Savant Syndrome

Savant syndrome From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Savant syndrome, sometimes abbreviated as savantism, is not a recognized medical diagnosis, but researcher Darold Treffert describes it as a rare condition in which persons with developmental disorders (including autism spectrum disorders) have one or more areas of expertise, ability or brilliance that are in contrast with the individual's overall limitations. Treffert says the condition can be genetic, but can also be acquired.[1] According to Treffert, about half of persons with savant syndrome have autistic disorder, while the other half have another developmental disability, mental retardation, brain injury or disease. He says, "... not all autistic persons have savant syndrome and not all persons with savant syndrome have autistic disorder".[1] Other researchers state that autistic traits and savant skills may be linked,[2] or have challenged some earlier conclusions about savant syndrome as "hearsay, uncorroborated by independent scrutiny".[3] Though it is even more rare 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.[4] (see Prodigious Savants below)

Contents •

1 Characteristics

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2 Causes

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3 Mechanism

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4 Epidemiology

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5 History

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6 Society and culture

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7 Prodigious savants

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8 References

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". Narrow 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).[1]

Causes Savant-like skills may be latent in everyone and have been simulated in neurotypical people by directing low-frequency magnetic pulses into the brain's left fronto-temporal lobe, which is thought to inactivate the region and allow for more-direct processing of a savant-like task involving rapid counting[5]

Mechanism Savant syndrome is poorly understood. No widely accepted cognitive theory explains the combination of talent and deficit found in savants.[6] It has been suggested that autistic individuals are biased towards detailfocused processing and that this cognitive style predisposes both autistic and nonautistic individuals to savant talents.[7] 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,[8] and that the attention to detail shown by many savants is a consequence of enhanced perception or sensory hypersensitivity in autistic individuals.[8][9] It has also been suggested that savants operate by directly accessing low-level, lessprocessed information that exists in all human brains but is normally not available to conscious awareness.[5] Savant syndrome is six times more frequent in males than females, and this difference is not entirely explained by the preponderance of males in the autistic population. This has led to suggestions that the Geschwind– Galaburda hypothesis applies to savant syndrome where both the brain injury and savantism appear to be congenital.[1]

Epidemiology According to Treffert:[1] •

One in ten autistic persons has savant skills.

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50% of savants are autistic; the other 50% often have different disabilities, mental retardation, brain injuries, or brain diseases.

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Male savants outnumber female savants by about six times.

A 2009 British study of 137 autistic individuals found that 28% met criteria for a savant skill, that is, a skill or power "at a level that would be unusual even for normal people"; the study suggested that the number is likely to be an underestimate, with the true value being at least a third of individuals with autism.[10]

History According to Treffert, the term idiot savant was first used to describe the condition in 1887 by John Langdon Down, who is known for his description

of Down Syndrome. During the late-19th and early-20th century, "Idiot" was a scientifically acceptable term to refer to a person whose IQ was less than 20. The term idiot savant was later described as a misnomer because almost all reported cases since that time occur in persons with IQ more than 40. The term autistic savant was also used during this time period 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 realisation of the need for accuracy within the diagnosis and dignity towards the individual, the term savant syndrome became widely accepted terminology.[1]

Society and culture Kim Peek was the basis for the 1988 fictional film Rain Man,[11][12] although he is not autistic.[13]

Prodigious savants See also: People speculated to have been autistic A prodigious savant is someone whose skill level would qualify him or her as a prodigy, 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.[14] Darold Treffert is past-president of the society.

The following are not autistic but are in the spectrum: •

Kim Peek, speed reader and calculator

The following are autistic artists of above-average talent in their fields:

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Daniel Tammet, British high-functioning autistic savant (mathematical synesthaesia, language absorption, and memory)[4][15]

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Alonzo Clemons, American clay sculptor[16]

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Tony DeBlois, blind American musician[17]

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Leslie Lemke, blind American musician[11]

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Jonathan Lerman, American artist[18]

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Thristan Mendoza, Filipino marimba prodigy[19]

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Derek Paravicini, blind British musician[20]

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Gilles Tréhin, artist, author

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James Henry Pullen, gifted British carpenter[21]

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Matt Savage, U.S. autistic jazz prodigy[22][23]

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Henriett Seth-F., Hungarian autistic savant, poet, writer and artist[24]

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Stephen Wiltshire, British architectural artist[25]

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Richard Wawro, British artist[11]

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Robbie Newton, Scottish playwright with Asperger's syndrome.

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George and Charles, calendar calculator twins[26][27]

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Flo and Kay, calendar calculator twins. Featured in a documentary produced by TV network TLC entitled "Twin Savants: Flo & Kay"

[28]

References 1. ^ a b c d e f Treffert DA (2009). "The savant syndrome: an extraordinary condition. A synopsis: past, present, future". Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 364 (1522): 1351–7. doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0326. PMID 19528017. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/system/files/savant_article.pdf. Lay summary – Wisconsin Medical Society.

2. ^ Heaton P, Wallace GL (July 2004). "Annotation: the savant syndrome". J Child Psychol Psychiatry 45 (5): 899–911. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.t01-1-00284.x. PMID 15225334. "CONCLUSIONS: We thus conclude that autism (or autistic traits) and savant skills are inextricably linked and we should therefore look to autism in our quest to solve the puzzle of the savant syndrome.".

