Savant syndrome is a condition in which people with severe mental disorders (such as autism) and severe developmental disabilities demonstrate savantism—a pronounced genius in a narrow field, such as mathematics or phenomenal memory.
Experts call this talent an “island of genius”. Thus emphasizing that genius in the case of savant is surrounded by a dark ocean of unconsciousness, inability to control oneself, to think rationally.
General information
The name of the syndrome comes from the French language and translates as “scholar’s syndrome”. The term was first used by the British research physician D.L. Down in 1887. He described 10 patients with outstanding abilities and intellectual deficiency. To date, scientific papers have reviewed about 100 cases of savantism. The frequency of savant syndrome among autistic patients is 1:3 and in the rest of the population it is 1:2000. The ratio of females to males is 1:4.
Causes of savantism
According to its origin, savant syndrome is categorized into primary and secondary savantism. The causes of primary savantism are congenital dysontogenetic diseases – autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Most often unusual abilities and talents are manifested in Asperger’s syndrome. Causes of secondary savantism:
- Craniocerebral traumas. The phenomenon of giftedness can manifest itself after traumatic brain damage, in particular after damage to the temporal region of the left hemisphere. There are known cases when, having received a head injury, people became musicians, artists, although before the ability to these areas did not show.
- Epilepsy. Secondary savant syndrome can develop as a result of epilepsy with localization of the focus in the temporal lobe. Symptoms occur after a severe seizure, leading to a decrease in the functionality of cells of the restricted area of the brain.
- Frontal temporal dementia. This name unites diseases that are characterized by lesions of the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain (for example, Pick’s disease). The main part of patients is people older than 60-65 years. Savant syndrome develops with degeneration of structures in the left hemisphere, accompanied by a slow decline in intellectual functions.
Symptoms of savantism
Savantism can be congenital or acquired, and manifests itself through unusual abilities against a background of general abnormalities in other areas of mental development.
1. Congenital savantism:
Manifests from an early age. Children with congenital savantism are often significantly ahead of their peers in certain areas, but lag behind in intellectual development and social adaptation. For example, the child can draw complex pictures, but does not know how to dress, eat or speak.
2. Acquired savantism:
Occurs after an injury or acute illness. Symptoms may include intense development of new abilities against a background of general intellectual decline or loss of other mental and physical functions (e.g., paralysis, mutism, deafness). An example from the scientific literature: a man who lost his hearing after being injured became a genius in mechanics.
The talents of people with savantism often manifest themselves in specific areas:
- Mathematics: the ability to solve complex mathematical problems.
- Linguistics: ability to quickly master a foreign language.
- Art: artistic ability without special training, displaying objects with creativity.
- Hyperlexia: ability to read large texts in seconds and reproduce them with high accuracy (up to 99%).
The memory of people with savantism can capture many details of a particular situation. This can lead to difficulties in categorizing information and separating the important from the unimportant. This memory is deep but lacks a meaningful component.
Diagnosis of savant syndrome
Savant syndrome is diagnosed as part of a comprehensive mental health evaluation in patients with ASD or organic brain damage. An important role in diagnosis is played by a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist. The main methods of diagnosis are anamnesis collection and conversation with relatives, who often report unusual abilities of the patient against the background of general intellectual decline and poor adaptation to everyday life.
Clinical signs of savantism:
- Weak communication skills (especially with ASD).
- Difficulties in understanding abstract concepts and figurative meaning.
Specific diagnostic methods:
- Wechsler Test: Consists of 12 subtests measuring verbal and nonverbal functions. Savants often score low on verbal tasks and high on nonverbal tasks.
- Raven’s test: A progressive matrix technique that assesses intelligence without regard to verbal skills. Patients with savantism usually score high.
- Special Tests: The doctor offers tasks, such as solving math problems, reading a text, or playing a musical instrument, to assess the patient’s extraordinary abilities.
Prognosis and prevention
Savant syndrome is prognostically favorable: this phenomenon does not lead to any complications, rarely worsens the quality of life of patients. Preventive measures have not been developed. To prevent the development of congenital savantism, experts recommend that future mothers undergo a complete examination at the stage of planning the birth of a child, give up bad habits, and undergo screening examinations during pregnancy. Such measures will help to detect fetal anomalies at early stages and reduce the risk of premature birth.
Conclusion
Savant syndrome is a rare but unique phenomenon in which individuals with severe mental disorders such as autism demonstrate exceptional abilities in one or more areas. This phenomenon, although associated with intellectual disabilities, often leads to the development of genius in areas such as math, art, linguistics, or memory. Despite the uniqueness of talent, people with savantism face difficulties in social adaptation and daily life.
Diagnosis of the syndrome requires a comprehensive approach, including psychiatric and psychological studies, as well as the use of special tests to detect extraordinary abilities. The prognosis for such patients is usually favorable, but there are no preventive measures to prevent the development of the syndrome. It is important that expectant parents perform the necessary examinations and screenings to minimize the risk of abnormalities associated with the development of this syndrome.
