LermanJonathan Lerman is an American autistic savant outsider artist. He was born in Queens, NY, and currently resides in the Upstate New York suburb of Vestal....
.
A 2009 British study of 137 parents with autistic children found that 28% believed their offspring met the criteria for a savant skill, that is, a skill or power "at a level that would be unusual even for normal people".
History
According to Treffert, the term idiot savant (FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
for "learned idiot
Idiot
An idiot, dolt, or dullard is a mentally deficient person, or someone who acts in a self-defeating or significantly counterproductive way. Archaically the word mome has also been used. The similar terms moron, imbecile, and cretin have all gained specialized meanings in modern times. An idiot is...
" or "knowledgeable idiot") was first used to describe the condition in 1887 by John Langdon Down
John Langdon Down
John Langdon Haydon Down was a British doctor best known for his description of a relatively common genetic disorder that is now called Down syndrome.-Education:...
, who is known for his description of Down Syndrome
Down syndrome
Down syndrome, or Down's syndrome, trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was clinically described earlier in the 19th...
. The term "idiot savant" was later described as a misnomer because not all reported cases fit the definition of idiot, originally used for a person with a very severe mental retardation
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
. The term autistic savant was also used as a diagnosis for this disorder. Like idiot savant, the term autistic savant also became looked at as a misnomer because only one-half of those who were diagnosed at the time with savant syndrome were autistic. Upon realization of the need for accuracy of diagnosis and dignity towards the individual, the term savant syndrome became widely accepted terminology.
Society and culture
The 1988 fictional film Rain ManRain Man
Rain Man is a 1988 drama film written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass and directed by Barry Levinson. It tells the story of an abrasive and selfish yuppie, Charlie Babbitt, who discovers that his estranged father has died and bequeathed all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his other son,...
was loosely based on Kim Peek
Kim Peek
Laurence Kim Peek was an American savant. Known as a "megasavant", he had a photographic or eidetic memory, but also social difficulties, possibly resulting from a developmental disability related to congenital brain abnormalities. He was the inspiration for the character of Raymond Babbitt,...
among others.
Prodigious savants
A prodigious savant is someone whose skill level would qualify him or her as a prodigyChild prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
, or exceptional talent, even in the absence of a cognitive disability. Prodigious savants are those individuals whose abilities would be considered phenomenal or genius even in a person without any limitations or special diagnosis of impairment. The most common trait of these prodigious savants is their seemingly limitless mnemonic
Mnemonic
A mnemonic , or mnemonic device, is any learning technique that aids memory. To improve long term memory, mnemonic systems are used to make memorization easier. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often verbal, such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something,...
skills, with many having eidetic or photographic memories
Eidetic memory
Eidetic , commonly referred to as photographic memory, is a medical term, popularly defined as the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with extreme precision and in abundant volume. The word eidetic, referring to extraordinarily detailed and vivid recall not limited to, but...
. Indeed, prodigious savants are extremely rare, with fewer than one hundred noted in more than a century of literature on the subject. Treffert, the leading researcher in the study of savant syndrome, estimates that fewer than fifty or so such individuals are believed to be alive in the world today. The website of the Wisconsin Medical Society lists 29 savant profiles. Darold Treffert is past-president of the society.
Notable savants
The following are well-known people with savant syndrome, noted for their talent in their identified fields:- Kim PeekKim PeekLaurence Kim Peek was an American savant. Known as a "megasavant", he had a photographic or eidetic memory, but also social difficulties, possibly resulting from a developmental disability related to congenital brain abnormalities. He was the inspiration for the character of Raymond Babbitt,...
, mnemonistMnemonistThe title mnemonist refers to an individual with the ability to remember and recall unusually long lists of data, such as unfamiliar names, lists of numbers, entries in books, etc. Such individuals have also been described as possessing an eidetic memory, although whether such abilities are innate...
, speed reader and calculator, although not autistic - Mark BoerebachMark BoerebachMark Boerebach is a savant, able to recall Australian music chart top hits from the 1970s and 1980s.-Personal life:Boerebach was born blind and diagnosed with Asperger syndrome as a child. Prior to entering school, he underwent a series of operations which restored 20% of his eyesight, although he...
, Australian internet dj, subject of the documentary Rainman goes to Rockwiz - Alonzo ClemonsAlonzo ClemonsAlonzo Clemons is an American animal sculptor and a savant. He lives in Boulder, Colorado.Clemons suffered a severe brain injury as a child that left him developmentally disabled , but able to create very accurate animal sculptures out of clay. Clemons can create a sculpture of almost any animal,...
