Download or read book Islands of Genius written by Darold A. Treffert and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. This book was released on 2011-10-12 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this fascinating book, Dr. Treffert looks at what we know about savant syndrome, and at new discoveries that raise interesting questions about the hidden brain potential within us all. He looks both at how savant skills can be nurtured, and how they can help the person who has them, particularly if that person is on the autism spectrum.
Download or read book Extraordinary People written by Darold A. Treffert and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the first time in Extraordinary People, the psychiatrist who was a consultant to the movie Rain Man, collects the most fascinating cases of Savant Syndrome both in history and modern times. Dr. Treffert documents the spectacular abilities—the islands of genius—in these remarkable persons, and describes as well the love, determination and dedication of their equally remarkable families, teachers and caretakers. He shares the observations of the far-reaching implications this astonishing condition has for understanding brain function and hidden potential in all of us.
Download or read book Extraordinary People written by Darold A. Treffert and published by HarperCollins Publishers. This book was released on 1989 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses people with the Savant Syndrome, a rare condition in which phenomenal ability and talent appear in people with extreme disabilities.
Download or read book Musical Savants written by Leon K. Miller and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2014-01-02 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using the case study of "Eddie" as his framework, Professor Miller challenges the prevailing notion that musical savants are essentially phenomenal tape recorders and deals with the issue of "idiot savants" in a detailed, empirical investigation. Through "Eddie" the author discusses, in specific and in general, topics including the background and historical context of musical savants; other cases; data regarding the nature of the skills exhibited and the associated developmental deficits; and descriptions of a series of experiments used to define Eddie's talent. Finally, the author considers more general issues raised by savant behavior, particularly functions served by savant behavior, theories regarding its etiology, and its role in general development.
Download or read book The Signs of a Savant written by Neil Smith and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2010-12-02 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every once in a while nature gives us insight into the human condition by providing us with a unique case whose special properties illuminate the species as a whole. Christopher is such an example. Despite disabilities which mean that everyday tasks are burdensome chores, Christopher is a linguistic wonder who can read, write, speak, understand and translate more than twenty languages. On some tests he shows a severely low IQ, hinting at ineducability, yet his English language ability indicates an IQ in excess of 120 (a level more than sufficient to enter university). Christopher is a savant, someone with an island of startling talent in a sea of inability. This book documents his learning of British Sign Language, casting light on the modularity of cognition, the modality neutrality of the language faculty, the structure of memory, the grammar of signed language and the nature of the human mind.
Download or read book The Savant Syndrome Intellectual Impairment Astonishing Condition written by Osvaldo Cairó Battistutti and published by . This book was released on 2021-03 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Savant syndrome is one of the most fascinating phenomena in the study of human differences and cognitive psychology. An individual with savant syndrome is one who has been identified with a rare condition, mental disabilities, or certain disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, and who has one or more areas of extraordinary ability or brilliance, in stark contrast to serious individual general limitations. Their skills emerge spontaneously; they are literal, not symbolic; and they are not derived from practice. Savants have no idea of how they possess these skills. Their condition may be genetic, but may also be acquired in the pre-natal, perinatal, or postnatal stages. There are also cases in which savant syndrome is acquired later in life, following a blow to the head, a stroke, a central nervous system injury, or disease.The most dramatic examples of savant syndrome occur in individuals with exceptional skills in certain areas who simultaneously score very low on intelligence quotient tests. It is paradoxical that individuals with a low intelligence quotient can perform extremely complex mathematical calculations that, in most cases, only individuals with a high IQ can perform. They may pose a challenge to many theories of intelligence, since their performance cannot be understood in terms of conventional intelligence. Individuals with savant syndrome have a prodigious memory and spatial visualization abilities, are attracted to numbers and calendars, and are generally fascinated by music and art. Other skills, such as polyglottism, occur less frequently. The most common kind of savants are calendrical savants, also known as "human calendars," who can calculate the day of the week for any given date with remarkable speed and accuracy. It is disputed whether calculation, rather than memory alone, is involved. Half of savants are autistic, while the other half has mental retardation, CNS injury or disease, or other types of disorders such as Williams' syndrome, Smith-Magenis syndrome, Prader-Willis syndrome, loss of corpus callosum, etc. On the other hand, approximately one in ten autistic people (10%) show savant abilities. Savant syndrome is also approximately six times more frequent in men than in women. Hill (1978) calculated that of 105 individuals classified as savant in 63 publications, at least 85% were men. One of the more plausible explanations for savant syndrome is associated with a dysfunction of the left hemisphere of the brain, whose skills are more abstract, logical, and symbolic, while the right hemisphere is used to compensate, leading to a cortical reorganization. There are many hypotheses associated with understanding more about the Savant syndrome, but none of them are completely sufficient. This is a very heterogeneous area of research historically dominated by anecdotal reports. Additionally, since each savant has their own peculiarities, most reviews take the shape of a collection of stand-alone descriptions. As Ammari (2011) has stated, "there is a lack of unifying definitions, diagnostic tools, age categories, and spectrum of prodigy all of which might be regarded as a disadvantage to savant syndrome." Considering all these factors, the purpose of the present essay is to analyze the different cases more rigorously, considering mainly persons with severe intellectual impairment who can perform in sharply circumscribed areas at a remarkable high level. This is the first time that so many profiles have been brought together in a single paper or book. Twenty-nine of these savants are men and seven are women. Twenty-four of them are from the United States, six are from England, and one each is from Scotland, Italy, Turkey, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Seven of the people profiled here are acquired savants whose abilities emerged after a CNS injury or disease.
