The savant syndrome is a rare condition in which people with neurodevelopmental disorders, notably autism spectrum disorders, and/or brain injuries, demonstrate profound and prodigious capacities and/or abilities far in excess of what would be considered normal. In spite of the name syndrome , it is not recognized as a mental disorder , or as a part of mental disorder. In simple terms these are very gifted individuals with fewer than 50 alive today.

Characteristics [ change | change source ]

These individuals in some cases may not be able to tie their shoes, however they may memorize an entire book in days.

Notable savants [ change | change source ]

The following are well-known people with savant syndrome, noted for their talent in their identified fields:

• Wesley Willis , American musician , savant levels of visual recall.
• Kim Peek , mnemonist , speed reader and calculator , although not autistic ^[1]
• Mark Boerebach , Australian internet Disk jockey , subject of the documentary Rainman goes to Rockwiz
• Alonzo Clemons , American clay sculptor ^[2]
• Tony DeBlois , blind American musician ^[3]
• Leslie Lemke , blind American musician ^[4]
• Jonathan Lerman , American artist ^[5]
• Thristan Mendoza , Filipino marimba prodigy ^[6]
• Gottfried Mind , Swiss artist known as the "Raphael of Cats"
• Derek Paravicini , blind British musician ^[7]
• Anthony Torrone , American Christian writer ^{[8] [9]}
• Gilles Trehin , artist, author ^[10]
• James Henry Pullen , gifted British carpenter ^[11]
• Matt Savage , American autistic jazz prodigy ^{[12] [13]}
• Henriett Seth F. , Hungarian autistic savant, poet, writer, and artist ^[14]
• Stephen Wiltshire , British architectural artist ^[15]
• Richard Wawro , British artist ^[4]
• George and Charles Finn, calendar calculator twins ^{[16] [17]}
• Florence 'Flo' and Katherine 'Kay' Lyman, calendar calculator twins. Featured in a documentary produced by TV network TLC entitled Twin Savants: Flo & Kay ^[18]
• Jason D. Padgett , American mathematical artist ^{[19] [20]}
• Daniel Tammet , British author. ^[21]
• Rex Lewis-Clack , blind American pianist.
• Blind Tom Wiggins , blind African American pianist.
• Orlando Serrell , sudden savant, calendrical calculation , mnemonist , featured on English version of Expedition ins Gehirn.

References [ change | change source ]

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Other websites [ change | change source ]

• The Wisconsin Medical Society lists 29 savant profiles Archived 2012-10-16 at the Wayback Machine .