The History of Savant syndrome

By Nelson Tang

Rain Man (1988) is a movie that most people have heard of where Dustin Hoffman plays a character based on a real life person. His character is named Raymond, who has Savant syndrome, and does one of the best portrayals of autism in cinema. The real life counterpart is named Kim Peek who was just as or even more gifted than the movie counterpart. Peek had astounding memory and calculation skills and could remember more than 12,000 books, and was  up-to-date and almost a complete encyclopedia of world history. He could also read both the left and right pages of a book simultaneously and memorize them in 8 seconds, and recall the location of most roads and highways as well as area codes and zip codes [1.] One might even question how this is even remotely or humanly possible. After all, the brain is a truly remarkable organ capable of much potential. In this article, it goes over what Savant syndrome is and the signs and symptoms that are associated with this condition. Moreover, it will also discuss the different forms of treatments and how individuals can live with it. Lastly, the article will talk about the discovery of Savant syndrome and the breakthroughs made over the years that helped in fostering a better understanding on the subject matter and what we know about it today.

Savant syndrome is a rare condition as only one in ten autistic people exhibit savant characteristics and less than 1% in a population. Individuals with this condition are shown to have ability or excel greatly in a specific area displaying talent in an art or field of study. In other words, they can be extraordinarily gifted when it comes to music or art or be extremely intelligent when it comes to math or science. When it comes to the occurrence of savant syndrome in individuals it can either happen at birth, childhood or during adulthood. Moreover, it can also coexist with various neurodevelopmental conditions including autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, or other conditions such as genetic/chromosomal disorders, brain malformation or injury [3]. Despite this, the exact cause of savant syndrome is yet to be found and still being researched into.

Dr. Zishan Khan who is psychiatrist, says It has been suspected to involve the right hemisphere of the brain in certain savants compensating for some sort of a deficit within the left anterior temporal lobe. Furthermore, Dr. Khan brings up the three leading theories regarding the cause of savant syndrome, which are the biological development theory, the modularity of mind hypothesis, and the cognitive theory. The first theory suggests that development could be attributed to genetic and neurochemical damage to the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. The second theory suggests the special abilities and talents are due to disruptions in behavioral functions that lead to unusual forced reorganizations within individuals’ minds. The third theory suggests that deficits in executive function, abstract thinking, and highly developed and advanced procedural memory causes the savant skills to manifest.

However, individuals with savant syndrome show difficulty and struggle in performing actions or activities that require little or no specialized skills. Signs that indicate an individual may have this condition include heightened sensitivity, obsessional behaviors, technical and/or spatial abilities or systemizing [2]. When it comes to a diagnosis, an individual's cognitive, social, and behavioral functioning is closely examined and assessed as well as paying attention to any particular skills or abilities that far surpass the average level during that stage of development.

When it comes to treatment, there is no specific treatment, as it is not a single disease or disorder. Like autism, it is on a spectrum meaning that different forms of treatment will be required based on the symptoms of an individual. For example, treatment could be something like behavioral or physical therapy in helping with the nervous system. Treatment appears to have no negative effects on their specific skills and talents. In fact, the continued use and practices of their gifts lead to greater ability, facility, and expertise over time allowing them to grow even more, unlocking new heights of their potential [3].

Savant syndrome was first described in a German psychology magazine called Gnothi Sauton in 1783, where it documented the case of Tom Fuller. Fuller was described as “ a lightning calculator with extraordinary memory” as they displayed extreme calculating abilities.  Fuller was asked a question where he was able to precisely answer it in 90 seconds, which was how many seconds a man lived if he was 70 years, 17 days, and 12 hours old.  He answered correctly and even accounted for the leap years. It was until 1887 in London where a specific description of savant syndrome was given. It was described by John Langdon Down, who reflected on his 30 years of work as a physician at the Earlswood Hospital during a lecture he gave at the Medical Society of London. He recalled a number of cases using the term “idiot savants'' and presented some of these cases of people with “special faculties.” One of these patients was able to memorize The rise and fall of the Roman Empire verbatim and could recite it backwards or forwards. Another showed remarkable drawing skills, but was lacking in other areas of the mind. Others displayed musical ability or arithmetic skill, which all lead to the clinical picture of special skills and precise memory [4]. Following this description, others in the field have brought upon this contributing to what we understand today about savant syndrome. These individuals have proven and shown to be highly remarkable and gifted individuals. We must continue to spread awareness and inclusion for all those living with developmental disabilities.  

References:

[1]. Admin. “The Weird and Wonderful World of Savant Syndrome.” Team TMH, 3 June 2022, www.talkingmentalhealth.com/post/weird-wonderful-world-savant-syndrome. 

[2]. Fielding, Sarah. “Living with Savant Syndrome.” Verywell Mind, 4 Oct. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/living-with-savant-syndrome-7553303..

[3]. “Savant Syndrome.” SSM Health Treffert Center, www.ssmhealth.com/treffert-center/conditions-treatments/savant-syndrome. 

[4]. Treffert, Darold A. “The Savant Syndrome: An Extraordinary Condition. A Synopsis: Past, Present, Future.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 27 May 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2677584/