Download or read book Neurodegenerative Diseases written by Shamim I. Ahmad and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-03-12 with total page 421 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The editor of this volume, having research interests in the field of ROS production and the damage to cellular systems, has identified a number of enzymes showing ·OH scavenging activities details of which are anticipated to be published in the near future as confirmatory experiments are awaited. It is hoped that the information presented in this book on NDs will stimulate both expert and novice researchers in the field with excellent overviews of the current status of research and pointers to future research goals. Clinicians, nurses as well as families and caregivers should also benefit from the material presented in handling and treating their specialised cases. Also the insights gained should be valuable for further understanding of the diseases at molecular levels and should lead to development of new biomarkers, novel diagnostic tools and more effective therapeutic drugs to treat the clinical problems raised by these devastating diseases.
Download or read book The Real Rain Man Kim Peek written by Kim Peek and published by Harkness Publishing Consultants. This book was released on 1997-04 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A father's inspiring account of Kim Peek, made famous by Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman.
Download or read book Principles and Practice of Movement Disorders E Book written by Joseph Jankovic and published by Elsevier Health Sciences. This book was released on 2011-04-01 with total page 557 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Principles and Practice of Movement Disorders provides the complete, expert guidance you need to diagnose and manage these challenging conditions. Drs. Stanley Fahn, Joseph Jankovic and Mark Hallett explore all facets of these disorders, including the latest rating scales for clinical research, neurochemistry, clinical pharmacology, genetics, clinical trials, and experimental therapeutics. This edition features many new full-color images, additional coverage of pediatric disorders, updated Parkinson information, and many other valuable updates. An accompanying Expert Consult website makes the content fully searchable and contains several hundred video clips that illustrate the manifestations of all the movement disorders in the book along with their differential diagnoses. Get just the information you need for a clinical approach to diagnosis and management, with minimal emphasis on basic science. Find the answers you need quickly and easily thanks to a reader-friendly full-color format, with plentiful diagrams, photographs, and tables. Apply the latest advances to diagnosis and treatment of pediatric movement disorders, Parkinson disease, and much more. View the characteristic presentation of each disorder with a complete collection of professional-quality, narrated videos online. Better visualize every concept with new full-color illustrations throughout. Search the complete text online, follow links to PubMed abstracts, and download all of the illustrations, at www.expertconsult.com.
Download or read book Struck by Genius written by Jason Padgett and published by HMH. This book was released on 2014-04-22 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From head trauma to scientific wonder—a “deeply absorbing . . . fascinating” true story of acquired savant syndrome (Entertainment Weekly). Twelve years ago, Jason Padgett had never made it past pre-algebra. But a violent mugging forever altered the way his brain worked. It turned an ordinary math-averse student into an extraordinary young man with a unique gift to see the world as no one else does: water pours from the faucet in crystalline patterns, numbers call to mind distinct geometric shapes, and intricate fractal patterns emerge from the movement of tree branches, revealing the intrinsic mathematical designs hidden in the objects around us. As his ability to understand physics skyrocketed, the “accidental genius” developed the astonishing ability to draw the complex geometric shapes he saw everywhere. Overcoming huge setbacks and embracing his new mind, Padgett “gained a vision of the world that is as beautiful as it is challenging.” Along the way he fell in love, found joy in numbers, and spent plenty of time having his head examined (The New York Times Book Review). Illustrated with Jason’s stunning, mathematically precise artwork, his singular story reveals the wondrous potential of the human brain, and “an incredible phenomenon which points toward dormant potential—a little Rain Man perhaps—within us all” (Darold A. Treffert, MD, author of Islands of Genius: The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant). “A tale worthy of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! . . . This memoir sends a hopeful message to families touched by brain injury, autism, or neurological damage from strokes.” —Booklist “How extraordinary it is to contemplate the bizarre gifts that might lie within all of us.” —People
Download or read book Mechanisms of Memory written by J. David Sweatt and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2009-09-28 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This fully revised second edition provides the only unified synthesis of available information concerning the mechanisms of higher-order memory formation. It spans the range from learning theory, to human and animal behavioral learning models, to cellular physiology and biochemistry. It is unique in its incorporation of chapters on memory disorders, tying in these clinically important syndromes with the basic science of synaptic plasticity and memory mechanisms. It also covers cutting-edge approaches such as the use of genetically engineered animals in studies of memory and memory diseases. Written in an engaging and easily readable style and extensively illustrated with many new, full-color figures to help explain key concepts, this book demystifies the complexities of memory and deepens the reader’s understanding. More than 25% new content, particularly expanding the scope to include new findings in translational research. Unique in its depth of coverage of molecular and cellular mechanisms Extensive cross-referencing to Comprehensive Learning and Memory Discusses clinically relevant memory disorders in the context of modern molecular research and includes numerous practical examples
Download or read book Embracing the Wide Sky written by Daniel Tammet and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2009-01-06 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Owner of "the most remarkable mind on the planet," (according to Entertainment Weekly) Daniel Tammet captivated readers and won worldwide critical acclaim with the 2007 New York Times bestselling memoir, Born On A Blue Day, and its vivid depiction of a life with autistic savant syndrome. In his fascinating new book, he writes with characteristic clarity and personal awareness as he sheds light on the mysteries of savants' incredible mental abilities, and our own. Tammet explains that the differences between savant and non-savant minds have been exaggerated; his astonishing capacities in memory, math and language are neither due to a cerebral supercomputer nor any genetic quirk, but are rather the results of a highly rich and complex associative form of thinking and imagination. Autistic thought, he argues, is an extreme variation of a kind that we all do, from daydreaming to the use of puns and metaphors. Embracing the Wide Sky combines meticulous scientific research with Tammet's detailed descriptions of how his mind works to demonstrate the immense potential within us all. He explains how our natural intuitions can help us to learn a foreign language, why his memories are like symphonies, and what numbers and giraffes have in common. We also discover why there is more to intelligence than IQ, how optical illusions fool our brains, and why too much information can make you dumb. Many readers will be particularly intrigued by Tammet's original ideas concerning the genesis of genius and exceptional creativity. He illustrates his arguments with examples as diverse as the private languages of twins, the compositions of poets with autism, and the breakthroughs, and breakdowns, of some of history's greatest minds. Embracing the Wide Sky is a unique and brilliantly imaginative portrait of how we think, learn, remember and create, brimming with personal insights and anecdotes, and explanations of the most up-to-date, mind-bending discoveries from fields ranging from neuroscience to psychology and linguistics. This is a profound and provocative book that will transform our understanding and respect for every kind of mind.
Download or read book Autism and Talent written by Francesca Happé and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2010-03-18 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Originating from a theme issue first published in Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences."
Download or read book Bright Splinters of the Mind written by Beate Hermelin and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. This book was released on 2001 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on 20 years of research, Hermelin describes not just what autistic savants do, but how they do it. In her fascinating and highly informative book she describes her investigations into the nature of the talents of savants who are gifted at poetry, foreign language acquisition, the visual arts, music, and calendar and numerical calculations.
Download or read book Born On A Blue Day written by Daniel Tammet and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2007-01-09 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A journey into one of the most fascinating minds alive today—guided by the owner himself. Bestselling author Daniel Tammet (Thinking in Numbers) is virtually unique among people who have severe autistic disorders in that he is capable of living a fully independent life and able to explain what is happening inside his head. He sees numbers as shapes, colors, and textures, and he can perform extraordinary calculations in his head. He can learn to speak new languages fluently, from scratch, in a week. In 2004, he memorized and recited more than 22,000 digits of pi, setting a record. He has savant syndrome, an extremely rare condition that gives him the most unimaginable mental powers, much like those portrayed by Dustin Hoffman in the film Rain Man. Fascinating and inspiring, Born on a Blue Day explores what it’s like to be special and gives us an insight into what makes us all human—our minds.
Download or read book Urville written by Gilles Trehin and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. This book was released on 2006-02-15 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urville, the capital of a large island province, has a population of nearly 12 million, making it the one of the most significant cities in Europe. It is also entirely imaginary. Gilles Tréhin, an autistic man with exceptional creative talents and an obsession with large cities, conceived and developed Urville over the course of 20 years. He shares his vision in this beautifully illustrated guide to the city, which he renders convincingly real in nearly 300 drawings of different districts of Urville. He describes, in remarkable detail, the architectural styles of its individual buildings and provides historical, geographical, economic and cultural information. This includes historical figures and cultural anecdotes grounded in historical reality - Tréhin accounts for the effects of the Vichy regime, the Second World War and globalisation on his imagined city. This book offers fascinating evidence of and insight into the creative power of the autistic mind and will be of interest to people with autism and without.
Download or read book Nadia Revisited written by Lorna Selfe and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2012-03-29 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book re-examines the case of Nadia, discovered as a child aged six, who had been drawing with phenomenal skill and visual realism from the age of three, despite having autism and severe learning difficulties. The original research was published in 1977 and caused great international interest. Nadia Revisited updates her story and reconsiders the theories that endeavour to explain her extraordinary talent. As well as summarising the central issues from the original case study and presenting her remarkable drawings, the book explains Nadia’s subsequent development and present situation in light of the recent research on autistic spectrum disorders and representational drawing in children. The book also considers the phenomenon of savant syndrome, the condition in which those with autism or other learning disabilities have areas of unusual talent that contrast dramatically with their general functioning. Lorna Selfe uses this single case study to discuss theories of developmental psychology and considers the possible links between prodigious talent and underlying neurological dysfunction. The book is especially valuable for students and teachers of developmental psychology and neuropsychology, education and special education, as well as art and art education. Parents of autistic children or those with related disorders, learning difficulties or special needs will also be interested in the discussions presented in this book.
