Health
The Accidental Pianist: Savant Syndrome “Paradox of Genius”
Where do sudden intense passions come from
In 1994, one day, Tony Cicoria, an orthopedic surgeon, was at a family gathering by a lake. He went to make a phone call when he noticed storm clouds in the distance.
Then, suddenly lightning from that gathering storm struck the booth, shooting through the phone and into his head. He thought he had died, but then he was back in his body, feeling pain from burns.
Luckily, the woman waiting to use the phone was a nurse and she performed CPR, saving his life. After a few weeks, Dr. Cicoria recovered and everything seemed to return to normal.
After the lightning strike, Dr. Cicoria developed a mysterious, insatiable need to listen to classical piano music, even though he had never been interested in it before.
He bought piano recordings and sheet music and even got a piano for his house. He started teaching himself to play, even though it was difficult at first.
But that’s not all. Dr. Cicoria began hearing music in his head. It felt like the music was coming from deep within him. He couldn’t resist it and spent hours playing and composing music.
It became his passion and purpose in life. Dr. Cicoria’s story touched the hearts of those who heard it.
In 2008, Cicoria released a CD of his music called, Notes From An Accidental Pianist and Composer. His best-known song from the album is fittingly titled, “The Lightning Sonata.”
So, the extraordinary mental condition that has developed in the case of Dr. Cicoria is Savant syndrome.
Savant syndrome is a condition characterized by remarkable abilities and talents in individuals with developmental disorders, particularly autistic disorder.
These exceptional skills can either be innate from birth (congenital) or acquired later in childhood or adulthood.
Savant abilities coexist with various neurodevelopmental conditions, including intellectual disability, genetic disorders, brain malformations or injuries, and other prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal factors.
Additionally, savant syndrome can also occur later in life as an acquired savant phenomenon, which is the case of Tony Cicoria.
You must be thinking that savants must have high IQs, but that is not the case in all of them.
While savants may have genius-level knowledge in their area of expertise, research shows savants often have a below-average IQ of around 70.
While some savants have IQs in the normal range (between 85 and 115)’
No savants studied have had IQs under 50 or over 130.
Now, I’ll tell you about the prevalence of savant syndrome.
Approximately 1 in 10 persons with autistic disorder have some savant skills. In the case of intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, as well as brain injuries, savant skills occur at a rate of less than 1%.
A lot of you people must be confused about that, is Savant syndrome a form of autism?
No, a savant is not a type of autism; you do not need to be autistic to be a savant. However, savant qualities are more common among people with autism than in other neuro-types
Thus, Not all savants are autistic, and not all people with autism are savants.
It’s interesting to know that:
Most People With Savant Syndrome Are Male.
The proportion of male savants is significantly higher than that of female savants.
For every female savant, there are six male savants.
This is primarily attributed to the fact that a majority of individuals with autism, which accounts for half of all savants, are male.
You must be thinking, like Dr. Cicoria, who developed an interest in classical piano music, are there any variations of this condition?
The answer to this question is; Yes. Savant abilities cover a wide range of skills and can differ from person to person.
- Musical savants possess an innate talent for playing instruments, composing music, or having perfect pitch.
- Artistic savants produce intricate, detailed artworks with astonishing precision.
- Mathematical savants exhibit an extraordinary ability to perform complex calculations or possess advanced numerical skills.
- Memory savants demonstrate an exceptional capacity for recalling vast amounts of information or details about specific topics.
Other savants may excel in areas like calendar calculation, spatial skills, or language acquisition.
So, Is Savant Syndrome a Good Thing; I mean who doesn’t want to have exceptional abilities…
While savant syndrome is often associated with impressive abilities, it is important to recognize that it does not necessarily make life easier for individuals who have it. In some cases, it can make life more difficult.
Some autistic savants have extraordinary abilities that can be channeled in useful directions. For example, some uniquely talented autistic artists and musicians are able to sell their work (almost always through parents or managers).
In most cases, though, savant skills are splinter skills, meaning skills that while real and significant, are not used in daily life.
For example, the ability to recite pages of the phone book from memory, while an impressive feat, serves no meaningful purpose outside of itself.
Therefore, while savant syndrome can be intriguing, it does not automatically translate into an overall advantage or improved quality of life for individuals who possess it.
Research has shown that:
Savants Have Pronounced Right-Side Skills.
Savants possess exceptional talents due to their highly developed right-side skills.
The right side of the brain handles learning and artistic expression.
However, savants often lack or have limited left-side skills, which can make them appear awkward in their movements, speech, and social interactions.
Now, let me explain to you, how this extraordinary mental condition develops.
These stories made scientists curious about the reasons behind these intense passions. While scientists couldn’t fully explain the exact reasons, some theories have been proposed to understand these scientific and mysterious transformations.
1-Rote memory theory:
This theory states that savants have exceptional skills because they rely heavily on memorization and recall of specific information. They may struggle with abstract reasoning but excel in tasks that require memorization.
2-Left brain injury/Right brain compensation theory:
This theory suggests that when there is damage to the left side of the brain, the right side takes over and leads to exceptional skills.
This compensation allows for enhanced visual and spatial abilities, contributing to talents seen in savants.
3-Weak central coherence theory:
This theory suggests that savants have a tendency to focus on details rather than seeing the bigger picture.
This narrow attention to detail allows them to excel in specific areas but may make it difficult for them to understand broader concepts.
4-Hyper systemizing theory:
This theory suggests that savants have a strong inclination for analyzing patterns and systemizing in specific areas. This ability allows them to develop exceptional expertise in their chosen domain.
5-Water-house theory:
This theory proposes that in some individuals with autism, there may be brain dysfunctions that result in enhanced memory for visual or auditory stimuli. This is due to abnormal attention processes in specific brain areas, leading to heightened abilities to remember patterns.
However, these theories may not explain all cases of savant syndrome and require further research.
To sum it up, can Savant syndrome be cured?
Indeed, savant syndrome is not considered a disease that requires treatment.
As such, the focus is not on treating savant syndrome itself, but rather on providing support, interventions, and accommodations to address the associated challenges and enhance the overall quality of life for individuals with savant abilities.
This may include educational and therapeutic interventions tailored to the specific needs and strengths of the individual, aiming to maximize their potential and promote their well-being.
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