Savant Syndrome: The 5 Most Famous Cases

If I told you that there are people capable of remembering the pages of 8,000 books, would you say that it is possible? And if on top of that, they have some kind of mental alteration, even more impossible, right? Well, as incredible as it may seem, it is real. They are people who suffer from the savant or savant syndrome.

These people  suffer from mental disorders and physical, mental or motor disabilities, but “in return” they possess incredible mental abilities. The cases that we present below support the hypothesis that a person with, for example, an autism spectrum disorder, may have extremely prodigious cognitive ability.

Benjamin Rush first described savant syndrome in 1789. He gave a patient who was able to calculate the age of people just by observing them for a few seconds. Since then, the cases of “Savantists” have been very scarce, barely a hundred have been detected. However, their extraordinary capabilities, precisely because of their rarity and the incredible milestones they make possible, do not cease to amaze us.

Savant syndrome and its characteristics

It is a set of abnormal cognitive symptoms, which the researcher Darold Treffert defines as a pathological state. People who suffer from it possess surprising ability or specific mental abilities. But, in turn, they present mental disorders and / or physical disabilities

In general, the most common abilities of the Savant focus on 4 main categories :

• Art (music, painting and sculpture): They are usually brilliant musical performers (especially at the piano), painters and sculptors. They also tend to have innate abilities to understand and interpret music.
• Calculation of dates: some Savant can memorize entire calendars and remember specific information regarding each of those days.
• Mathematical calculation: They perform complex mathematical calculations instantly and with enormous precision. For example, calculating prime numbers, decimals of pi, or dividing to 100 decimals, all of course mentally.

• Mechanical and spatial skills: They have the ability to measure distances, almost exact, without any tools. They also build highly detailed models, memorize maps and directions, etc.

In addition to these skills there are other more unusual and generally more particular to the individual, such as ease of learning multiple languages, strong sharpening of the senses, perfect appreciation of the passage of time without the need for watches, etc.

Kim Peek: The Rain Man Movie Inspiration

It has been the most famous and prodigious case of this pathology. So much so that even Dustin Hoffman brought him to life in the movie Rain Man. Kim’s case is amazing. He was born with macrocephaly, a permanent malformation in the cerebellum, and agenesis in the corpus callosum, a condition that hindered the connection between his hemispheres.

This made him a very dependent person, unable to perform basic tasks, such as buttoning a shirt. However, he surprised the entire world with his prodigious intellectual abilities. He had one of the most extraordinary memories that science has been able to date.

He was able to learn about 8,000 books he had read and could read two pages at the same time, one with each eye. In addition, he reproduced things having heard or read them only once. All the maps of the United States became known by heart, so that even if he had never traveled a certain route, he could do it without the need for directions or signs.

His level of mental processing was impressive. But, on the other hand, his motor and cognitive limitations were also evident. For example, he was unable to interpret a poem or infer conclusions from a work. He had no musical aptitude, however, if he listened to a song, he could reproduce it by playing on a piano without much difficulty.

Jason Padgett: acquired savant syndrome

Although this disease state, as defined by researcher Darold Treffert, is congenital, Jason Padgett is an exception. He was not born with his abilities, but they came when he was 30 years old. It is one of those clinical cases that transform scientific paradigms and reveal how surprising the human mind can be.

Jason was a less studious young man and more concerned with having fun with his friends. One night, hanging out with them, he was violently assaulted. He suffered a concussion and, after going through the hospital and returning home, he realized that everything had changed.

On the one hand, he began to suffer from different disorders such as OCD, agoraphobia or depression. And, on the other hand, the savant syndrome led him to be a genius of mathematics, despite the fact that before he was almost inept in this matter. He performed mental calculations and visualized reality through geometric patterns.

The doctors studied his condition and saw that, after suffering the concussion, some areas of the brain that in their day to day remained inactive, with the blow were activated to replace the damaged functions. Extraordinary, isn’t it?

Tony DeBlois: a prodigy musician

If Kim Peek’s musical ability was surprising, this child prodigy is no wonder. Tony DeBlois was born blind and autistic. His savant syndrome became evident at the age of 2, the age at which he began to play the piano without having received any kind of class or instruction. And how!

From there, he learned to play about twenty instruments and he knows about 8,000 pieces of music by heart. This American just needs to listen to a piece of music to be able to interpret it from memory on any of the instruments he plays. We leave you a video in which you can enjoy this virtuoso of art.

Stephen Wiltshire: an artist with a photographic memory

This 43-year-old English artist was diagnosed with severe autism when he was just 3. His interest in drawing led him to study at a London school, where he began to express himself through his art. His brilliance soon stood out. He was able to paint landscapes and faces after an imaginary earthquake. His ability was amazing.

The most impressive thing about Wiltshire was not its artistic precocity, but its impressive and enviable visual memory. It is capable of drawing an image after only seeing it once, with precision and detail similar to that of a camera. Only one glance is enough to reproduce it accurately and to scale on the canvas.

It’s funny how while 50% of those who suffer from savant syndrome have autism spectrum disorders, only 10% of them show these kinds of prodigious abilities.

George and Charles Finn: the calculating twins

In the 1960s in America, two twins with Asperger’s were dubbed the “human calendars. ” Even though his IQ was between 60 and 70 (close to intellectual disability), his abilities were spectacular. They were able to remember the weather and what happened any day in their life. They were also able to calculate what day of the week any date corresponds to. Up to dates of up to 40,000 years!

People with savant syndrome have surprising disabilities and abilities at the same time. Scientific hypotheses are in favor, for the moment, that such a special configuration has to do with the fact that these people have the most developed right hemisphere, which makes them have such extraordinary talents.