Savant syndrome

Savant syndrome
Other names	Autistic savant, savant syndrome (historical)[1]
Kim Peek, the savant who was the inspiration for the main character in the movie Rain Man
Specialty	Psychiatry, neurology
Symptoms	General mental disability with certain abilities far in excess of average[1][2]
Types	Congenital, acquired[3]
Causes	Neurodevelopmental disorder such as autism spectrum disorder, brain injury[1]
Frequency	~1 in a million people[4]

Savant syndrome (/ˈsævənt, sæˈvɑːnt/ SAV-ənt, sə-VAHNT, US also /səˈvɑːnt/ sav-AHNT) is a phenomenon where someone demonstrates exceptional aptitude in one domain, such as art or mathematics, despite significant social or intellectual impairment.^[1]

Those with the condition generally have a neurodevelopmental condition, such as autism, or have experienced a brain injury.^[1] About half of cases are associated with autism, and these individuals may be known as autistic savants ^[fr].^[1] The other half often have some form of central nervous system injury or disease.^[1] While the condition usually becomes apparent in childhood, some cases develop later in life.^[1] It is not recognized as a mental disorder within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), as it relates to parts of the brain healing or restructuring.^[5]

Savant syndrome is estimated to affect around one in a million people.^[4] The condition affects more males than females, at a ratio of 6:1.^[1] The first medical account of the condition was in 1783.^[1] It is estimated that between 0.5% and 10% of those with autism have some form of savant abilities.^[1][6][7] It is estimated that there are currently living fewer than a hundred prodigious savants, with skills so extraordinary that they would be considered spectacular even for a non-impaired person.^[1]