Autistic savant: Difference between revisions
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#REDIRECT [[Savant syndrome]] |
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An '''autistic savant''' (formerly called '''idiot savant''') is someone that expresses extraordinary [[mental]] abilities, often in the fields of [[mathematics]] (see also [[mental calculators]]), [[art]], or [[music]] but usually set within the context of [[autism]] or [[mental retardation]]. |
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When one has an extraordinary single skill in an otherwise unexceptional intellect, he or she may simply be described as a ''savant,'' without qualifier, although ''savant'' is usually meant to mean a person of learning, especially one of great knowledge in a particular subject, without remarking on the person's overall state of intellect. |
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It is a rare phenomenon which occurs in some people with [[autism]] and/or certain developmental disorders. Some people have acquired savant-like abilities after suffering from head injuries. |
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Autistic savantism is usually recognised during childhood and is often but not always found in [[autism|autistic]] children. However it is also sometimes acquired in an [[accident]] or [[illness]], typically one that impairs the left side of the brain. There is some research that suggests that it can be induced, which might support the view that unusual savant abilities are innate within all of us but obscured by the normal functioning intellect. |
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Most autistic savants have very extensive mental abilities, called ''splinter skills''. They can memorize facts, numbers, [[license plate]]s, maps, and extensive lists of [[sports]] and [[weather]] [[statistics]]. Some savants can mentally note and then recall back perfectly a very long series of music, numbers, or speech. |
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Some other autistic savant skills include: |
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* lighting-fast [[arithmetic]] calculations, including finding [[integer factorization|prime factorization]]s |
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* precisely estimate distances by sight |
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* calculating the day of the week for any given date over the span of tens of thousands of years |
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* perfect perception of passing time without a [[clock]] |
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Why autistic savants are capable of this sort of astonishing ability is not quite clear. Some savants have obvious [[neurology|neurological]] abnormalities, but the [[brain]]s of most such individuals savants are anatomically and physiologically normal. |
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Examples of autistic savants include [[Blind Tom]], who had exceptional musical ability although no musical education, and [[Richard Wawro]] who is an exceptional artist although retarded and autistic. |
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Austistic savantism is also a common theme in movies and literature. Examples include ''[[Rain Man]]'' starring [[Dustin Hoffman]], ''[[Forrest Gump]]'' starring [[Tom Hanks]], ''[[Being There]]'' starring [[Peter Sellers]], and ''[[Mercury Rising]]'' starring [[Bruce Willis]] and [[Miko Hughes]] |
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==External links== |
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* [http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~changc/page1.html What is Savant Syndrome?] |
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* [http://www.dave.burt.id.au/files/jef/MajorBrainAssignmentFINAL.doc Inducing savant-like abilities in ordinary humans by applying slow repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to the left anterior temporal lobe.] |
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* [http://www.savantsyndrome.com Wisconsin University: Savant Syndrome] |
Latest revision as of 21:05, 18 January 2024
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