Acquired Savant Syndrome: Unleashing New Cognitive Abilities and Strength After a Traumatic Brain Injury

Some individuals who suffered and survived traumatic brain injury found themselves with new talents and abilities, and this could be down to acquired savant syndrome.

What Is Acquired Savant Syndrome?

Acquired savant syndrome is the demonstration of (often exceptional) intellectual abilities that may surface following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or disease that affects a non-disabled person.

The remarkable skills associated with acquired savant syndrome typically manifest after left hemisphere brain damage, most commonly a left anterior temporal lobe injury. The brain's right hemisphere makes up for the damaged left hemisphere in every case of savant syndrome. Put differently, acquired savant syndrome refers to the development of new abilities in a person who has had a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that was not present before.

Professionals like Dr. Darold Treffert, who conducted a thorough investigation of savant syndrome before passing away in 2020, think that these changes could be the outcome of the brain's compensating processes after an injury. According to the notion, injury to one part of the brain may cause another to rewire, opening up new cognitive abilities and strengths. This theory is consistent with research demonstrating that specific brain regions have increased connection or activity in many savants, pointing to a physiological basis for their exceptional abilities.

Most people agree that these recently discovered capabilities are newly "released" rather than newly developed, compensated abilities. Given this, many have questioned whether we are all capable of such amazing abilities.

Humans can succeed in a vast array of fields. It's intriguing to note that most people with acquired savant syndrome fall into one of just five categories for their newly developed abilities: music calendar computation, mathematics, the arts, and spatial or mechanical capabilities. Less common abilities include the ability to accurately sense time without a clock, extraordinary knowledge in neurophysiology or statistics, the ability to speak many languages fluently, and odd sensory differentiation in touch, vision, or scent.

But TBIs can still be completely devastating, even with these newly acquired abilities. While rare people may develop brand-new, amazing talents, many people who experience this kind of brain injury go through severe, frequently incapacitating difficulties in the wake of the accident.

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Examples of Acquired Savant Syndrome Cases

Diana de Avila is one of the most interesting cases of this disease; following a string of medical occurrences, including a serious accident and multiple sclerosis, she noticed a marked change in her cognitive functioning. De Avila experienced a sudden and intense drive to paint after experiencing brilliant colors and shapes while recuperating from an attack of ocular neuritis in 2017. Despite having no official art instruction, she quickly gained the capacity to create intricate works of art, a significant change from her previous existence.

Another case of acquired savant syndrome involved Derek Amato, who developed extraordinary abilities in music after he accidentally hit his head on the shallow cement bottom of a Jacuzzi. He suffered migraines, memory loss, and a 35% hearing loss in one ear as a result of the TBI. But four days later, another symptom surfaced: a sophisticated, intuitive grasp of melody, harmony, and arpeggio arrangement and playing. Derek had little to no prior experience with music, yet he was now an accomplished composer. The drawback is, of course, that he still has to deal with the extremely painful and genuine side effects of his injuries.

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