3. ^ McMullen T (December 1991). "The savant syndrome and extrasensory perception". Psychol Rep 69 (3 Pt 1): 1004–6. doi:10.2466/PR0.69.7.1004-1006. PMID 1784646. "D.A. Treffert, following B. Rimland, cited examples which he states show ESP to be occurring in certain autistic savant children. The evidence is questioned on the ground that it is hearsay, uncorroborated by independent scrutiny.".

4. ^ a b "The Boy With The Incredible Brain". http://video.google.com/videoplay? docid=4913196365903075662&hl=en&fs=true. Retrieved 2009-03-31.

5. ^ a b Snyder A (2009). "Explaining and inducing savant skills: privileged access to lower level, less-processed information". Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 364 (1522): 1399–405. doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0290. PMID 19528023. http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/364/1522/1399.full. Lay summary – The Economist (2009-04-16).

6. ^ Pring L (2005). "Savant talent". Dev Med Child Neurol 47 (7): 500–3. doi:10.1017/S0012162205000976. PMID 15991873.

7. ^ Happé F, Vital P (2009). "What aspects of autism predispose to talent?". Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 364 (1522): 1369–75. doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0332. PMID 19528019. Lay summary – The Economist (2009-04-16).

8. ^ a b Baron-Cohen S, Ashwin E, Ashwin C, Tavassoli T, Chakrabarti B (2009). "Talent in autism: hyper-systemizing, hyper-attention to detail and sensory hypersensitivity" (PDF). Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 364 (1522): 1377–83.

doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0337. PMID 19528020. http://autismresearchcentre.com/docs/papers/2009_BC_etal_Talent_RoyalSoc.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-08.

9. ^ Mottron L, Dawson M, Soulières I (2009). "Enhanced perception in savant syndrome: patterns, structure and creativity". Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 364 (1522): 1385–91. doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0333. PMID 19528021.

10. ^ Howlin P, Goode S, Hutton J, Rutter M (2009). "Savant skills in autism: psychometric approaches and parental reports". Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 364 (1522): 1359–67. doi:10.1098/rstb.2008.0328. PMID 19528018. Lay summary – The Economist (2009-04-16).

11. ^ a b c Treffert, Darold A. and Gregory L. Wallace (2003). "Islands of Genius" (PDF). Scientific American, Inc. http://www.gordonresearch.com/articles_autism/SciAmIslands_of_Genius.pdf. Retrieved 2007-11-08.

12. ^ "NASA Studying 'Rain Man's' Brain". Space.com. November 8, 2004. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/nasa_peek_041108.html. Retrieved 2007-09-14.

13. ^ Wulff, Jane (November 2006). "Kim Peek and Fran Peek: 'I am important to know you'" (PDF). Multnomah Education Service District. http://w3.mesd.k12.or.us/pa/Interaction11-6-06.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-18.

14. ^ unknown. "Savant profiles". Wisconsin Medical Society. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles. Retrieved 2008-09-09.

15. ^ Johnson, Richard (February 12, 2005). "A genius explains". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,1409903,00.html. Retrieved 200711-08.

16. ^ Treffert, Darold. "Alonzo Clemons - Genius Among Us". Wisconsin Medical Society. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/alonzo_ clemons. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

17. ^ Treffert, Darold. "Tony DeBlois - A Prodigious Musical Savant". Wisconsin Medical Society. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/tony_d eblois. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

18. ^ Jonathan Lerman: o

Treffert, Darold. "Jonathan Lerman - An Extraordinary Artist". Wisconsin Medical Society. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/j onathan_lerman. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

o

Blumenthal, Ralph (2002-01-16). "Success at 14, Despite Autism; His Drawings Go for Up to $1,200 and Win High Praise". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9907E7DA1238F935A25752C0A9649C8B63. Retrieved 2007-11-05.

19. ^ Treffert, Darold. "Thristan "Tum-Tum" Mendoza - A Child Prodigy Marimbist With Autism from the Philippines". Wisconsin Medical Society. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/thristan _mendoza. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

20. ^ Derek Paravicini: o

Treffert, Darold. "Derek Paravicini - A Talent and Love for Music". Wisconsin Medical Society. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/ derek_paravicini. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

o

"Meet Musical Savant Rex: Lesley Stahl Checks In On A Boy With An Extraordinary Musical Talent". CBS, 60 Minutes. October 23, 2005. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/20/60minutes/main957718_page 3.shtml. Retrieved 2007-11-08.

21. ^ James Henry Pullen: o

Ward, O. Conor. "The Childhood and the Life of James Henry Pullen, the Victorian Idiot Savant (1832–1916)", Abstract of article cited at adc.bmjjournals.com Retrieved on 14 June 2006.

o

Treffert, Darold. "James Henry Pullen - Genius of Earlswood Asylum". Wisconsin Medical Society. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/j ames_pullen. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

22. ^ "Matt Savage: The Prodigy", People magazine June 17, 2002 23. ^ Treffert, Darold. "Matt Savage - A 14-Year-Old Marvelous Musician". Wisconsin Medical Society. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/matt_s avage. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

24. ^ Treffert, Darold. "Henriett Seth F. - Rain Girl". Wisconsin Medical Society. http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant_syndrome/savant_profiles/henriet t_seth. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

25. ^ "Unlocking the brain's potential". BBC News. 10 March 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1211299.stm. Retrieved 2007-11-08.

26. ^ Horwitz, et al., 1965 27. ^ Sacks, Oliver, 1985

28. ^ Tracey Eagan (May 6, 2009). "Twin Savants Fixated on Dick Clark". Jezebel. http://jezebel.com/5243027/twin-savants-fixated-on-dick-clark. Retrieved 200907-19.