, American clay sculptorSculptureSculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals... - Tony DeBloisTony DeBloisAnthony Thomas "Tony" DeBlois is a blind US autistic savant and musician.-Biography:Tony DeBlois was born blind on January 22, 1974. He began to play piano at the age of two. At first DeBlois studied in the Perkins School for the Blind but in 1989 was awarded a summer scholarship at Berklee College...
, blindBlindnessBlindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
American musician - Leslie LemkeLeslie LemkeLeslie Lemke is a blind American autistic savant who is most notable for his work as a musician.Leslie Lemke was born prematurely in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1952. At birth, he was diagnosed with glaucoma, cerebral palsy, and brain damage. Doctors were forced to remove his eyes...
, blind American musician - Jonathan LermanJonathan LermanJonathan Lerman is an American autistic savant outsider artist. He was born in Queens, NY, and currently resides in the Upstate New York suburb of Vestal....
, American artistArtistAn artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only... - Thristan MendozaThristan MendozaThristan Mendoza is a Filipino autistic savant and marimba prodigy.Thristan "Tum-Tum" Mendoza was born 1989 in Quezon City, Philippines. He was enrolled at the Philippine Montessori Center and was diagnosed as autistic at the age of two and a half...
, Filipino marimbaMarimbaThe marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
prodigy - Gottfried MindGottfried MindGottfried Mind was a Swiss autistic savant who specialized in drawing. He was called the Raphael of Cats because of the excellence with which he painted that animal.- Early life :...
, Swiss artist known as the "Raphael of CatsRaphael of CatsThe Raphael of Cats can refer to either of two artists noted for their portraits of cats:*Gottfried Mind , of Switzerland.*Sal Meijer , of the Netherlands....
" - Derek ParaviciniDerek ParaviciniDerek Paravicini is a blind English autistic savant and a musical prodigy. He lives in Surrey.-Biography:Paravicini was born extremely prematurely, at 25 weeks . His blindness was caused by oxygen therapy given during his time in a neonatal intensive care unit...
, blind British musician - Gilles TréhinGilles TrehinGilles Tréhin is a French artist, author, and creator of the imaginary city of "Urville". His book, also titled Urville, is based on his writings of the fictional city's history, geography, culture, and economy, and includes over 300 drawings of different districts of Urville, all done by...
, artist, author - James Henry PullenJames Henry PullenJames Henry Pullen , also known as the Genius of Earlswood Asylum, was a British autistic savant, possibly suffering from aphasia.-Childhood:...
, gifted British carpenter - Matt SavageMatt SavageMatthew "Matt" Savage is an American autistic savant musician. Born in Sudbury, Massachusetts, he is the son of Diane and Lawrence "Larry" Savage.- Background :...
, American autistic jazz prodigy - Henriett Seth F., Hungarian autistic savant, poet, writer and artist
- Stephen WiltshireStephen WiltshireStephen Wiltshire MBE, is an architectural artist who has been diagnosed with autism. Wiltshire was born in London, England, to West Indian parents. He is known for his ability to draw a landscape after seeing it just once. He studied Fine Art at City & Guilds Art College.-Early life:Wiltshire was...
, British architectural artist - Richard WawroRichard WawroRichard Wawro was a Scottish artist notable for his landscapes in wax oil crayon. He was an autistic savant.-Life:...
, British artist - George and Charles Finn, calendar calculator twins
- Florence 'Flo' and Katherine 'Kay' Lyman, calendar calculator twins. Featured in a documentary produced by TV network TLCTLC (TV channel)TLC is an American cable TV specialty channel which initially focused on educational content. Since 1991 TLC has been owned by Discovery Communications, the same company that operates the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and The Science Channel, as well as other learning-themed networks...
entitled Twin Savants: Flo & Kay - Temple GrandinTemple GrandinTemple Grandin is an American doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior...
, a Doctor of Animal ScienceAnimal scienceAnimal Science is described as "studying the biology of animals that are under the control of mankind". Historically, the animals studied were farm animals, including livestock and horses, but courses available now look at a far broader area to include companion animals, for example dogs, cats and...
at Colorado State UniversityColorado State UniversityColorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
, and consultant to the livestockLivestockLivestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
industry in animal behavior - Jason D. Padgett, American Mathematical Artist
- Daniel TammetDaniel TammetDaniel Tammet is a British writer. His best selling 2006 memoir, Born On A Blue Day, about his life with high-functioning autism and savant syndrome, was named a "Best Book for Young Adults" in 2008 by the American Library Association.Tammet's second book, Embracing the Wide Sky, was named one of...
, British author, public speaker, high-functioning autistic savant, and synestheteSynesthesiaSynesthesia , from the ancient Greek , "together," and , "sensation," is a neurologically based condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway...