Savantism is a condition in which someone with significant mental disabilities demonstrates certain abilities far in excess of average. The skills at which savants excel are generally related to memory. This may include rapid calculation, autistic ability, map making or musical ability. Usually just one special skill is present.
Those with the condition generally have a neurodevelopmental disorder such as autism spectrum disorder or have a brain injury. The condition usually becomes apparent in childhood; some causes may develop late in life. Cases of female savants are even less common than those of males. Savant skills are usually found in one or more of five major areas they are the following: memory, arithmetic, music abilities and spatial skills. The most common kind of savants is calendric savants. They can be described as “Human Savants”. They can calculate the day of week for any given date with speed and accuracy or recall personal memories from any given date. Advanced memory is the key super power in savant abilities.
Psychological theory explains savant’s as combination of talent and deficit. It has been suggested that individual with autism are biased towards detail- focused processing and that is cognitive style predisposes individuals either with or without autism to savant talents.
A neurological theory explains savants can be induced by severe head trauma to the left anterior temporal lobe.
